Monday dawned with a biting cold, as the US grappled with the effects of a severe weather system that had brought record-low temperatures, overturned trees, and disrupted daily life from the west coast to the east coast, and from Florida to Canada’s border. The National Weather Service warned of temperatures plummeting to a chill-inducing -30F (-34C) across the northern Rockies, Kansas, and Iowa, a prospect that tested the resolve of caucus-goers willing to brave the deep cold on Monday. The risk of frostbite was all too real for those venturing outside, with dire warnings issued by public safety officials.
As the cold front moved across the country, it left in its wake a trail of destruction and disruption. In the north-west, at least four people were killed, tens of thousands lost electricity, and hundreds of thousands remained without power. The south and north-east were not spared either, with snowfall and blizzard conditions forcing the postponement of an NFL playoff game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Buffalo Bills in bone-chilling conditions.
Sub-zero wind chills gripped much of the country, with -50F (-45C) temperatures expected in Montana and the Dakotas. “It takes a matter of minutes for frostbite to set in,” warned the South Dakota department of public safety, urging people to stay indoors. Other parts of the country could see temperatures drop 25 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit below normal, from the Rockies to the Ohio Valley.
In Texas, the power grid operator appealed to residents to conserve electricity on Monday morning due to the cold weather causing “record-breaking demand” for energy. A deadly freeze in Texas in 2021 had left millions without power, but state officials expressed confidence about the grid’s reliability as the cold front approached.
The Bitter Chill of the Arctic Freeze Sweeps Across the USAs the freeze continued to wreak havoc, even Florida was not spared, with forecasts predicting showers and thunderstorms from Monday into Tuesday. In Oregon, more than 120,000 homes and businesses were without electricity, most of them in the Portland metro area, a day after high winds and a mix of snow and ice brought down trees and power lines.
The impact was widespread, with airports across the country affected. More than half of flights into and out of Buffalo Niagara international airport were canceled, while scores of flights were canceled or delayed at Chicago, Denver, and Seattle-Tacoma airports. The Omaha Public Power District asked customers to conserve electricity to prevent outages, while the South Dakota department of public safety issued a statement urging people to stay indoors to avoid the risk of frostbite.
The bitter chill of the Arctic freeze was a reality check for the US, as it battled to recover from the effects of a severe weather system that had brought destruction, disruption, and death. As the cold front slowly moved east, it left in its wake a trail of devastation, a poignant reminder of the power of nature and the importance of being prepared for the unexpected.