Dangerously Cold Temperatures Grip the U.S.
The central United States continues to battle severely cold wind chills, with temperatures dropping to below minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 34.4 degrees Celsius) in many parts of the Rockies, Great Plains, and Midwest. As a result of these freezing conditions, about 110,000 homes and businesses across the country were left without power, with the majority of outages occurring in Oregon following widespread disruptions that started Saturday.
Amidst the cold snap, Portland General Electric has issued a warning that the threat of freezing rain on Tuesday could hamper efforts to restore power. Transportation officials are urging residents to avoid travel as icy roads create hazardous conditions. The weight of the ice on trees and power lines only exacerbates these dangers, increasing the risks of falling debris.
The severe weather has prompted the cancellation of classes in major cities including Portland, Chicago, Denver, Dallas, and Fort Worth. The impact of the storms and frigid temperatures has been far-reaching, affecting everything from air travel to NFL playoff games to Iowa's presidential caucuses. Tragically, there have been several deaths reported across the country as a result of the extreme weather conditions.
In the Portland area alone, four deaths have been attributed to the cold weather, including two from suspected hypothermia. Another fatality occurred when a tree fell on a house, and a woman died in a fire that originated from an open-flame stove after a tree fell on an RV. Three homeless individuals in the Milwaukee area in Wisconsin also lost their lives, with hypothermia suspected as the cause.
Freezing rain and sleet are expected to persist in parts of the Southeast until Tuesday morning. Winter storm warnings are in effect for several counties in Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Overnight temperatures dropped to as low as 10 degrees Fahrenheit in Olive Branch, Mississippi, and Jackson, Tennessee.
While the freezing temperatures have plagued many regions, they did not deter fans from braving the cold to cheer on the Buffalo Bills at a snow-covered Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. The Bills emerged victorious against the Pittsburgh Steelers in an AFC wild-card playoff game that was delayed for 27 1/2 hours due to a heavy snowstorm that blanketed the region with more than 2 feet of snow.
Even Iowa's caucuses, the first-in-the-nation primary voting event, took place in frigid conditions, setting a record for the coldest caucus weather ever recorded. Temperatures dipped to minus 3 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 19.4 degrees Celsius) in Des Moines, with the wind chill making it feel even colder. However, the cold did not deter voters, and former President Donald Trump emerged as the winner in the Republican caucuses.
The extreme temperatures have also caused disruptions in air travel across the country, with FlightAware reporting approximately 2,900 flight cancellations on Monday within, into, or out of the United States.
While temperatures are expected to moderate slightly midweek, forecasters predict a new surge of colder air to move southward over the Northern Plains and Midwest, reaching the Deep South by the end of the week. Residents in these impacted areas are encouraged to stay informed and take necessary precautions to ensure their safety in the face of these extreme weather conditions.
