A winter storm of rare intensity is preparing to hit the Eastern United States. Blizzards, heavy snow and freezing rain are expected, threatening more than 60 million Americans. Several states have already declared a state of emergency in the face of this extreme weather…
While Christmas decorations still light up the streets and the new year has barely begun, Mother Nature has not said her last word. A powerful winter storm is currently threatening the Eastern United States, potentially turning early January into a weather nightmare for millions of Americans.
More than 60 million Americans in the eye of the storm
According to the National Weather Service, nearly 55 million residents of the East Coast will have to face dire conditions until Monday. Blizzards, heavy snowfall, freezing rain and black ice are expected over a wide swath from Nebraska to the Atlantic coast, passing through highly populated states such as Pennsylvania and Virginia.
Faced with the scale of the threat, several governors did not wait to react. Those of Kentucky and Virginia have already declaredstate of emergencyallowing you to unlock additional means to deal with this blizzard-like storm.
Impassable roads and disrupted transport
The meteorological services are categorical: it will be “almost impossible to drive” in certain areas particularly affected by ice and freezing rain. This is particularly the case in southern Missouri, Kentucky and Tennessee where the roads risk transforming into giant ice rinks.
Air transport is not spared. Kansas City International Airport in Missouri had to temporarily close its runways on Saturday afternoon due to heavy ice accumulation.
The storm is still taking shape, but it presents multiple dangers, from heavy snowfall in the plains to icy conditions covering the roads further south.
Rich Bann, National Weather Prediction Center meteorologist
Risks of power cuts
Beyond transport considerations, it is also the spectrum of power cuts which hovers over the affected regions. The weight of ice and snow on power lines, coupled with strong winds, raises fears of extensive damage to infrastructure.
The authorities are calling on residents to exercise extreme caution and limit their travel to what is strictly necessary while waiting for the storm, which is expected to reach the Atlantic Ocean on Monday, to leave the territory.
A start to the year under close weather surveillance
Although winter storms are not rare in the United States, the intensity of this one and its timing are of concern. Just days after New Year’s Eve, millions of Americans find their plans turned upside down.
Meteorological services are closely monitoring the development of the storm, hoping that it will spare large metropolises on the East Coast like New York or Washington at the last minute. But the time has come for caution, as the forecasts seem pessimistic and the risks high for the populations.
At the beginning of January 2025, all eyes are on the American sky, feverishly waiting for this historic storm eventually dissipates. Until then, millions of residents are holding their breath, praying that the damage remains limited in the face of onslaughts of blizzards and ice.
