WASHINGTON: A massive winter storm has caused widespread disruption across the United States, forcing the cancellation of more than 4,000 flights and leaving over 160,000 electricity customers without power, according to U.S. officials and monitoring agencies.
The powerful storm system, described by forecasters as “historic”, is sweeping across the eastern two-thirds of the country, bringing heavy snowfall, sleet, freezing rain, and dangerously low temperatures. Weather authorities warned that the storm’s impact could persist into the coming week, threatening major transportation, power, and public safety systems.
In response to the growing crisis, U.S. President Donald Trump approved federal emergency disaster declarations for multiple states, including South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, Maryland, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Indiana, and West Virginia. Seventeen states and the District of Columbia have also declared weather emergencies.
“We will continue to monitor and stay in touch with all states in the path of this storm. Stay safe and stay warm,” President Trump said in a statement posted on social media.
Power Outages and Grid Emergency
Power outages continued to rise late Saturday, with Louisiana and Texas among the worst-affected regions. The U.S. Department of Energy issued an emergency order allowing Texas grid operators to deploy backup generation at data centers and major facilities to reduce the risk of widespread blackouts.
U.S. electric grid operators across several states intensified emergency measures to prevent rotating power cuts as freezing temperatures strain infrastructure. Dominion Energy warned that the ice forecast in Virginia could result in one of the largest winter events in the utility’s history.
Air Travel Severely Disrupted
The storm severely disrupted air travel nationwide. According to flight-tracking data, more than 4,000 flights scheduled for Saturday were canceled, while over 9,400 flights planned for Sunday have already been called off.
Major airlines including Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, and United Airlines announced proactive cancellations and warned passengers to expect further delays and schedule changes. Airlines have also relocated cold-weather specialists to southern airports to assist with de-icing and baggage operations.
Authorities Urge Caution
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem urged Americans to take the storm seriously, advising residents to prepare for extended power outages and extreme cold.
“It’s going to be very, very cold. We encourage everyone to stock up on fuel and food,” Noem said, adding that emergency crews are working around the clock to restore essential services.
The National Weather Service warned of widespread ice accumulation across the southeastern United States, cautioning that impacts could be “crippling to locally catastrophic.” Record-low temperatures and life-threatening wind chills are expected to extend into the Great Plains by Monday.