A powerful winter storm has been issued cross the country, and meteorologists are warning it could be dangerous and widespread. The National Weather Service, as reported by NPR’s Updraft blog, has issued storm warnings from January 23 through the weekend in Minnesota, as well as covering other regions from the Southwest all the way to the Northeast.
Officials say the storm could make travel extremely treacherous. Ice is expected to coat roads, trees, and power lines, raising the risk of accidents and widespread outages. Northern areas may experience blinding snow squalls, while southern regions could face crippling ice and sleet.
ABC News reports that the South will start feeling the storm on Friday afternoon, with the worst of it hitting Saturday. Cities including Dallas, Memphis, and Atlanta could see major disruptions, and more than 1,400 flights within, into, or out of the U.S. have already been canceled, Dallas airports being hit the hardest. Eleven states, including Texas, Georgia, Alabama, and the Carolinas, have declared states of emergency.
NBC News adds that up to 172 million people could be affected, stretching from the Arizona/New Mexico border to southern Maine. Arctic air following the storm is expected to bring record-breaking cold to much of the country. Cold alerts are in effect for 185 million people, with freezing conditions lingering for days, up to 10 days in the Northeast.
Authorities are urging everyone to stay safe: avoid non-essential travel, prepare for power outages, and check on vulnerable family and neighbors.
Acknowledgement: This summary was generated using AI writing tools as part of my experimental learning process. For more information, checkout the original articles listed below.
Related Resource Link
- A massive winter storm will hit large parts of the U.S. through the weekend | NPR News
- As dangerous cold descends on Minnesota, some school districts change plans | MPR News
- Millions brace for potentially catastrophic ice storm. What to know, by the numbers | ABC
- Forecasters warn of a ‘potentially catastrophic’ storm from Texas to the Carolinas | AP News