Millions hit as major winter storm bears down on America’s midsection

Hind Al Soulia - Riyadh - WASHINGTON — More than 60 million Americans are under winter alerts nationwide, with a powerful weather system expected to bring a potent mix of snow, ice and blizzard conditions, accompanied by winds gusting up to 50 mph.

The winter storm, which has already caused snowy and icy conditions in the Central Plains, will create treacherous travel conditions and potential power outages across a vast region stretching from Kansas to the mid-Atlantic.

“For some, this could be the heaviest snowfall in over a decade,” NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center warned.

Major effects, including “considerable disruptions to daily life ... dangerous or impossible driving conditions and widespread closures,” are expected from this storm through Monday in parts of the Central and Eastern US, according to the Winter Storm Severity Index.

Meanwhile, an ice storm warning remains in effect until noon CST Monday for areas of southern Illinois, western Kentucky and southeast Missouri. Travel of any kind in those areas is “strongly discouraged,” as the bridges and overpasses are likely to “become slick and hazardous,” according to the Weather Service.

The greatest risk of dangerous ice will set up just south of the snowiest areas. Significant icing is possible from Kansas and Missouri through the central Appalachians and potentially parts of Maryland and Delaware.

The National Weather Service said “significant icing” is expected.

“Total snow and sleet accumulations up to two inches and ice accumulations between one quarter and three quarters of an inch,” The National Weather Service said. “Persons should delay all travel if possible. If travel is absolutely necessary, drive with extreme caution and be prepared for sudden changes in visibility.”

The weather service in Topeka, Kansas, warned against traveling in the icy conditions.

“If you are thinking about hitting the road today, think again. Snowplows are getting stuck. Emergency vehicles are getting stuck. If you get stuck, it may be over 24 hours until someone can get to you,” the National Weather Service office in Topeka said on X. “Temperatures will fall below zero tonight. Do not risk it.”

The Kansas Turnpike Authority posted photos on X of crashed vehicles near Andover on Sunday afternoon.

“Cabin fever must be setting in based upon the dozen or so crashes in the last few hours,” it said. “Snow plow and trooper’s vehicle also hit; luckily no injuries.” The authority advised residents to shelter in place as “it sure beats waiting on help to rescue you.”

James Pritchett told CNN he’s been stuck at a truck stop in Faucett, Missouri, since Saturday night.

“Conditions are getting a little worse here,” Pritchett said.

Power outages could be widespread and long-lasting if significant icing occurs and power restoration crews can’t navigate treacherous roads. The situation could be dangerous or potentially deadly for those without access to heat in the extreme cold to come.

Ahead of the storm, the governors of Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, Arkansas, Missouri and New Jersey declared states of emergency, while Maryland’s governor declared a state of preparedness.

“This winter storm will likely cause significant disruption and dangerous conditions on our roads and could cause significant power outages – just 24 hours before it gets dangerously cold,” Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said, according to a release from his office.

North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein told CNN’s Fredricka Whitfield on Sunday afternoon his state is prepared for the storm. “We’re braced for whatever comes our way.”

He said the storm comes at a time when western North Carolina is still recovering from Hurricane Helene, noting 8,000 bridges need repairs, keeping homeowners isolated from their communities. “We need to help them to reconnect to their property,” along with emergency services.

The winter storm is due to hit Washington, DC, overnight as Congress prepares to certify the 2024 presidential election results Monday.

Mayor Muriel Bowser told a news conference Sunday afternoon the top priority is getting the city fully opened as soon as possible and urged people to give snowplow teams space to work. “If you don’t need to be on the roads tonight and tomorrow, stay home. Please stay off our roads,” she said.

US federal government offices in Washington, DC, will be closed Monday due to snow, according to the Office of Personnel Management. The closure will not affect Congress.

Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg told CNN the city was encouraging people to stay home and preparing as best it could for the storm, with freezing rain setting in.

The local power company had 1,000 people on standby to work on outages, he said.

As of Sunday night, more than 120,000 customers were without power in the central US, according to PowerOutage.us. About 31,700 of those affected were in Missouri and 900 in Kansas. Another approximately 51,100 customers were without power in Kentucky, 33,800 in Illinois, 1,400 in Indiana and 1,200 in Ohio, according to the site.

On Saturday, a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper pleaded for people to not go on the roads as crashes had been reported.

“Please please please, stay home. This is not the time to go out and venture and take in the sights and see the scenery,” Trooper Ben Gardner said on X. “This is the time when we stay home.”

More than 1,700 flights around the US had been canceled and more than 7,600 delayed Sunday as of 9:30 p.m. ET, per flight tracking site FlightAware.

As blizzard conditions began in Topeka, Kansas, on Sunday, strong winds caused snow gusts throughout the area, as seen in video shared by the National Weather Service office in Topeka on Sunday morning.

“More of this can be expected through the day with drifting snow making travel nearly impossible. Stay home and stay safe,” the weather service in Topeka said on X.

The National Weather Service in St. Louis shared NOAA satellite imagery Sunday morning showing green splotches of lightning flashes.

The highest snow totals will pile up in the coldest areas, likely in parts of Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and West Virginia. Totals will be lower in areas where warmer air generates sleet and ice instead of snow.

This storm will be capable of unleashing more than a foot of snow and enough ice to knock out power just as the coldest temperatures of the season arrive in its wake. The storm’s forecast has also put several major cities on alert for potentially historic January snowfall totals.

Kansas City and Indianapolis are among the metropolitan areas bracing for exceptional snow accumulations.

Kansas City could surpass its January record of 7.2 inches, set in 2011, while Indianapolis is also in the storm’s crosshairs, with forecasts suggesting the possibility of surpassing its January record of 11.4 inches, set in 2014.

Those in the South can expect rain and some embedded thunderstorms as a result of this massive winter storm. A level 3 of 5 threat of severe thunderstorms is in place Sunday for parts of Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi, according to the Storm Prediction Center.

Damaging wind gusts and hail are the most likely threats from any severe thunderstorm but tornadoes are also possible.

The National Weather Service in Little Rock, Arkansas, confirmed in a Facebook post Sunday afternoon a tornado had been recorded near Avery in Lincoln County around 3.05 p.m. ET.

Another tornado was recorded around five hours later in Mississippi, eight miles east of Brandon, near Pelahatchie, the Weather Service said.

A tornado outbreak, including multiple rated EF3s, rocked parts of the South in late December.

The massive storm will finally exit the East Coast late Monday and fully diminish in impact overnight. But Tuesday, temperature drops of as much as 30 degrees below normal for the eastern two-thirds of the US will lock in whatever snow and ice fall from the storm. — CNN