As the death toll climbs to 55 across 10 states, the United States is on high alert for an onslaught of winter storms poised to strike both coasts. The aftermath of the season’s coldest air and successive storms has left a trail of tragedy, with 14 reported deaths in Tennessee alone due to weather-related incidents, a report by CNN stated.
This week, approximately 150 million Americans found themselves under a windchill advisory for dangerous cold and wind, as an Arctic air mass swept south and eastward across the nation. In response to these chilling occurrences, a new winter weather advisory was issued on Thursday morning for multiple regions.
The dangers were underscored on Wednesday when a power line fell on a parked car in northeast Portland, Oregon, claiming three lives and injuring a baby during an ice storm. Treacherous roads and mountain highways in the Pacific Northwest added to the challenges faced by residents.
Snow warnings
A wide region was initially under warnings for up to 2.5 centimeters of ice, exacerbating the impact of a deadly storm that struck over the weekend. Subsequently, the warning area was reduced to parts of southwest Washington and northwest Oregon, including Portland, and further limited to the western edge of the Columbia River Gorge later in the day.
Lake effect snow warnings are up in Buffalo, where an additional 8 to 14 inches could fall in narrow bands east of Lake Erie. Further north on Ontario’s shores, as much as 22 inches could fall. Sunday’s National Football League game between the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs in Orchard Park, New York, should kick off under cloudy skies and sub-zero temperatures.
In New York City, the snow will last through the day on Friday before tapering off overnight. The system is tracking across the central US, where winter weather advisories stretch from Montana to New Jersey and into the lower Mississippi River Valley. As the United States braces for more winter turmoil, communities nationwide are urged to exercise caution in the face of these harsh weather conditions.