At Least 30 Dead as More Freezing Cold Pummels US
At least 30 people have died nationwide as a powerful winter storm continued to grip large portions of the United States, bringing fresh snow to the Northeast on Monday while leaving widespread destruction and power outages in parts of the South.
Officials in several states reported weather-related fatalities tied to extreme cold, snow removal operations, and recreational accidents. In New York City, officials said eight people were found dead outdoors between Saturday and Monday morning as temperatures plunged.
Elsewhere, police said two people were killed after being struck by snowplows in Massachusetts and Ohio, while separate sledding accidents claimed the lives of teenagers in Arkansas and Texas. In Kansas, officers using bloodhounds located the body of a 28-year-old teacher who was found covered in snow after she was last seen leaving a bar without a coat or phone.
As the storm system shifted east, the Northeast saw another round of snowfall from the system’s trailing edge. The National Weather Service said snow totals exceeded a foot across a broad corridor stretching from Arkansas to New England, with areas north of Pittsburgh receiving close to 20 inches. Forecasters warned that wind chills in parts of the region dropped as low as minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit late Monday into early Tuesday.
New York City recorded its snowiest day in eight years, with records of eight to 15 inches of snow across the southern region. While city officials said major roadways were largely cleared by Monday morning, pedestrians encountered snow-packed sidewalks, and subway lines operating on elevated tracks experienced service delays.
Farther south, the storm’s impact was most visible in the form of ice damage and prolonged power outages. More than 650,000 customers across the country are currently without electricity, with the vast majority of outages concentrated in Southern states, according to figures from PowerOutage.com.
Freezing rain over the weekend caused trees and power lines to snap, leaving entire neighborhoods without heat as temperatures remained well below freezing.
In Mississippi, state officials reported two storm-related deaths and more than 153,000 customers without power as ice, debris, and hazardous road conditions slowed restoration efforts. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency said damage had been reported in 47 counties and the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, with FEMA deploying generators, fuel, and emergency supplies as more than 60 warming centers opened statewide.
In Oxford Sunday, Mayor Robyn Tannehill said the city was facing “complete devastation,” with trees continuing to fall under the weight of ice and travel deemed unsafe. About 100 people sought shelter overnight at the Oxford Conference Center as temperatures dropped to 5 degrees, while crews worked around downed power lines and blocked roadways.
“It looks like a tornado went down every street,” Tannehill said, adding that conditions made it impossible for the city to transport residents or students to shelters safely.
Travel disruptions rippled nationwide as the storm lingered. More than 11,000 flights nationwide have been delayed or canceled today, according to FlightAware.
The National Weather Service said light to moderate snowfall was expected to persist across parts of New England through Monday evening, extending hazardous conditions as recovery efforts continued across multiple regions.
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