Winter storm alert: 7 things to know as storm disrupts flights and travel across the US

A sprawling winter storm is expected to sweep across the United States this weekend, placing more than 160 million people in the path of hazardous weather that could include snow, sleet, freezing rain, extreme cold, and widespread travel disruptions.The storm is expected to sweep through much of the United States, leaving “extremely dangerous” conditions in its wake as it tracks eastwards from the High Plains and Rockies, the National Weather Service(NWS) said.

The threat comes from a combination of heavy snow and potentially catastrophic ice accumulation, a pairing that can cripple infrastructure. Across large parts of the Southern Plains, Ohio Valley, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast, snowfall totals could exceed 12 inches, disrupting public transportation and creating dangerous driving conditions. Just south of the snow band, freezing rain and sleet could coat trees and power lines with ice, increasing the risk of widespread power outages.“Freezing rain and ice make travel difficult, if not impossible,” said Mr Richard Bann, meteorologist at the prediction centre in College Park, Md.

When and where the storm will hit

Friday: The storm is expected to take shape by afternoon, emerging from the Southern Rockies. Scattered snow is forecast across Colorado and New Mexico before the system expands into the Southern Plains, including Kansas, Oklahoma, and the Texas Panhandle. Saturday: The system is forecast to spread deeper into Texas overnight, reach Arkansas and Tennessee by morning, and push into parts of the Midwest. By Saturday night, impacts could extend into northern Alabama, Georgia, and the Carolinas, with snow to the north and a mix of sleet and freezing rain farther south.Sunday: Wintry weather is expected to reach the Mid-Atlantic early in the day, then spread northward into New England as the storm continues east.Monday: Snowfall is expected to taper off across the Northeast, while a surge of bitter cold air settles in behind the storm, stretching from the Southern Plains through New England.

11 US states declare Emergency

At least 11 states including Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia, have declared a state of emergency as the storm nears.“Travel is going to become more and more treacherous starting late Friday afternoon and lasting through the rest of the weekend,” the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma, posted online.

Flight, train and road disruptions

As per a New York Post report, about 1,300 flights have been cancelled across United States. There is an expectation that more flights will be cancelled as the storm intensifies. This comes day after major airlines had issued travel waivers for flights this weekend. In North Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and Tennessee Delta has cancelled flights.Even road travel will be difficult, with periods of impossible driving situations expected. The Transportation departments at Dallas has already started salting roads ahead of freezing rain and snow expected by Friday afternoon. Similarly Louisiana department has asked its crew to prepare the roads for the drastic weather. Popular commuter rail systems in the Northeast, including New Jersey Transit, Metro-North Railroad, and the Long Island Rail Road, said they will provide riders with real-time updates on departures and any service delays.Meanwhile, Amtrak is rolling out service changes nationwide as the storm approaches. In a statement, Amtrak Northeast said it is closely tracking the winter system and warned that schedule adjustments could be required depending on the storm’s path.

Power outages could make conditions worse

Forecasters also warn that power outages caused by ice accumulation could leave some residents without heat as temperatures drop. Mr. Bann noted that snow could fall in areas lacking adequate snow-removal equipment, and that prolonged cold could prevent melting, leaving roads icy and dangerous for extended periods.Emergency officials are urging residents in affected areas to prepare for potential power outages, travel disruptions, and dangerous cold as the storm approaches.

Empty grocery stores, as citizens rush to stock up

Following the warning by State weather departments, the citizens are rushing to grocery stores to stock up. Social media is fraught with empty grocery shelves. People are not just piling up cans of soup or batteries, but also perishable items and normal grocery items. The US Federal agencies and the American Red Cross recommend stockpiling food that has a long shelf life, does not have a lot of salt and does not require cooking. These might include energy and protein bars, canned food, water and fruits that don’t require refrigeration.

A blast of extreme cold will follow

After the storm moves through, extremely cold air from Canada is expected to spill across the eastern two-thirds of the United States, potentially extending travel disruptions and infrastructure problems into early next week.From the Plains to the Northeast, communities will face “bitterly cold temperatures and dangerously cold wind chills,” the Weather Prediction Center warned.Wind chills in North Dakota could plunge to minus 50 degrees, while subzero wind chills may spread across the Southern Plains, Mississippi Valley, and into parts of the Mid-Atlantic.“It’s going to be hazardous for humans to step outside,” Mr Bann said.

A storm with unusually broad reach

The storm is forecast to impact a vast portion of the United States, with dangerous conditions expected “nearly everyone east of the Rockies,” according to the National Weather Service. Alex Lamers, a meteorologist with the Weather Prediction Centre, told The New York Times that the system is likely to fall into “the echelon of unusually impactful storms.” He added that “It’s not something you see every winter,” warning that the storm “is likely to affect about half the US population with accumulating ice, sleet or snow.” Go to Source