Winter storm threatens over half of US with ice, snow and cold

Freezing rain fell in Texas on Friday as a massive winter storm began a trek that threatened to bring ice, snow, sleet and bone-chilling cold to about half the U.S. population over the weekend. Forecasters warned of potential damage that could rival that of a hurricane, particularly from ice-coated trees and power lines.

More than 182 million Americans were under watches or warnings for ice and snow, and more than 210 million faced cold weather advisories as the system moved from the South into the Midwest and Northeast over the next 48 hours.

Freezing rain slicked roads in Texas on Friday as a massive winter storm began advancing across the nation, bringing ice, snow, sleet and bitter cold that forecasters said could rival hurricane-force damage in some areas.

The system threatened more than 182 million people with ice and snow watches or warnings, while 210 million faced cold weather advisories stretching across about half the continental United States.

Regional Disruptions Cascade Nationwide

Schools shut down across Chicago and the Midwest. Airlines canceled nearly 5,000 flights Friday and about 2,800 more for Saturday, according to flight tracking data. The Grand Ole Opry postponed its Saturday performance to a radio-only broadcast without audiences. Carnival parades in Louisiana were canceled or rescheduled.

“It’s going to be a big storm,” Maricela Resendiz said Friday afternoon at a Dallas store, buying chicken, eggs and pizzas. “Staying in, just being out of the way.”

Extreme Cold Brings Frostbite Risk

Frigid air pouring down from Canada produced wind chills as low as minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit—low enough to cause frostbite within 10 minutes of exposed skin. The extreme cold prompted school closures throughout the Midwest and forced the cancellation of outdoor events.

In Bismarck, North Dakota, where wind chills reached minus 41 degrees, Colin Cross worked to prepare empty apartment units. “I’ve been here awhile and my brain stopped working,” Cross said, bundled in layers of clothing.

Despite the bitter conditions, an immigration-policy protest proceeded as planned in downtown Minneapolis, drawing thousands of demonstrators.

Infrastructure Faces Threats Across the Nation

After hitting Texas and Oklahoma with freezing rain, the storm was expected to push into the Northeast, where forecasters predicted about a foot of snow from Washington through New York and Boston.

Ice-coated power lines and tree branches can accumulate hundreds of pounds of additional weight, becoming susceptible to snapping—particularly in wind. A severe cold snap five years earlier had knocked out much of Texas’s power grid, leaving millions without electricity for days and resulting in hundreds of deaths.

Gov. Greg Abbott said his administration has worked to prevent that scenario. Utility companies have brought in thousands of additional employees to maintain power. In Atlanta, where temperatures could drop to 10 degrees and stay below freezing for 36 hours, plumbing companies prepared for a surge in calls.

“We’re out there; we can’t feel our fingers, our toes; we’re soaking wet,” said Melissa Cary, co-owner of M. Cary & Daughters Plumbing. She expected her daily emergency calls to surge from about 40 to several hundred.

Federal Emergency Response Mobilizes

The federal government put nearly 30 search and rescue teams on standby. Authorities pre-positioned more than 7 million meals, 600,000 blankets and 300 generators throughout the expected storm path, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

President Donald Trump said via social media that his administration was coordinating with state and local officials and that “FEMA is fully prepared to respond.”

In Oklahoma, Department of Transportation workers treated roads with salt brine. The Highway Patrol canceled troopers’ days off, and National Guard units were activated to help stranded drivers.

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont urged residents to finish grocery shopping immediately. “Stay home on Sunday,” he said.

Philadelphia school officials announced Monday classes would be closed. Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. also encouraged students: “It’s also appropriate to have one or two very safe snowball fights.”

Some universities in the South—including the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Mississippi—canceled classes for Monday. At the University of Georgia in Athens, sophomore Eden England decided to stay on campus with friends rather than return home, even as the school encouraged students to leave dormitories over concerns about potential power losses.

“I’d rather be with my friends,” England said, “kind of struggling together if anything happens.”

In Detroit, a man who had been sleeping in his car sought shelter when he saw the forecast. “It was very welcoming, very warm,” said Whittni Slater of the Pope Francis Center, where about 80 cots had been set up in a gymnasium.