The biggest snowstorm of the season is set to wallop the US and drop at least 3 inches of snow across 2,000 miles
Over 250 million bracing for winter storm that ‘could rival major hurricane’
- A severe winter storm, with potential damage rivaling a major hurricane, is forecast to pummel the eastern two-thirds of the United States later this week.
- The storm is expected to affect at least 250 million people from New Mexico to New England, bringing subzero temperatures, heavy snow, and ice capable of toppling power lines.
- Meteorologists warn that the frigid conditions are likely to persist through January and into early February, leading to prolonged periods of intense cold.
- The extreme weather is attributed to a stretched polar vortex, influenced by warming Arctic waters, low sea ice, and cold continental land, with its origins linked to climate change.
- Temperatures in the North and Midwest could plummet to as low as -30 degrees Fahrenheit (-34 degrees Celsius), with one meteorologist warning, “I think people are underestimating just how bad it’s going to be.”