Winter storms leave 89 dead across US as chill settles over Great Lakes and Northeast
A downed power line killed three in Oregon as northeast braces for more snow
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At least 89 people have been killed across the country over the past two weeks as severe weather plagues the United States, according to an updated count by CBS News.
The most winter weather-related deaths have occurred in Tennessee after a truck spun out of control due to snowy conditions, causing it to slam into a tractor-trailer.
The governor of Oregon declared a state of emergency as its state is being pelted with freezing rain and winter storms that have led to fallen trees, massive power outages and at least 16 deaths.
Two adults and one teenager died after a power line fell onto a car in northeast Portland on Wednesday morning following a severe storm in Oregon. Officials also found an uninjured two-year-old on the scene whom they took to the hospital.
Now, several inches of lake-effect snow is hitting the Great Lakes region and northeast US, while arctic temperatures settle over the southeast US.
In Florida, meteorologists say low temperatures could impact wildlife, leading to a rare weather-related phenomenon: falling iguanas.
The severe winter storms have also unleashed travel chaos across the country, leading to thousands of flight cancellations and delays across the country.
ICYMI: Hypothermia, deadly road conditions kill multiple people in recent days
At least ten people have died under weather-related circumstances in recent days, according to media reports and local authorities.
In Portland, Oregon, county officials are investigating two possible hypothermia deaths, according to The Portland Tribune, with two more killed over the weekend when trees fell on their homes. And in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, three homeless men have been found dead with suspected hypothermia in the freezing cold streets over the past few days.
Meanwhile, dangerous roads are proving fatal in some areas.
In White County, Arkansas, one man died after crossing the centre lane while driving and crashing into a tree on Sunday, according to police records.
Does this arctic blast mean there is no climate crisis? Absolutely not.
While arctic winds and snow might seem like quite the change after 2023, the hottest year on global record by a wide margin, it doesn’t actually indicate that global warming is getting better — or that there is no climate crisis.
Cold weather events can and still do occur as our planet warms, even as we approach the 1.5C (2.7F) temperature goal set by the global Paris Agreement to stave off the most harmful consequences of the climate crisis.
In fact, a warming climate can sometimes increase the likelihood of unusual cold weather events.
For example, climate change is responsible for increasing the frequency and intensity of heavy precipitation, according to a widely-cited, peer-reviewed study from 2015.
Further, a warmer atmosphere can also hold more water, leading to more rain and snow, according to Climate Signals, a nonprofit that specializes in climate attribution research. New research also indicates a warming Arctic may lead to arctic air outbreaks in the US — just like what we’re seeing today across the country.
While we’re still in the thick of this storm spell and we’re not yet clear on what causes it, we do know this: This month’s storms do not indicate the climate crisis has disappeared.
Ice storms pound Pacific Northwest as death toll climbs across US
Ice storms are pounding the Pacific Northwest amid an arctic blast that has killed up to 14 people across the US.
Heavy mountain snowfall and freezing rain are expected in the Pacific Northwest today, while the East Coast will see a return to more typical Winter temperatures following a brutal cold front.
The National Weather Service has warned that icy conditions could knock out power in the Pacific Northwest on Wednesday. Overnight, more than 60,000 people in Oregon were already without power.
The weather service has also warned travelers in the Northwest to be wary of slick and hazardous driving conditions. A quarter-inch of ice could coat surfaces in and around Portland, Oregon, and as much as an inch could accumulate near the Columbia River Gorge along the Oregon-Washington border, the agency said.
Elsewhere, weather alerts are still in place in northern Maine and Buffalo, New York amid ongoing heavy snowfall.
The severe winter storm has unleashed chaos across the country, causing school closures and more than 10,500 flights to be cancelled on Tuesday.
Up to 14 people are suspected to have died as a result of the treacherous conditions in Oregon, Utah, Wyoming, Wisconsin and New Jersey.
Up to 14 deaths as a result of arctic blast
Up to 14 people are suspected to have died as a result of an arctic blast that has swept across the US in recent days, according to media reports and local authorities.
In Portland, Oregon, county officials are investigating five possible hypothermia deaths, according to The Portland Tribune, with two more killed over the weekend when trees fell on their homes.
One man in White County, Arkansas died after crossing the centre lane while driving and crashing into a tree on Sunday, according to police records. Roads throughout the state were unsafe at the time due to snow and ice.
Officials in Mississippi said that one person had died while driving on Highway 49 just south of Silver City at around 8 pm local time on Sunday, while Tennessee reported one more weather-related death without giving any details.
And in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, three homeless men have been found dead with suspected hypothermia in the freezing cold streets over the past few days.
Meanwhile, a skier was killed by an avalanche in Wyoming.
Winter storm warnings in place over the Cascades and northern Rockies amid snowfall
Winter storm warnings are in place over the Cascades and northern Rockies, the National Weather Service has said.
Up to three feet of snow could fall over the Cascades through Thursday afternoon and up to two feet are expected in higher elevation areas in the northern parts of Washington, Idaho and Montana by late Thursday morning.
More than 9,000 flights cancelled and schools closed amid severe weather
As of Thursday morning, 9,091 flights are cancelled in the US, according to tracking website FlightAware.
The severe winter storms have unleashed chaos across the country, causing school closures and more than 10,500 flights to be cancelled on Tuesday.
Classes have been canceled for millions of students from Portland to Chicago to Denver to Dallas to Baltimore. Many schools already canceled classes for Wednesday as well.
Brief reprieve from brutal cold temperatures expected today before Arctic Blast returns
A brief reprieve from the brutal cold temperatures that have swept across the US in recent days is expected today before the Arctic Blast returns.
The National Weather Service has warned that the Northern and Central Plains could experience below average temperatures from Thursday as the Arctic Blast moves southwards.
The cold front will then move into the Southern US on Friday, the weather service added.
Freezing rain will also continue to affect Oregon.
It will follow a warmer day in southern Texas and along the Gulf Coast today where temperatures will return to the 60s and 70s by Thursday.
“Although this surge of Arctic air does not look quite as extreme as the first, bitterly cold temperatures are still possible portions the Central Plains this weekend,” the NWS said.
Snow warnings still in place for Maine, Mississippi, and New York.
Weather alerts are still in place in northern Maine, Mississippi, and Buffalo, New York, amid ongoing heavy snowfall
Winter weather alerts were still in place early Wednesday morning in Maine following snowfall and flooding in the state.
Maine State Police warned travelers to be cautious after two tractor-trailer accidents and a car rollover were reported Tuesday on snow-covered highways.
Meanwhile, lake-effect snow will continue to affect Mississippi, according to the National Weather Service.
Between one and three feet of snow is expected to fall in the region through Thursday night.
In Buffalo, New York, which saw heavy snowfall over the weekend and into Monday and Tuesday, lake effect snow warnings are in effect until Thursday night.
The surrounding area could see one to three feet of localized snowfall and wind gusts up to 40 mph. “Travel could be very difficult to impossible. The hazardous conditions could impact the morning or evening commutes,” the weather service warned.
Lake Effect snow happens when cold air moves across the open, unfrozen waters of the Great Lakes, creating narrow bands that produce two to three inches of snow per hour or more.
Watch: Truck hauled out of snow as extreme cold hits New York
In pictures: Washington
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