Winter storm Elliott – latest: Driving ban lifted in Buffalo as blizzard deaths hit 38
Buffalo region worst affected in US with at least 38 deaths after blizzard dumped 50 inches of snow on city
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One of the coldest Christmases in modern memory has left more than 60 people dead across the US, with 38 people killed in and around the city of Buffalo, which was hammered by over 50 inches of snow.
Nearly a week after the extreme blizzard, the driving ban in Buffalo was lifted on Thursday, although motorists have been advised to be careful around snow-removal equipment and at intersections.
“Hundreds of very large pieces of equipment will still be out clearing streets from curb-to-curb,” Erie County executive Mark Poloncarz warned in a tweet.
Earlier on Wednesday, Mr Poloncarz confirmed three additional deaths, marking the deadliest storm in western New York in at least two generations.
National Guard went door to door conducting welfare checks in neighbourhoods that lost electricity. As the city continues to dig out of the storm, the death toll is expected to climb further.
Beyond New York state, winter storm Elliott’s icy bite also saw temperatures plunge to record lows in parts of Montana, Pennsylvania, and Wyoming, and wrought havoc on Christmas travel plans.
NY governor expects ‘kitchen sink to fall out of the sky'
New York Governor Kathy Hochul said she “fully expects to see the kitchen sink fall out of the sky” as she outlined the effects of the winter storm on her state during a press briefing on Saturday.
“It is life-threatening what is going on as we speak in Buffalo,” she said, adding that while it’s sad that New Yorkers won’t be able to travel to see family for Christmas, safety is the most important thing.
The governor said emergency vehicles are still getting stuck in the snow and ice.
NY governor to request federal disaster declaration amid winter storm
New York Governor Kathy Hochul said during a press briefing on Saturday that she expects to request a federal disaster declaration as her state attempts to deal with the effects of the winter storm.
The governor added that ploughs are attempting to remove cars and help those stranded in the snow.
More than 63,000 people had no power as of 11.35am on Saturday, according to poweroutage.us.
Ms Hochul said Buffalo Airport would be closed until “at least Monday”.
VIDEO: Winter weather causes headaches at Detroit Metro Airport
NY Governor tells residents not to travel out of safety concerns
New York Governor Kathy Hochul told residents of her state not to travel out of safety concerns and announced that she would be pursuing a federal disaster declaration during a press conference on Saturday.
“This is a weekend where it is absolutely dangerous in some parts of our state, particularly the western part, to be out there. So we want to encourage people to stay where they are,” she said. “In addition to having a statewide emergency declaration, I’ll be asking the federal government for a declaration of emergency that will allow us to seek reimbursements for the extraordinary expenses of all the overtime and the fact that we’ve brought in mutual aid from other parts of the state – we’ve deployed individuals, whether it the utility crews have come, but also making sure that we have the vehicles we need – but literally they cannot get through right now, no matter how many emergency vehicles we have. They just cannot get through the conditions as we speak.”
Buffalo hit by more than two feet of snow
Buffalo in upstate New York has been hit by more than two feet of snow so far since Friday morning, the National Weather Service reported.
The areas to the south and east of the Great Lakes are under blizzard warnings until Sunday morning, with residents east of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario expected to be hit by another two feet of snowfall and winds of up to 65 mph.
“Travel will be impossible in the lake-effect snow band,” the Buffalo-area service wrote. “Areas of blowing snow will produce zero visibility. Very strong winds will cause extensive tree damage and power outages.”
PHOTOS: Snow and freezing temperatures hit US
Mayor of Nashville asks NFL team to postpone game as area struck by power outages
The Mayor of Nashville, John Cooper, asked the Tennessee capital’s NFL team, The Titans, to postpone their game which was set to take place on Saturday “in solidarity with our neighbors”.
The request comes amid rolling blackouts instituted by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to limit the strain on the energy grid.
Mr Cooper said the rolling blackouts would continue and requested that all non-essential businesses limit their use of power.
“TVA needs to invest in infrastructure to withstand extreme temps,” he said.
Winter storm batters US power, snarling Christmas travel
A battering winter storm left nearly 2 million homes and businesses without power across the United States on Saturday, as millions more people were left to worry how the prospect of further outages would effect holiday and travel plans.
The blinding blizzards, freezing rain and frigid cold that enveloped much of the country knocked out power to 1.7 million households and businesses, while major electricity grid operator warned the 65 million people it serves across the eastern U.S. that rolling blackouts might be required.
Pennsylvania-based PJM Interconnection said power plants are having difficulty operating in the frigid weather and has asked residents to refrain from unnecessary use of electricity. It issued an emergency call for conservation system-wide - asking residents in 13 states to set thermostats lower than usual, to postpone use of major appliances like stoves and dishwashers and to turn off nonessential lights. Commercial and industrial power users have also been asked to cut back.
PJM officials said there is increased electricity demand across its system at the same time that some power plants are having difficulty operating in the extreme cold. They said they want people to be prepared for the possibility of rolling blackouts.
Hundreds stuck in cars in Erie County, New York
Hundreds of people remain stuck in their cars in Erie County, New York as the winter storm continues.
Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz told CNN that “it’s probably somewhere in the vicinity of a couple hundred now, based on the numbers we’ve seen”.
“That’s down dramatically from 500 or more in the overnight hours,” he added.
“There is a driving ban that’s going on for the whole county, and there’s a reason why, it’s because conditions are still so dire that you can easily get stuck, and then you are taking resources off the road when you really need it,” he said.
Power demand hit record-high in Tennessee
The demand for power has broken all previous records in Tennessee.
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) supplied a record 740 gigawatt-hours over the last 24 hours.
“We know that asking for power conservation is challenging, especially during the holidays, and we appreciate everyone’s assistance and patience,” TVA’s chief operating officer Don Moul said in a statement. “TVA and local power companies continue to do everything possible to minimize any disruptions while ensuring that the overall power grid remains reliable.”
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