Six States Declare Emergency as Worst Winter Storm in a Decade Hits US
The United States is reeling under one of the most severe winter storms in nearly a decade, affecting over 60 million people across 30 states. This storm is expected to bring record-breaking snowfall and freezing temperatures not seen since 2011, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
So far, at least six states, including Kentucky, Kansas, Virginia, Missouri, and Arkansas, have declared states of emergency. Regions typically unaccustomed to such extreme weather, such as Mississippi and Florida, have also been warned of treacherous conditions. Major cities like Washington DC, Baltimore, and Philadelphia are bracing for snowy and icy weather from Sunday into Monday.
Forecasters have attributed the harsh conditions to a polar vortex—a mass of cold air that typically circulates around the Arctic but has shifted southward, bringing frigid weather to the central and eastern United States. Explaining the phenomenon, experts noted that while the polar vortex generally stays near the North Pole, it occasionally expands and causes drastic temperature drops in areas far south of its usual range.
AccuWeather’s Dan DePodwin described the storm as potentially “the coldest January for the US since 2011,” adding that “temperatures that are well below historical average.”
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The storm’s impact has been widespread, causing thousands of flight cancellations and school closures. By midday, over 1,500 flights were cancelled, and more than 2,000 delayed, with Kansas City International Airport and St. Louis Lambert International Airport among the worst affected. Meanwhile, schools in Kentucky, Indiana, Maryland, Washington, DC, and Virginia had already announced closures, with others expected to follow suit.
As the storm moves eastward, blizzards are predicted to create whiteout conditions in Kansas and Missouri. Forecasters warn that the mix of snow, ice, and sub-zero temperatures could persist for days, significantly disrupting lives across the country.
