Winter Storm Hits US... 100 Million People Stranded on Christmas

[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Joselgina] Ahead of the Christmas holiday, an unprecedented winter storm accompanied by extreme cold, heavy snowfall, and strong winds is hitting the United States. With temperatures dropping to as low as minus 46 degrees Celsius in some mountainous areas and numerous flight cancellations, even U.S. President Joe Biden has warned of a "serious situation." It is expected that more than 100 million people will be affected during the Christmas holiday period.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

According to the Associated Press and others, the U.S. National Weather Service announced on the 22nd (local time) that as cold Arctic air moves from the Midwest to the East Coast, more than 135 million people will enter the impact zone of a winter abnormal weather phenomenon called a ‘bomb cyclone’ by the weekend.

Severe cold has already begun in northern regions. In some mountainous areas of Montana, temperatures plummeted to a low of minus 46 degrees Celsius on the day. Denver also recorded minus 31 degrees Celsius, breaking its lowest temperature record in about 32 years. Meteorologist Ashton Robinson Cook warned, "Blizzards accompanied by strong winds and heavy snow are expected in many places," adding, "In Des Moines, Iowa, the wind chill temperature will drop to minus 38 degrees Celsius, which can cause frostbite in less than five minutes." Up to 91 cm of snow is forecasted to accumulate in Buffalo, New York.

As extreme cold and heavy snowfall strike various areas, about 10,000 flights nationwide were delayed or canceled on the day. According to FlightAware, 2,368 flights were canceled and 8,660 flights were delayed across the U.S. in one day. The previous day also saw 595 cancellations and 8,300 delays, mainly in northern regions. Melissa Smuzynski, who was trying to board a flight moving from Montana to Oklahoma with her family, told The New York Times (NYT) that she had to wait for a delay of as long as 17 hours. On the 23rd, about 1,800 flights have already been announced as canceled.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Highway 90, which crosses northern U.S., was closed. Amtrak trains also suspended operations on more than 20 routes, mainly in the Midwest. At least five people died in vehicle collision accidents related to the winter storm in Kansas, Oklahoma, and other states. President Biden said at a White House briefing, "This is not a ‘snow day’ where children get a day off from school. This is serious," urging everyone to heed warnings and avoid travel.

The National Weather Service warned that bomb cyclones cause rapid temperature drops in a short time, making it easy for people to suffer frostbite and hypothermia with just a few minutes of exposure. The bomb cyclone, an abnormal weather phenomenon, differs from a typical cyclone. It is known for its explosive wind and blizzard power. It forms when cold Arctic air meets moist air from the Atlantic Ocean, and with the addition of a powerful blizzard, it inevitably causes major disruptions not only to air travel but also to rail and road transportation.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.