MENA Newswire, WASHINGTON: The death toll from a sprawling winter storm and its aftermath across the United States has reached at least 90, as bitter cold, snow and ice continued to disrupt daily life from the South and Midwest to the Mid Atlantic and Northeast. Fatalities have been reported in multiple states over more than a week of severe weather, with officials attributing deaths to vehicle crashes on icy roads, exposure to extreme cold, and other weather related incidents.
Authorities in several states said roughly half of the reported deaths were concentrated in Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana, where prolonged power outages and dangerous travel conditions followed heavy ice and snow. Local officials have also linked some fatalities to hypothermia and suspected carbon monoxide poisoning associated with attempts to heat homes during outages. Emergency managers urged residents to use generators and space heaters safely and to check on neighbors, especially older people and those without reliable heat.
A new surge of wintry weather intensified conditions along parts of the East Coast as a rapidly strengthening storm system delivered heavy snow, strong winds and coastal flooding in some areas. In North Carolina, snowfall covered large swaths of the state, including major cities and coastal communities. State leaders warned that freezing temperatures would keep roads slick and slow recovery efforts, while transportation agencies responded to hundreds of crashes and spun out vehicles.
The cold air reached deep into the Southeast, bringing unusually low temperatures to parts of Florida and the Gulf Coast. In Florida, residents reported rare flurries in some areas, while wildlife officials noted cold stunned iguanas falling from trees as temperatures dropped. Record low readings were reported in several cities, and officials opened warming centers where available as communities adjusted to conditions more typical of far northern states.
Winter storm impacts across states
Millions of people remained under cold weather alerts as temperatures stayed well below seasonal norms. In several southern states, utilities worked to restore electricity after ice coated trees and power lines, snapping branches and damaging infrastructure. Warming shelters were established in some cities, and local governments warned that those without heat faced life threatening conditions overnight. In parts of the country, schools delayed openings or closed, and some jurisdictions restricted travel to emergency vehicles.
Air and ground travel continued to face major disruptions. Airlines canceled thousands of flights over the weekend as snow and ice affected major hubs and regional airports, while highways in the storm zone saw prolonged closures and slow moving traffic. Officials urged motorists to avoid unnecessary travel, citing whiteout conditions in some areas, downed trees and power lines, and the risk of sliding off untreated roads.
Safety warnings and recovery efforts
The storm’s reach extended from Texas and the lower Mississippi Valley through the Ohio Valley and into the Mid Atlantic and Northeast, with different hazards in different regions. Some communities confronted deep snow and drifting, while others dealt with sleet and freezing rain that created a glaze of ice on roads, sidewalks and utility lines. Emergency responders reported rising calls related to crashes, exposure and medical needs during the cold snap.
Public safety agencies repeated guidance to reduce risks during extreme cold, including limiting time outdoors, dressing in layers, and keeping pets inside. Officials emphasized that carbon monoxide is an odorless, deadly gas and warned against running generators indoors or in garages, and against using ovens or grills to heat homes. As temperatures stayed low, local governments said recovery would depend on restoring power, clearing roads and ensuring residents had access to heat, food and medical care.