A winter storm has caused widespread power outages, travel disruptions, and frigid temperatures.
A severe winter storm that covered the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions in snow mostly eased by Tuesday morning, leaving behind frigid temperatures as tens of thousands remained without electricity and various closures continued.
The storm impacted a broad area from Kansas and Missouri to Virginia and New Jersey, bringing heavy snow and ice that led to emergency declarations as disruptions mounted on roads and at airports. It set daily snowfall records in at least eight cities across the Midwest and East. The significant snowfall resulted in numerous school closures and the temporary closure of federal office buildings in Washington D.C., which remained in effect on Tuesday as the city was still blanketed in snow.
Preliminary reports from the National Weather Service indicated that the capital received nearly 8 inches of snow from late Sunday to Monday night. Driving conditions were hazardous due to the snow and ice, causing widespread delays and cancellations at airports throughout the central and eastern U.S. Major highways, including I-70, were closed due to the dangerous conditions, leaving hundreds of motorists stranded in blizzard-like weather.
BREAKING: President Jimmy Carter will lie in state at the United States Capitol today: Live updates.
On Tuesday, over 180,000 homes and businesses from Missouri to Virginia were without power, a decrease from more than 280,000 outages reported the previous day. Many of those affected were in areas facing wind chills below zero, including parts of Virginia and West Virginia, where cold weather advisories were still in effect on Tuesday morning.
Flight disruptions continue
As of 8 a.m. Tuesday, over 130 flights have been canceled at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in D.C., according to FlightAware. The airport had to close its runways temporarily on Monday night to allow crews to clear snow and prevent refreezing on the airfield.
At Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, at least 110 flights have also been canceled, as reported by FlightAware. Meanwhile, LaGuardia Airport in New York City is experiencing delays averaging 40 minutes, attributed to windy conditions, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Storm-related fatalities The severe winter storm has been linked to several fatalities across the Midwest since it swept through the area last weekend.
In Kansas, authorities reported that two individuals lost their lives in a weather-related accident in Sedgwick County, which includes Wichita. In Mound City, Missouri, a man was tragically killed when a sliding truck struck him, as stated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Additionally, Pennsylvania State Police are looking into a fatal incident involving a Transportation Department plow truck that occurred in Greenfield Township over the weekend.
