Arctic Storms Sweep Across the United States

Severe arctic storms have caused havoc across the United States, resulting in multiple deaths, widespread power outages, and disrupted sporting events. The Northwest was hit hard, with at least four fatalities and tens of thousands of people left without electricity. The South experienced heavy snowfall, while the Northeast was battered by blizzard conditions, leading to the postponement of the NFL playoff game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Buffalo Bills in bone-chilling Buffalo, New York.

The game, originally scheduled for Sunday, was rescheduled for Monday due to the extreme weather conditions. New York Governor Kathy Hochul, a Buffalo native, shared a video on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, showing near-whiteout conditions in Orchard Park, where the game was supposed to take place. She expressed concern over the lack of visibility and dangerously high winds.

In response to the heavy snowfall, the Buffalo Bills invited dedicated fans to assist in clearing snow from the Highmark Stadium. These fans were offered $20 per hour, as well as free food and breaks in a warm and comfortable area.

"We made some progress with shoveling, but it wasn't much," said Logan Eschrich, a storm chaser who traveled to Buffalo to help. The situation remains uncertain as to whether the game will proceed on Monday afternoon. The weather service has predicted heavy lake-effect snowfall in upstate New York from Lake Erie, adding to the already significant accumulation of 1 to 2 feet of snow in the region. Snowfall was occurring at a rate of 2 inches per hour.

Aside from the Bills and Steelers, other NFL teams also faced frigid conditions over the weekend. The Kansas City Chiefs played against the Miami Dolphins in the fourth-coldest game in NFL history on Saturday night.

Extreme Cold Grips Much of the Country

Sub-zero wind chills are expected to grip much of the country on Monday, with temperatures plunging to 50 degrees below zero in Montana and the Dakotas.

The South Dakota Department of Public Safety issued a statement on Sunday urging people to stay indoors, as frostbite can set in within minutes.

Other regions, from the Rockies to the Ohio Valley, could see temperatures drop 25 to 40 degrees below normal.

In Texas, the state's power grid operator is appealing to residents to conserve electricity due to the cold weather causing "record breaking demand" for energy. State officials are confident in the grid's reliability this time, following the deadly freeze in 2021 that left millions without power.

Parts of the Southern Plains and Southern Appalachians are expected to experience freezing rain, while even Florida will see turbulent weather with showers and thunderstorms predicted from Monday into Tuesday.

In Oregon, nearly 100,000 homes and businesses are without electricity, primarily in the Portland metro area, following high winds, snow, and ice that brought down trees and power lines.

Source: PowerOutage.us

Over the weekend, a community just south of Portland experienced the toppling of around 100 trees, resulting in multiple fatalities. One man was killed when a tree fell on his house, while two others died from suspected hypothermia. Additionally, a fourth person died in a fire caused by an open-flame stove after a tree fell onto an RV.

Portland General Electric released a statement stating that restoration efforts would continue throughout the week due to the extensive damage and high number of power outages. They advised customers to plan accordingly. The utility also mentioned that they were monitoring a second weather pattern that could bring high winds and freezing rain on Tuesday.

The impact of the severe weather extended to airports across the country. Buffalo Niagara International Airport saw more than half of its flights canceled, while Chicago, Denver, and Seattle-Tacoma airports also experienced numerous flight cancellations and delays.

As of 5:30 a.m. EST, nearly 1,500 flights had been canceled nationwide.