Harsh Arctic Blast Claims Over 60 Lives Across U.S., Leaving Treacherous Icy Conditions
As an unforgiving Arctic freeze tightens its grip on the United States, forecasters issue dire warnings of bone-chilling cold and perilous icy conditions affecting tens of millions this weekend. The toll of weather-related deaths has now surpassed 60, with heavy snowfall blanketing parts of the Northeast and Midwest, rendering roadways slick and dangerous.
On Saturday, the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency reported two additional deaths in a highway incident in rural Leflore County, north of Jackson, bringing the state’s death toll to at least eight in the past week. Deaths have been attributed to hazardous road conditions and extreme cold.
The nationwide tally of weather-related fatalities now stands at a staggering 61 people, with significant numbers reported in Tennessee and Oregon. Emergency officials in Mississippi cautioned that prolonged outdoor exposure could lead to frostbite and hypothermia.
Temperatures plummeted to single digits in Minneapolis and the teens in Chicago and St. Louis, with wind chills making it feel as low as minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit in parts of the northern Plains, according to the National Weather Service.
In Baltimore, high winds were expected to make temperatures feel like the teens, prompting warnings for attendees of the NFL playoff game between the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans to bundle up. Meanwhile, Southern cities experienced their own freeze, with Atlanta feeling like the teens and Nashville waking up to temperatures below zero Fahrenheit.
Travel remained perilous in the Great Lakes region on Saturday, with snow showers expected to redevelop in parts of Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois. Some parts of Indiana saw up to 32 inches of snow on Friday.
Southern states faced different challenges, with heavy rain forecasted in Northern California and thousands in the Portland, Oregon, area still without power following freezing rain on Friday. Oregon reported at least nine weather-related deaths, including three individuals in Portland who were tragically killed by a downed power line, while a brave young woman rescued a 9-month-old baby in the incident.
The latest cold snap is expected to gradually ease after the weekend, as the National Weather Service anticipates a “steady warm-up” with no additional replenishment of Arctic air from Canada, particularly in the middle of the country starting Sunday.
Death toll tops 60 as arctic blast across U.S. leaves dangerous icy conditions https://t.co/t0he3SzO3C via @nbcnews
— MuMonix (@harry2986) January 20, 2024