A powerful winter storm brought snow, ice, high winds, and plummeting temperatures to parts of the central United States on Sunday, creating hazardous travel conditions and the potential for what the National Weather Service called the “heaviest snowfall in a decade” in some areas.
Snow and ice covered roads across Kansas, western Nebraska, and parts of Indiana, where the National Guard was mobilized to assist stranded motorists. Over 8 inches of snow were expected in some areas, particularly north of Interstate 70, as blizzard conditions hit Kansas and Missouri with wind gusts reaching 45 mph (72 km/h). Winter storm warnings were also issued for New Jersey, extending through early Tuesday.
“For locations receiving the highest snow totals, this could be the heaviest snowfall in at least a decade,” the National Weather Service reported Sunday.
Approximately 63 million Americans were under some form of winter weather advisory, watch, or warning, according to meteorologist Bob Oravec. The polar vortex, a mass of ultra-cold Arctic air, stretched southward, bringing freezing temperatures to areas as far south as Florida. Scientists attribute the increasing frequency of such events to a warming Arctic.
The storm brought widespread disruption to transportation. Major highways, including parts of Interstate 70 in Kansas, were closed due to “impassable” conditions. Snowfall reached 10 inches in Kansas, with predictions of up to 14 inches in some areas.
In Kentucky, Louisville shattered its snowfall record for the date, with 7.7 inches (19.5 cm), surpassing the previous mark of 3 inches set in 1910. Lexington also recorded 5 inches (12.7 cm), breaking its own record.
Upstate New York faced lake-effect snow, with accumulations exceeding 3 feet (0.9 meters) in some areas.
Governors in Missouri, Arkansas, and Kentucky declared states of emergency as roads became treacherous. In Kentucky, Governor Andy Beshear urged residents to stay off the roads, citing numerous car accidents, including one involving a state trooper on Interstate 65.
Virginia reported at least 135 crashes, with injuries but no fatalities. Kansas closed 220 miles (354 kilometers) of Interstate 70 due to dangerous conditions.
The storm also wreaked havoc on air and rail travel. Nearly 200 flights at St. Louis Lambert International Airport were canceled, and Amtrak suspended multiple routes, including services between Chicago and New York.
“If local authorities are advising people not to travel, it’s counterproductive to maintain a full schedule of services,” said Amtrak spokesperson Marc Magliari.
The eastern two-thirds of the country braced for dangerously cold temperatures starting Monday, with wind chills making conditions even more hazardous. Temperatures were expected to drop 12 to 25 degrees Fahrenheit (7 to 14 degrees Celsius) below normal in some areas, with single-digit lows anticipated along parts of the East Coast.
Chicago experienced temperatures in the teens (-7 to -10 degrees Celsius) on Sunday, while International Falls, Minnesota, saw a frigid -11 degrees Fahrenheit (-24 Celsius).
School closures were announced across multiple states, including Kentucky, Indiana, Virginia, and Maryland. Kentucky’s Jefferson County Public Schools canceled classes for nearly 100,000 students on what would have been their first day back after winter break.
The storm’s effects are expected to linger, with cold air gripping the eastern half of the U.S. into the coming week. Meteorologists also warned of possible tornadoes in the Deep South, with damaging winds reported in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
As the storm progresses, officials continue to urge residents to avoid travel and stay indoors to ensure safety.
