Severe Cold in US Leaving Over 85,000 Without Power and Disrupting Daily Life

The freezing weather gripping the United States has left more than 85,000 homes and businesses without power, particularly in Oregon where widespread outages began on Saturday. Dangerously cold temperatures, with wind chills dropping below –30F (–34.4C) in central US regions, have prompted concerns about safety and infrastructure.

The impact of the freezing conditions is widespread, leading to class cancellations in major cities like Portland, Chicago, Denver, Dallas, and Fort Worth. Transportation officials are urging residents to avoid travel due to hazardous road conditions caused by slick ice, which could lead to fallen trees and power lines.

In the Portland area alone, at least four deaths have been reported, including two from suspected hypothermia. Other fatalities include a man killed when a tree fell on his house and a woman who died in a fire sparked by an open-flame stove after a tree fell onto an RV. In Wisconsin, three deaths of homeless individuals in the Milwaukee area are under investigation, with hypothermia believed to be the likely cause.

The threat of freezing rain and sleet continues into Tuesday morning across parts of the southeast, leading to winter storm warnings in multiple states, including Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. The severe conditions are affecting daily life, from air travel disruptions to the postponement of NFL playoff games and even impacting Iowa's presidential caucuses.

Despite the frigid temperatures, fans still turned out to support the Buffalo Bills at a snow-covered Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, where temperatures dropped to 10F (–12.2C). Meanwhile, the first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses recorded the coldest temperatures on record, with a –3F (–19.4C) reading in Des Moines.

The severe weather conditions have led to widespread flight delays and cancellations, with approximately 2,900 flight disruptions reported within, into, or out of the US, according to the flight tracking service FlightAware.com. The adverse weather continues to impact various aspects of daily life, emphasizing the need for caution and preparedness in the face of extreme cold.

Frigid US Winter Storms Threaten to Smash Low-Temperature Records

Icy winter conditions gripped the United States on Saturday as a series of Arctic storms loomed, posing a threat to break low-temperature records across the heartland. The cold wave extended from coast to coast, impacting various activities, from football playoffs to presidential campaigns.

As the three-day Martin Luther King Jr Day holiday weekend kicked off, the weather forecast painted a diverse picture of color-coded advisories, including ice storm warnings in Oregon, blizzard warnings in the northern plains, and high wind warnings in New Mexico.

"It's overall been a terrible, terrible winter. And it came out of nowhere – two days," remarked Dan Abinana in Des Moines, Iowa. The state experienced heavy snowfall, leaving residents grappling with unexpected winter challenges.

In Portland, Oregon, an investigation into a hypothermia death was initiated as the city, unaccustomed to severe winter conditions, faced freezing rain and heavy snow. Other weather-related deaths were reported in California, Idaho, Illinois, and Wisconsin earlier in the week.

Nebraska declared a state of emergency due to hazardous conditions, with up to 2 feet of snowfall in some areas and wind chills well below zero. Over 1,700 miles of Nebraska highways were closed, and state police assisted stranded motorists.

Roads in Iowa faced challenges, with some cars stuck for hours on Interstate 80, leaving 100 vehicles trapped. State troopers dealt with numerous crashes and motorist-assist calls. Governors from New York to Louisiana urged residents to brace for worrisome weather.

Parts of Montana experienced temperatures below -30°F (-34°C), with similar frigid conditions expected in northern Kansas and the Dakotas. St. Louis faced rare and "life-threatening" cold. The National Weather Service warned of record-breaking low temperatures.

Multiple back-to-back storms have swept across the country, causing disruptions and challenges. Despite the extreme weather, dedicated Trump supporters faced cancellations of campaign events by contenders Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, and former President Donald Trump.

Power outages affected hundreds of thousands of households and businesses, particularly in Michigan, Oregon, and Wisconsin. Record-high tides in the northeast led to flooding in Maine and New Hampshire.

With temperatures expected to drop as low as -14°F (-26°C) in parts of Iowa on the day of the caucuses, the weather poses challenges for voters and candidates alike. The winter storms continue to impact various aspects of daily life and raise concerns about prolonged cold weather across the country.