Washington, DC, January 25 (ANI) — As a powerful winter storm intensified across the United States over the weekend, more than 14,000 flights were canceled from Saturday through Monday, CNN reported.
US President Donald Trump issued emergency declarations for 10 states as authorities prepared for frigid conditions expected to sweep across the eastern two-thirds of the country.
According to FlightAware, cited by CNN, more than 14,800 flights were canceled between Saturday and Monday, while stretches of interstate highways were shut down due to dangerous road conditions.
CNN reported that 43 percent of American Airlines’ scheduled flights were grounded, along with 35 percent of scheduled flights operated by Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines.
Saturday alone saw more than 4,000 flight cancellations, primarily affecting Dallas and Charlotte. By Monday morning, more than 1,600 additional flights had already been canceled, with the greatest impact in New York and Boston.
Trump approved emergency declarations for Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, Maryland, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Indiana, and West Virginia, stating that authorities were working closely with FEMA, governors, and state emergency management teams to ensure public safety.
The National Weather Service said the winter storm was expected to sweep across the eastern two-thirds of the US over the weekend. Sub-zero temperatures were forecast to spread from the northern and central Plains into the Northeast through Sunday, with sub-freezing nighttime temperatures reaching as far south as the Gulf Coast.
The agency warned that extremely cold temperatures would expand across much of the eastern US, with very cold weather expected to persist into next week. It advised residents to prepare for “life-threatening cold,” noting that wind chills and prolonged exposure could lead to hypothermia and frostbite.
In a separate post on X, the National Weather Service said the storm would expand into the Mid-Atlantic states overnight and move into the Northeast late Sunday. Heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain were expected to significantly impact much of the eastern half of the country.
As the storm approached, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem urged people to stay off the roads and take necessary precautions.
CNN reported that the massive winter storm spans more than 1,300 miles, with impacts expected across over 2,000 miles from Texas to New England through Sunday. Increasing ice accumulation has caused power outages across the South, with thunder and lightning possible in areas experiencing heavy freezing rain and sleet.
More than half of Americans are expected to experience sub-zero wind chills, locking snow and ice in place and leaving those without power exposed to dangerous conditions for days.
The National Weather Service has issued winter storm warnings, and emergency declarations have been made in more than 17 states, CNN reported.
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