The United States is grappling with a relentless onslaught of severe winter weather, as a series of powerful weather systems unleash heavy snow, freezing rain and dangerously low temperatures across vast swathes of the nation.
Widespread Warnings and Disruption
Over the weekend, the National Weather Service issued storm warnings for twenty-six states, stretching from Texas in the south to Massachusetts in the north-east. Many of these alerts remain active this week, underscoring the persistent and hazardous conditions.
The severe weather began its march on Friday evening, with heavy snowfall initially hitting parts of north Texas and Oklahoma. It then pushed steadily eastwards, and by Sunday, much of the central and eastern United States was contending with either heavy snow or freezing rain. This has led to widespread travel disruption, with roads becoming treacherous and flights delayed or cancelled.
Ice Accumulation and Snowfall Totals
In regions including Mississippi, Tennessee and Kentucky, a layer of ice approximately 2.5 centimetres (one inch) thick coated cars, roads, trees and downed power lines. The wintry mix continued to track north-east into major metropolitan areas such as New York and Philadelphia, where some locales recorded staggering snowfall accumulations of between 30 and 50 centimetres.
Power Outages and Tragic Consequences
The storm's impact has been severe on infrastructure. Power outages are anticipated to last for several days in some affected regions. As of Sunday night, more than 800,000 households were reported to be without electricity. Tragically, the extreme conditions have been linked to at least seven fatalities.
Adding to the peril, an intense cold front is now spreading southwards. Parts of Texas are experiencing lows of minus 20 degrees Celsius. Forecasters have highlighted an unusual hazard associated with this deep freeze: the phenomenon of "exploding" trees. Rapid freezing causes water and sap within tree trunks to expand, sometimes resulting in loud cracking or even explosive sounds as the wood and bark split under immense pressure.
Storm Joseph Threatens Portugal
Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, Europe is also facing severe weather. The Portuguese meteorological agency has named a new Atlantic low-pressure system, Storm Joseph. This storm is expected to bring further severe rainfall to the Iberian peninsula in the coming days.
This follows closely on the heels of Storm Ingrid, which recently brought strong winds, heavy rain and even snowfall to parts of the region. Much of Portugal and north-west Spain is now bracing for exceptionally high rainfall this week. Forecasts suggest up to 20 centimetres could fall by Friday, with higher ground potentially receiving more than 30 centimetres. These torrential downpours are likely to cause significant disruption, with a substantial risk of flooding in vulnerable areas.
