A massive winter storm swept across the northern United States on Friday, bringing blinding snow, freezing rain, and bitterly cold temperatures across several states. This storm followed a week of intense winter weather that resulted in deadly avalanches and treacherous icy roads, including a tragic avalanche in the Idaho backcountry that left one man dead.
Flight cancellations were widespread, with US airlines canceling over 2,000 flights according to the flight-tracking website FlightAware, with more than 7,000 flights experiencing delays. The dangerous conditions also led to multiple fatalities, including a man in Idaho who was believed to have died in an avalanche, a Wisconsin man who died while snow-blowing his driveway, and a suburban Chicago man who died of cold exposure.
The storm also prompted severe weather warnings in various places, including blizzard warnings in southwestern Minnesota and the Green Bay area of Wisconsin and forecasts for heavy snow in the Milwaukee area with wind gusts up to 40mph (64 km/h). In Michigan, more than 130,000 customers were without electricity due to the storm.
As the storm continued to wreak havoc, authorities and volunteers worked to ensure the safety of vulnerable populations, particularly those experiencing homelessness. Chicago, for example, mobilized “warming buses” to provide shelter for individuals waiting for space in city-run shelters. Additionally, emergency responders helped evacuate residents from their homes in Paterson, New Jersey, as the Passaic River started overflowing its banks.
Throughout the affected areas, the presence of the storm prompted various responses, from disaster declarations by state governors to efforts to provide shelter and assistance to those in need. As the unprecedented winter storm continued to cause widespread disruption and danger, residents and officials braced for the potentially devastating impact of the extreme weather conditions.