A powerful winter storm hit the central United States on Sunday, bringing snow, ice, strong winds, and plummeting temperatures, resulting in hazardous travel conditions. Forecasters warned that some areas could experience the “heaviest snowfall in a decade.”
Winter Storm Alert: Washington D.C.🇺🇸
Heavy snowfall reduces visibility around the US Capitol, with 4-8 inches expected. Hazardous travel conditions and plummeting temperatures forecasted.
📹 @DCNewsLive pic.twitter.com/mu1ThhjX4Z
— Weather monitor (@Weathermonitors) January 6, 2025
So the first “big” snow day of the year is upon us tomorrow with high winds & snow up to our knees; but what should someone who has to attend meetings in 4 different parts of the city, in 8 hours, do? Guess it’s time to find my old skis..
Looking forward to seeing this again 🥲⬇️ pic.twitter.com/nYIKJ7YQw0— Eternal learner (@TheStudent91) January 5, 2025
Snow and ice covered major roads across much of Kansas, western Nebraska, and parts of Indiana, prompting the activation of the National Guard in Indiana to assist stranded motorists. Up to 8 inches of snow were expected, especially north of Interstate 70, while the National Weather Service issued winter storm warnings for Kansas and Missouri.
Blizzard conditions, with wind gusts reaching 45 miles per hour (72.42 km/h), also impacted the region. The storm warning was extended to New Jersey for Monday and early Tuesday.
The National Weather Service noted that in areas with the highest snowfall totals, it could be the heaviest snowfall in at least ten years.
By Sunday, about 63 million people in the U.S. were under some form of winter weather advisory, watch, or warning, according to Bob Oravec from the National Weather Service.
The storm was linked to the polar vortex, a mass of cold air that usually stays near the North Pole but can move southward, bringing severe cold to the US, Europe, and Asia. Research suggests that rapid Arctic warming is causing the polar vortex to move further south more frequently.
The severe weather caused significant disruptions, especially in the Midwest. Train services between Chicago, New York, and St. Louis were canceled, and St. Louis Lambert International Airport saw major disruptions, with approximately 200 flights canceled both inbound and outbound, according to FlightAware.
