A potentially severe new storm is expected to hit parts of the US before the weekend, with experts warning of life-threatening cold air that could bring snow and ice to approximately 160 million people.
The storm is forecasted to sweep through Texas to the Carolinas, potentially causing widespread power outages as ice accumulation may weigh down trees and power lines. Forecasters have cautioned that some areas could receive over 12 inches (30cm) of snow, along with sleet and dangerous freezing rain.
Describing the impending weather conditions as a potentially catastrophic event from Texas to the Carolinas, a weather expert, Ryan Maue, emphasized the severity of the situation. The National Weather Service (NWS) anticipates that life-threatening cold air will spread eastward from the High Plains and Rockies starting Friday, affecting around 160 million individuals across 30 states, with temperatures plummeting well below freezing in some regions.
The most extreme wind chills (-46C or -50F) are predicted in the Northern Plains, while a significant portion of the southeastern US is also poised for sub-zero temperatures, posing a risk of hypothermia and frostbite due to exposed skin, as cautioned by the NWS.
Meanwhile, snow showers are impacting the southern Great Lakes region along the US-Canada border, according to the NWS.
Residents in various states, including Colorado, West Virginia, upstate New York, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky, and Indiana, have been advised by weather experts to brace for potentially heavy snowfall exceeding 12 inches (1 foot). Southern states may face freezing rain that could lead to power outages, localized flooding, and tree damage.
Forecasters have highlighted the difficulty in pinpointing the exact areas that may be hit hardest by ice accumulation, with warnings of potentially catastrophic outcomes if significant ice buildup occurs. Keith Avery, CEO of the Newberry Electric Cooperative in South Carolina, emphasized the severity of the situation, cautioning that even half an inch of ice could have devastating consequences.
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