Over 8,000 flights cancelled in US amid winter storm

More than 8,000 flights in the United States have been cancelled this weekend due to a powerful storm that is set to disrupt many areas across the country. This storm is expected to cause power outages lasting several days and create traffic chaos on major roads. Approximately 140 million people are under a winter storm warning, which stretches from New Mexico to New England. The National Weather Service warns of heavy snowfall and a dangerous band of ice from east Texas to North Carolina. Experts indicated that the damage in areas affected by ice could be as severe as that from a hurricane. By Friday night, the storm had begun to bring freezing rain and sleet to parts of Texas, while Oklahoma experienced snow and sleet. After impacting the South, the storm is predicted to move toward the Northeast, potentially dropping about a foot (30 centimeters) of snow from Washington to New York and Boston. Governors in over a dozen states have raised concerns about the severe weather, declaring emergencies or advising people to remain indoors. Texas Governor Greg Abbott urged residents through the social media site X to stay home if they can, adding that the state’s Department of Transportation was preparing the roads. On Saturday, more than 3,400 flights were delayed or cancelled, according to FlightAware, and over 5,000 flights were called off for Sunday. Angela Exstrom was supposed to return to Omaha, Nebraska, from Mexico, but her Saturday flight from Houston was cancelled. She will now fly back through Los Angeles. “If you live in the Midwest and travel in the winter, things can happen,” she noted.