US storm leaves 160,000 without power, forces thousands of flight cancellations

A massive winter storm in the U.S. has led to the cancellation of over 4,000 flights on Saturday. This storm has left more than 160,000 customers without power, affecting areas as far west as Texas. Eastern states are bracing for heavy snowfall, which is expected to worsen conditions. Weather experts predict that snow, sleet, and freezing rain, along with dangerously cold temperatures, will impact the eastern two-thirds of the country starting Sunday and continuing into the next week. President Donald Trump referred to the storms as “historic” and approved federal emergency disaster declarations for South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, Maryland, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Indiana, and West Virginia. In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated, “We will continue to monitor, and stay in touch with all States in the path of this storm. Stay Safe, and Stay Warm.” Seventeen states and Washington D.C. have declared weather emergencies, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). DHS Secretary Kristi Noem mentioned that many people in the affected southern states are currently without power, and utility crews are working as quickly as possible to restore it. As of 10:17 p.m. EST, PowerOutage.com reported that over 160,000 customers in the U.S. were without electricity, mostly in Louisiana and Texas. To address the situation, the U.S. Department of Energy issued an emergency order on Saturday. This order allows the Electric Reliability Council of Texas to use backup power resources at data centers and other significant facilities to help prevent blackouts. The U.S. National Weather Service has warned of an unusually large and prolonged winter storm, forecasting extensive ice accumulation in the southeastern U.S., which could lead to serious and potentially catastrophic effects.