A powerful winter storm has pushed extreme cold and dangerous weather across much of the US, prompting widespread winter storm and extreme cold warnings in the country.
The system was reported to be stretching from the southern Plains through the Midwest and into the Northeast. This brought a mix of heavy snow, sleet, freezing rain, and bitterly cold temperatures to hundreds of millions of people. The states of Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, Maryland, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Indiana, and West Virginia were included in the list of most affected.
{img}Temperatures and wind chills were seen plunging far below freezing in so many areas, where some of the regions were stated to be experiencing wind chill values that could give rise to frostbite and hypothermia in a matter of minutes.
The harsh weather has made travel treacherous, with icy roads, whiteout conditions, and hazardous driving expected to last throughout the weekend.
{img}Authorities also rolled out a range of weather alerts entailing winter storm warnings for heavy snowfall, ice storm warnings when freezing rain will accumulate, and extreme cold warnings for dangerous low temperatures.
Power outages and disruptions to infrastructure are a serious concern as ice tends to weigh down lines and trees. President Trump has issued a state of emergency and asked citizens to stay indoors and warm.