In advance of the busiest travel days of the year, a powerful Arctic winter storm is making its way through the United States and parts of Canada, bringing frigid temperatures and flight delays.
Over 100 million people in the United States are under winter weather warnings, and this weekend's snow is expected to cause travel chaos.
In light of the storm, major airports have already canceled flights.
Forecasters predict that this winter could be the coldest in decades.
By the end of this week, some parts of the country could experience bone-chilling temperatures of -50 degrees Fahrenheit (-45 degrees Celsius).
By Friday, the winter storm, according to meteorologists, could transform into a "bomb cyclone", an informal term for a specific kind of powerful storm that is rapidly increasing in strength.
How to stay safe during a winter storm The Arctic air mass is expected to travel as low as the border between the United States and Mexico, bringing El Paso, Texas, temperatures down to 15 degrees Fahrenheit (-9-4 degrees Celsius).
It is anticipated that Christmas will be the coldest in 30 years, even for Florida, the Sunshine State.
The NWS has considered it a "once-in-a-age" winter climate occasion, particularly as the tempest arrives at the Incomparable Lakes locale, where its strain is supposed to arrive at what could be compared to a Class 3 storm.
Additionally, the storm is bringing snow and strong winds, both of which are anticipated to cause damage and power outages in the Midwest and Canada
Where has the storm and severe cold hit?
Millions are already experiencing frigid temperatures as the storm and bitter cold move east.
Texas, Kansas, and Missouri, among other states in the United States, have seen record-low temperatures.
From 42F on Thursday, temperatures dropped to a record-breaking -9F in Colorado. In the meantime, temperatures in Wyoming have dropped as low as -35 degrees Fahrenheit. Later on Thursday, forecasters anticipate that gusts of up to 50 miles per hour (80 kilometers per hour) will bring heavy snowfall to Chicago.
According to the National Weather Service of Canada, a significant winter storm is expected to arrive on Thursday and bring with it "strong and potentially damaging winds" to a large portion of Ontario as well as parts of Quebec
Winter storm has disrupted travel
According to the Transportation Security Administration, the busiest day of the holiday season will be Thursday, when travel volumes are expected to be similar to those of before the pandemic.
Major airlines like United, Delta, and American have offered to waive fees for passengers who want to reschedule their flights in anticipation of travel disruptions. In South Dakota, in excess of 100 vehicles were abandoned on snow-covered streets on Wednesday, provoking crisis salvage tasks
States of emergency declared
The legislative leaders of Kentucky, North Carolina, Georgia, and Oklahoma have pronounced highly sensitive situations.
Before the storm, other states, like Maryland, have started emergency response operations and opened warming shelters.
The Denver Coliseum, an indoor arena in Colorado, has been turned into a warming center.
The United States President Joe Biden stated on Thursday that his administration has contacted the governors of 26 affected states and is prepared to provide assistance wherever it is required.
Additionally, he advised individuals not to travel as the circumstances deteriorated. "Please take this storm very seriously", pleaded Mr Biden
What is a bomb cyclone?
As this storm is developing over the Great Lakes, the term "bomb cyclone" has been used to describe it. A bomb cyclone is a storm that gets stronger quickly and drops its central air pressure by at least 24 millibars in 24 hours. Bomb cyclones are most prevalent on the east coast of the United States and Canada, where the ideal conditions are provided by the cool land and warm Gulf Stream current
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