Severe Winter Storm Disrupts 670,000 Lives and Thousands of Flights

A major winter storm has left over 670,000 customers across the United States without electricity, while nearly 10,000 flights were cancelled this past Sunday, January 25, 2024. The storm, described as “historic,” is expected to impact the eastern two-thirds of the nation with heavy snowfall, sleet, freezing rain, and dangerously low temperatures.

In preparation for the storm, President Donald Trump approved federal emergency disaster declarations for several states, including South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, Maryland, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Indiana, and West Virginia. In a statement on Truth Social, Trump urged residents in the storm’s path to “stay safe and stay warm.”

Emergency Declarations and Precautions

According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), seventeen states and the District of Columbia have declared weather emergencies. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem emphasized the need for residents to take precautions during a news conference, advising individuals to stock up on fuel and food as frigid temperatures approach.

As of 8:30 AM EST (1:00 PM GMT) on Sunday, PowerOutage.us reported that more than 100,000 customers were without power in Mississippi, Texas, Tennessee, and Louisiana. Other states affected included Kentucky, Georgia, Virginia, and New Mexico. Noem confirmed that utility crews are actively working to restore power as quickly as possible.

Federal and State Response

In response to the anticipated impact on energy supply, the Department of Energy (DOE) issued emergency orders authorizing the Electric Reliability Council of Texas to deploy backup generation resources at crucial facilities. Additionally, the DOE allowed grid operator PJM Interconnection to operate certain resources in the mid-Atlantic region without being constrained by state laws or environmental permits.

The National Weather Service warned of a long-duration winter storm, predicting heavy ice accumulation in the southeastern United States. They cautioned that the storm could lead to “crippling to locally catastrophic impacts,” with record cold temperatures and dangerously low wind chills expected to spread westward into the Great Plains by Monday.

Over the weekend, more than 9,990 flights scheduled for Sunday were cancelled, following over 4,000 cancellations the previous day, according to flight tracking website FlightAware. Major airlines have issued warnings for passengers regarding sudden changes to flight schedules.

Delta Air Lines implemented schedule adjustments, including additional cancellations, particularly for flights in Atlanta and along the East Coast, including Boston and New York City. The airline stated that it would deploy experts from cold-weather hubs to assist with de-icing and baggage operations at various southern airports. Similarly, JetBlue reported cancelling approximately 1,000 flights through Monday, while United Airlines had proactively cancelled flights in areas expected to experience severe weather conditions.

As the storm continues to develop, US electric grid operators have taken additional precautions to prevent rotating blackouts. Dominion Energy, which operates in Virginia and is responsible for the largest collection of data centers globally, noted that if the current ice forecasts hold true, this winter event could rank among the most severe to impact the company.

The situation remains fluid as emergency services, utility companies, and airlines work to manage the widespread disruptions caused by this unprecedented winter storm.