Multiple dead as arctic blast wreaks weather havoc across lower 48 US states

13 January 2024 , 13:50

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There have been reports of Multiple dead as a major Arctic blast wreaked havoc across the lower 48 states (Image: nbcnews)

A huge winter storm has blasted across America with blinding snow, freezing rain and brutally cold temperatures causing havoc for travellers while claiming the lives of at least two people.

Nearly every state across the lower 48 has issued a weather warning, with high wind warnings or wind advisories affecting around 120 million people, and winter storm warnings or advisories hitting around 48 million. More than five million were under blizzard warnings.

Authorities said man in Chicago's suburbs had died of exposure, making him the first cold-related death of the season. The man, whose identity wasn’t released, was found on Thursday in the Schiller Park area according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office – while in Idaho, two men were rescued after being caught in an avalanche on Thursday afternoon near the Montana border, with a third man missing and presumed dead. A Wisconsin man also died while snow-blowing his driveway.

Read more: Urgent tornado warnings as thunderstorms and lightning hit across the US

The East Village neighborhood of Des Moines, Iowa, was blanketed with snow (AFP via Getty Images)

It is the first major Arctic-like blast of the winter and is expected to move from the northern Rockies and Plains further south and east through the Midwest – with records expected to be broken as temperatures dip into the minus 20s Fahrenheit, minus 30s and as low as minus 40F in the northern Plains. Temperatures on Monday are predicted to be the coldest in modern history in the Iowa caucuses, with a forecast high of around 0F degrees in Des Moines.

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A national overnight low of minus 23F has already been recorded near Polebridge, Montana. The storm continues a week of strong winter weather for much of the country that has led to deadly avalanches and treacherous ice-covered roads. Flight cancellations were widespread and according to the flight-tracking website FlightAware, US airlines cancelled more than 2,000 flights with more than 7,000 flights delayed.

Thousands of flights were cancelled across the country (Getty Images)

The Idaho avalanche came a day after the first US avalanche death of the season was reported in California on Wednesday. The avalanche at a Lake Tahoe ski resort swept up four people and killed one. In Wisconsin, the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s office said Friday afternoon that it was looking into the death of a 69-year-old man who became unresponsive while snow-blowing his driveway in Franklin, Milwaukee. No further information was released.

Blizzard warnings were issued across the country, including southwestern Minnesota and the Green Bay area of Wisconsin. Heavy snow was forecast for Milwaukee with wind gusting up to 40mph, while in Michigan, there were power outages that affected more than 130,000 people.

However, the freezing temperatures were the major worry in the Dakotas, with Bismarck, North Dakota experiencing -11F (-24C) and forecasters warning they could be much lower, with -20F (-29C) by early Sunday. In Chicago several inches of snow is expected, with wind chills well below zero.

The East Village neighborhood of Des Moines, Iowa, was blanketed with snow (AFP via Getty Images)

There were also growing concerns for the more than 26,000 people who arrived from the US-Mexico border – with dozens having to housed in eight "warming buses" to take them off the streets while they await space in city-run shelters. Mayor Brandon Johnson said the city will suspend plans to enforce a 60-day cap on shelter stays for asylum seekers until at least January 22.

Temperatures were below zero around Montana with wind blasts taking temperatures as low as -57F (-49C) in places along the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains and in central areas. Temperatures were expected to drop overnight to -28F (-33C) and Arctic air is expected to arrive in the south by this weekend.

The Mississippi emergency management agency urged residents to prepare for ice, frigid temperatures and possible prolonged power outages. Louisiana governor Jeff Landry has declared a state of emergency, while Texas governor Greg Abbott told residents to be prepared. Temperatures will only be as high as the 30s until Tuesday, with ice in forecast for Monday. In Portland, Oregon, snow has been forecast.

Paul Donald