December 23, 2022 winter storm news

We’ve wrapped up our live storm coverage for the day. You can read more here, or scroll through the updates below for more information.

As thousands of flights have been canceled across the country due to severe winter weather, many Americans are now unable to spend the holidays with their families.

Shane Phillips is one of those who will be spending Christmas alone this year, due to a canceled flight.

Phillips told CNN he was set to fly from Los Angeles to Seattle to visit family, but when he woke up Friday morning his Alaska Airlines flight had been canceled.

It would have been Phillips’ first time back to Washington state since before the Covid-19 pandemic.

“I would say they’re upset,” he said of his family. “But they’re the ones experiencing the crazy weather, so they understand,” he said.

Phillips says he feels mostly disappointment but not a lot of surprise.

“I knew the weather was supposed to be bad, but I was hoping I’d get in before the freezing rain hit,” he said.

Phillips’ family lives about two hours north of Seattle, so if he did make it to the airport, he says he could’ve been stranded.

“They totally shut down transit, so I’m not sure how I would’ve left the airport,” Phillips said.

Other airlines had flights available for Saturday, but Phillips said they were priced at $1,000 one-way, “which is just too much,” he said.

“I still wish I was there,” Phillip said, adding that he will “just have to try and visit another time of year.”

Phillips says he will make the best of spending Christmas alone – as he’s now going to attend a friend’s holiday party he would have missed if he’d made it to Seattle.

At least nine people have died across the United States as severe winter weather continues to impact millions of Americans.

Here is the latest from officials in each state reporting storm-related deaths:

CNN’s Amanda Musa, Caroll Alvarado, Raja Razek and Rebekah Riess contributed reporting.

Officials in New York have issued a driving ban for Erie, Genesee, Niagara, and Orleans counties due to severe weather.

Misdemeanor tickets for people who disobey the travel ban will be enforced, according to Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz. 

Whiteout conditions have blanketed roads and Poloncarz said most tow trucks are unable to go out due to dangerous conditions. 

Two utilities serving Erie County, the National Grid and New York State Electric and Gas, reported a total of about 30,000 power outages there, the county executive said at a 4 p.m. press conference Friday.

“Emergency resources will be deployed, but they’re not going to be deployed in the usual, quick fashion that we’ve become accustomed to,” Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Daniel Neaverth said.

He added that the county’s 911 system had received 1400 to 1500 calls in a short period of time.

Air travelers faced a staggering number of flight cancellations Friday as winter weather has now caused more than 5,000 in airports across the US.

Seattle, Chicago O’Hare, New York LaGuardia, Denver and Detroit continue to lead the way in cancellations, according to data from the flight tracking site FlightAware.

At airports in Cleveland, Ohio and Grand Rapids, Michigan, more than 70% of flights have been canceled. The Buffalo airport in New York state was shut down entirely. Portland International Airport had about two-thirds of its flights canceled. And airports in Chicago, Dayton, Seattle and Sioux Falls each have had more than half of their flights canceled.

FlightAware also shows more than 8,400 delayed flights.

At least one person was killed in a series of crashes on an Ohio highway Friday, a law enforcement official said, and “weather is considered to be a factor.”

Multiple people were also hurt in the crashes on the Ohio Turnpike (Interstate 80), said Sgt. Ryan E. Purpura of the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Around 50 vehicles were involved.

The crashes came as a severe winter weather system passes through the state, and Purpura said the inclement conditions are believed to have played a part.

Troopers from Purpura’s department are helping people who were involved in the crashes, which occurred in the eastbound lanes between state Route 53 and state Route 4 in the Groton Township of Erie County.

“Buses are being utilized to take people from their vehicles to a local facility so they can stay warm,” Purpura said in a statement to CNN.

The Ohio Turnpike is currently closed in both directions. Authorities are diverting eastbound traffic at exit 91 and diverting westbound traffic at exit 118, Purpura said.

Erie County is halfway between Toledo and Cleveland along Lake Erie.

Experts are encouraging those in the winter storm’s path to stay safe as freezing temperatures impact road conditions and threaten the health of vulnerable groups. 

American Automobile Association spokesperson Aixa Diaz told CNN’s Kristin Fisher on Friday the organization is “very worried” that there will be more car crashes as the storm continues to move east.

She urged drivers in certain impacted areas to “stay off the roads completely.”

“If you’re in an area where the weather is not supposed to be that bad, still prepare for winter storm conditions anyway,” she said.

Should motorists find themselves on the road and in need of assistance, Diaz said there are ways to stay ready, including keeping an emergency preparation kit in the vehicle.

“Make sure you have your cellphone charger in the vehicle so that you have your phone fully charged in case you do have to call for help, in case you do have to call AAA,” she said. “We also suggest having an ice scraper in your vehicle, also some reflectors in case you have to wait in your vehicle for a long time.”
“The best advice though is just to avoid it altogether. It’s not what you want to hear. This is terrible timing for holiday travelers but the reality is: This is a very dangerous storm and this is not just a little bit of snow, white Christmas. This is something serious,” she added.

The frigid weather could also impact others who are most vulnerable to cold temperatures, according to CNN senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen.

She told Fisher that infants and the elderly “don’t regulate their body temperatures the way that other folks do.” She added that since “cold puts a stress on the heart,” those with heart disease should be careful. Cold can also aggravate asthma conditions and other lung diseases, she said.

“Even if your asthma is under control, be aware the cold could make it worse,” Cohen said. “You should have your medications at the ready.”

She encouraged people to dress infants “more warmly than you would dress yourself,” to check in on the elderly, and to avoid alcohol and caffeine, as the beverages “do not help your body deal with the cold.”

As freezing temperatures from a coast-to-coast winter storm arrive in El Paso, Texas, some migrants who haven’t turned themselves in to border agents or officials after crossing the US-Mexico border are having a difficult time finding shelter.

El Paso is in the midst of a declared state of emergency over thousands of migrants living in unsafe conditions, as a former President Donald Trump-era border policy keeping migrants out of the US remains in flux amid court proceedings.

The city has opened government-run shelters at its convention center, hotels and several unused schools, but is unable to accept migrants who don’t have documentation from Customs and Border Protection, said El Paso city spokesperson Laura Cruz Acosta.

The city must follow state and federal policies, which she said require migrants to have documentation in order to receive shelter at government-run facilities.

If undocumented migrants show up at government-run sites, they are connected with Customs and Border Protection to start the process of turning themselves in, or are connected with shelters run by nongovernmental organizations on the ground, she said.

As dangerously cold temperatures arrive this week, US border officials are warning migrants seeking to enter the country of the dire weather.

“Extremely cold, below freezing temperatures are expected along the Mexico and United States border during the next several days,” Hugo Carmona, acting associate chief of US Border Patrol Operations, said in a video statement. “Do not risk your life and that of your loved ones trying to cross the river or the desert. Help avoid human death and tragedy, stay home or remain in a safe shelter. This is a warning of extreme importance.”

Read more here.

Many locations in the eastern US are in for their coldest Christmas Eve in decades.

Atlanta, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Tallahassee, are all forecast to have their coldest high temperature ever recorded on Dec. 24, according to the National Weather Service.

Washington, DC, is forecast to see its second-coldest Christmas Eve, only behind 1989. In New York, it will be the coldest Christmas Eve since 1906. Chicago is expecting temperatures to rebound above zero, but the city will still experience its coldest Christmas Eve since 1983.

Many parts of Florida will experience the peak of their cold on Christmas Day. It will be the coldest Dec. 25 since 1983 for Miami, Tampa, Orlando and West Palm Beach, according to the weather service. 

Temperatures in the East will slowly moderate over the weekend, but it will still be the third-coldest Christmas Day on record for Atlanta and coldest since 1989, according to forecasters. New York and Washington, DC, will each experience their coldest Christmas Day since 2000.

About 1.3 million customers in the United States are experiencing power outages amid winter weather and frigid temperatures, according to Poweroutage.us.

Here’s a look at the power outages by region:

Maine, North Carolina, Virginia, New York and Pennsylvania have the most outages right now.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul warned residents about the “epic, statewide hazard” of winter weather this weekend.

“I called it a kitchen sink storm because it is throwing everything at us but the kitchen sink,” Hochul said at a press conference Friday afternoon. “We’ve had ice, flooding, snow, freezing temperatures and everything that mother nature could wallop at us this weekend.”

High winds and rain have already been reported across the state, and now officials are bracing for heavy snow and record-setting wind speeds, the state’s transportation commissioner said at the press conference.

There have been more than 100,000 power outages across the state, with about 27,000 in Erie County and 15,000 in Monroe County, Hochul said.

“If you do lose power, it is going to be dangerously cold,” said Jackie Bray, the state’s homeland security and emergency services commissioner. Bray told residents dealing with outages to seek out warming shelters provided by some counties. 

Impacts by region: “We are seeing incredibly dangerous, hazardous, life-threatening high winds, blinding snowstorms, in real-time hitting Western New York,” Hochul said, explaining that the region has been hit by both the national storm and a lake-effect storm.

She said winds around the Buffalo Skyway have neared 80 mph — higher than those in the blizzard of 1977.

Parts of Long Island and New York City have seen coastal flooding of up to 3 feet, which is starting to abate, although more rain is expected in the area, Hochul said.

Bray said the main hazard in the city will be the low temperatures, windy conditions, and ice, with a flash freeze expected later today.

Hochul said the Hudson Valley, Capital Region, North Country and Southern Tier have seen rain and high winds, with snow also reported in the latter two regions, but major issues haven’t been reported.

Transportation impacts: A flash freeze has already hit the western part of the state and is expected to impact eastern areas, too, prompting widespread travel restrictions, Hochul said.

“The roads are going to be like an ice skating rink, and your tires cannot handle this,” she said.

Hochul said in some areas, like Erie County, the commercial vehicle driving ban has been expanded to all roads, and certain roads have hard closures.

“We really want everyone to stay off the roads,” Bray said. “The roads are going to be icy statewide. That’s going to be through tomorrow, at least, before any of that abates.”

Some roads and rail lines that closed Friday due to flooding have reopened as water recedes, the officials said. Bray urged travelers to take public transportation instead of driving, saying the weather shouldn’t disrupt those transit options any further.

Hochul said she does not anticipate closures to New York City airports, although high winds could potentially change that.

New York City officials said frigid, single-digit temperatures and 60 mile-an-hour wind gusts are expected to hit the city later today.

So far, the winter storm has caused flooding in parts of the city and — as temperatures are dipping sharply, black ice is becoming a bigger concern, New York City Emergency Management Commissioner Zachary Iscol said.

“Now we’re starting to prepare the city for the next phase, which is going to be a precipitous drop in temperature, going down to the low teens, single digits over the weekend,” Iscol said at a news conference Friday. “… That leads to potential for black ice, because the amount of precipitation and water on the ground, that we also need to prepare for, in addition to high winds, up to 60 mile-per-hour gusts later today.”

Planning for the storm started 96 hours ago, according to Iscol, with agency heads staying in constant communication with Mayor Eric Adams, who is not in New York City and is taking some days off, according to First Deputy Mayor Lorraine Grillo. 

The City of New York Department of Sanitation has so far put down 20 million pounds of salt, with 700 salt spreaders operating all over the city. 

The New York City Police Department has opened their traffic management center where they will monitor for power outages for traffic lights. NYPD Emergency Service Unit trucks are strategically located in parts of the city that are prone to flooding, Iscol said. 

Con Edison has flown in 600 extra workers to help deal with potential power outage issues, with extra vehicles also out on the road, Iscol said. 

City officials are getting briefed twice daily from the National Weather Service and using that guidance to plan their strategy, Iscol said.

Officials are also launching the Code Blue initiative, which is designed to get homeless people off the streets when the temperature drops to dangerous levels, Iscol said. 

The city has also opened up two service centers in Queens to help with potential issues, Iscol said. Even hotels in parts of the city have already been blocked off in case the storm forces people from their homes, he added. 

A local sports reporter in Iowa went viral for getting “crankier and crankier” on the air after being asked to cover the weather.

In a video that’s racked up over 5 million views on Twitter, Mark Woodley of KWWL-TV said, “What better time to ask the sports guy to come in about 5 hours earlier than he would normally wake up, go stand out in the wind and the snow and the cold and tell other people not to do the same?”

“Tune in for the next couple hours to watch me get progressively crankier and crankier,” he quipped in the video mashup.

Woodley told CNN’s Kristin Fisher that his responses on air were “just a bit of who I am.”

“You know, on air, I love to give my coworkers grief. … I was running on about three hours of sleep at that time, and some of the things maybe I wouldn’t have said if I had slept for eight hours, but, you know, it is what it is,” he said.  

But Woodley said he probably won’t be changing his beat from sports to weather any time soon.  

“If I’m asked, sure, I’ll do it, but that would be my absolute nightmare. So I hope to God they do not ask me to ever do that again,” he said.

A severe winter weather system is lashing states throughout the country.

If you’re just now catching up, here are some of the storm’s latest developments:

Death toll rises: In Kentucky, at least three people have died, Gov. Andy Beshear’s office confirmed. Beshear confirmed two of the deaths in a Friday morning news conference, and a spokesperson for the governor told CNN a short time later that the death toll had risen to three.

Freezing temperatures: Cities in New York, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota and Illinois are experiencing blizzard conditions with strong blowing snow and low visibility in some areas. In Texas, the entire state is experiencing below-freezing temperatures, according to weather observations.

Power outages: More than 1 million customers are without power across the US. A utility in Memphis, Tennessee, was able to rescind plans for rolling blackouts but urged residents to conserve electricity as much as possible. View outage totals by region here.

Flooding: Storm surge has caused flooding in many coastal areas across the country. In Maine, police are conducting water rescues. In New York, flooding shut down train service on the Long Island Rail Road. And according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Lake Ontario could see waves of up to 37 feet high on Friday evening while Lake Erie is also experiencing “rapidly pushing water levels past flood stage.”

Travel impacts: Among Thursday, Friday, and advance cancellations for Saturday, about 7,000 pre-Christmas flights have already been canceled nationwide. At Buffalo Niagara International Airport in New York, all evening flights have been canceled Friday due to hazardous conditions.

Three Kentuckians have died because of the severe winter weather system hitting the state, Gov. Andy Beshear’s office said. 

Beshear confirmed two of the deaths in a Friday morning news conference, and a spokesperson for the governor told CNN a short time later that the death toll had risen to three.

One death was the result of a vehicle accident in western Kentucky. Another was attributed to a car crash in Mount Sterling, east of Lexington in Montgomery County.

The third death was of a “housing insecure” person in Louisville, Beshear told reporters.

Later, Louisville Metro Police Department released details about one of the three victims, telling CNN Friday that the body of an adult man was found outside in the area of Parthenia Avenue in Louisville Thursday night. The person remains unidentified at this time.

“There are no obvious signs of trauma and LMPD is awaiting autopsy results from the Medical Examiner to determine the exact cause of death,” LMPD said in a statement. 

Officials shut down Interstate 64 in both directions in Scott County due to multiple collisions around the 69-mile marker, Beshear announced. 

The Kentucky National Guard and Kentucky State Police have also been working a major accident on Interstate 71 that has caused a major backup all morning, Beshear said. 

There are currently 20,000 homes without power across Kentucky, Beshear tweeted Friday morning.  

A massive winter storm battered the US on Friday with frigid temperatures, high wind, snow and flooding, knocking out power to over a million customers and derailing holiday plans from coast to coast.

The storm — which is expected to intensify throughout Friday as it barrels east — is making for grim road conditions with poor visibility and ice-covered streets.

Here are some scenes from the storm as it makes the nation shiver:

See more photos here.

Even though Buffalo is no stranger to winter weather, conditions may not improve in the western New York city until Christmas morning, as a blizzard warning is in effect until Sunday at 7 a.m. ET.

CNN’s Polo Sandoval illustrated the low-visibility issues, as he couldn’t been seen until walking close to the camera as snow and wind whistled around him.

“This is not a massive snowmaker, believe it or not. It’s the winds that are whipping around, all the snow that has fallen and then adding to that, that flash freezing that we will continue to see throughout the night as temperatures continue to plummet,” Sandoval reported.

Watch his report here:

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02:46 - Source: cnn

Buffalo Niagara International Airport in New York state has closed down due to hazardous weather conditions, and all flights scheduled for the evening have been canceled.

The airport’s official Twitter account shared the news Friday afternoon:

Police in Wells, Maine, shared videos and photos on Twitter of the coastal flooding conditions in the area.

Videos show waves crashing along the shore and flooding the surrounding streets.

Wells is located south of Portland, near Kennebunkport.

A photo shared by police shows sea foam that is covering the entire front yard, car and front of a house on Ocean Avenue.

Another photo shows a water rescue by Capt. Kevin Chabot with the police department on Mile Road.

Heavy rain led to coastal flooding Thursday along the southern shore of Nassau County on New York’s Long Island, and officials are preparing for another round of severe weather, a local official said.

Some residents experienced significant flooding in their basements along with street flooding, and one house in East Rockaway was evacuated, according to County Executive Bruce Blakeman.

Flooding also shut down train service on the Long Island Rail Road near Long Beach, transportation officials told CNN. Service remained down Friday morning and trains won’t get back on track until the water recedes.

High winds downed some trees and caused power outages in the county Thursday, and there may be more if wind gusts surpass 50 miles per hour, Blakeman said at a news conference.

The county’s public works department has cleaned drains and is pumping water out of flooded areas ahead of a second storm, which is expected to arrive this afternoon, according to Blakeman. It will be accompanied by a cold snap.

Police reported about 52 car crashes and 104 calls of people trapped in their cars due to flooding Thursday night, which was “about normal during a storm,” Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said. No one was hurt or killed in the incidents. 

“We’re preparing for the second storm, which will probably be more dangerous than this one because of the extreme cold and the fact that the winds could gust up to 50 miles an hour, which makes it very dangerous to go outside,” Blakeman said.

The county executive asked people to stay home or at least stay local. He addressed people’s last-minute holiday shopping needs, saying, “tomorrow will be a much better day to go shopping.”

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a proclamation Friday to ease restrictions around transportation and access for fuel used for heat as the state experiences “extremely frigid” temperatures with the blizzard underway.

The proclamation suspends regulatory provisions pertaining to hours of service for crews and drivers delivering propane, diesel, natural gas, and other fuels used for residential, agricultural, and commercial heating purposes during the blizzard.

It is effective immediately and continues through Jan. 1, 2023.

The Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division said it would implement systemwide “rolling blackouts” on Friday but has since rescinded the measure. The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) instead is calling on “all electric power consumers to reduce their use of electricity as much as possible until further notice,” according to a statement posted on its Twitter account Friday afternoon.

Ashton Davies with TVA told CNN they are currently not asking local power companies to reduce load.

“We continually monitor the condition of the power system and make decisions in real time to ensure stability. This morning, we worked with LPCs to rapidly reduce load, and because of those efforts, the system remains stable. TVA and local power companies will continue to monitor the situation and communicate any additional needed information.” 

Earlier on Friday, residents across Memphis were told they would have their power shut off twice a day for 30 minutes as the city needed to shed 5% to 10% of its power load, Mayor Jim Strickland told CNN’s Kate Bolduan.  

About 10,000 residents are currently without power, the Memphis mayor added.

Wind chills today are expected to reach as low as -15 degrees and road conditions have not improved in the city, Strickland said.

“Roads will be frozen for a couple of days. Memphis is not used to this,” Strickland said. “This is different for sure.” 

In a statement made earlier on Friday, the authority said reducing power usage among businesses and homes is “a necessary step to prevent far greater power interruptions affecting the entire area.”

CNN’s Marie Malzberg contributed reporting to this post.

Officials are forecasting that Lake Ontario may experience waves up to 37 feet high Friday evening, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The NOAA weather report states that Lake Ontario is currently seeing waves of about 13 to 17 feet high, building up to 21 to 26 feet high. Later on Friday, waves could be 23 to 28 feet, building to 24 to 29 feet, with waves “occasionally” reaching 37 feet, NOAA said. 

Lake Ontario spans the US-Canada border and is bounded by New York state to its south.

Lake Erie, another Great Lake — which is bounded by Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York to its south — is also experiencing “rapidly pushing water levels past flood stage,” according to the National Weather Service. Water levels are expected to rise to over 9 feet, NWS said. 

The NWS warned that several areas around Buffalo and Niagara will begin to see flooding due to inclement weather.

Areas of Interstate 90 and Interstate 29 in South Dakota will reopen Friday, “provided conditions improve as forecasted,” according to the South Dakota Department of Transportation.

According to the update, Interstate 90 from Wall to Rapid City has been reopened westbound only. The remaining section of the interstate has “significant drifting,” and cleanup is underway throughout the state, the state transportation department said. 

Interstate 29 northbound and southbound from Sioux Falls to Watertown has also reopened, while the remaining section of the interstate to the North Dakota state line still has “significant drifting and visibility issues.” 

The transportation department warned that the extreme cold temperatures and windy conditions are rendering chemicals and salt ineffective as treatment options, and it cautioned travelers to expect ice-covered roads and snow-covered shoulders.

“No travel” advisories continue to impact state highways across South Dakota, with many highways “physically impassable from blockages of large snow drifts, stranded vehicles, and completely plugged bridges,” according to the update.

Airlines canceled more than 4,100 flights on Friday, upending Christmas travel across the US for the second consecutive day.

The most cancellations are in Seattle, where runways were closed on Friday due to icy conditions. The next highest numbers of cancellations were seen at Chicago O’Hare, New York LaGuardia and Detroit. 

In additions, more than half of departures were canceled at Chicago Midway and two-thirds of departing flights were called off at the Cleveland and Buffalo airports.

Snow and ice are an obvious factor in many cancellations, but severe winds and the wind chill are a problem, too, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said on CNN Friday.

“It’s really about that that frigid temperature that you’re seeing,” Buttigieg said. “That limits the ability of the ground crews to operate. They make it look easy. You see that they’ve got a lot of winter weather gear, but there’s still only so long that these workers can be on the ground servicing these aircraft before its a safety issue and they need to get back inside.”

Planes at multiple airports require de-icing before departing, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Among Thursday, Friday, and advance cancellations for Saturday, 7,000 pre-Christmas flights have already been canceled nationwide.

The whole state of Texas is currently seeing temperatures below freezing, according to weather observations from around the state.

The temperatures currently range from 32 degrees along the US-Mexico border in McAllen to as low as 8 degrees in parts of the Panhandle.

Gusty winds are making it feel even colder, with wind chills ranging from 23 degrees to -10 degrees.

Here are the temperatures recorded across the state around 12 ET:

Nearly 74,000 customers are without power as of 12:20 p.m. ET, according to Poweroutage.us.

The number of customers without power across the country has increased to nearly 1.5 million on Friday, according to poweroutages.us.

Outages are expected to rise throughout the day as the storm continues to move east. 

Here are the regions where the most customers are without power:

The states with the most outages are North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, New York and Connecticut.

Departing Alaska Airlines flights from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Portland International Airport are canceled until 12 p.m. PST, Alaska Airlines said in a Tweet.  

The airline said a flexible travel policy is in place for customers needing to rebook flights. 

Right now, only one runway at Seattle-Tacoma is operational due to icy conditions.  

Two hours into blizzard conditions in the Buffalo metro area, resident Mick Saunders said winds are howling and whipping the snowfall around. 

And the blizzard warning won’t be over until Sunday morning.

Ahead of the storm, Saunders said he prepared with groceries, flashlight batteries and more.

“We got enough food and supplies for five days if we’re stuck,” he said.  

See video of Saunders’ view:

Heavy rains caused tidal flooding in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and the city is urging residents to not drive through the water on Friday morning.

While temperatures are in the high 40s right now, that number is expected to drop to just 10 degrees by tonight.

The Police Department of the City of Niagara Falls has issued a travel ban until further notice.

The ban applies to all public roads with exceptions for essential travel, an official told CNN.

It’s cold out there — really cold.

A wide swath of the US is currently experiencing wind chills below 0 degrees, with wind chills making it feel like -37 degrees in parts if North Dakota to -19 in Tennessee. Even areas of Texas have wind chills topping out at just 5 degrees.

Here’s a look at today’s wind chill across the US:

Bundle up!

Roadways across Washington state are closed or partially closed as spinouts, collisions and stalled vehicles accumulate, according to Washington State Department of Transportation’s traffic division.

“Due to the weather, we are advising delaying all non-essential travel,” WSDOT said in a Tweet. 

WSDOT urged caution for those who are out on the road. 

“Speed limits are for ideal conditions. Ice falling from the sky would not qualify for ideal conditions,” WSDOT Tacoma said in a Tweet. 

WSDOT Southwest said its crews in Columbia River Gorge have replaced salt for sand as temperatures are too cold for salt to work.  

One runway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport has reopened after being de-iced, according to a tweet from the airport.  

“Limited operations will continue to be weather dependent as safety is always our main priority. Travelers should continue to monitor their flights and stay in touch with your airlines,” according to the airport’s tweet. 

It’s not yet clear when the remaining runways could reopen.

Earlier this morning, CNN reported that all the runways were closed “indefinitely” as the airport continues to work to de-ice runway surfaces.

Washington’s Sound Transit — a regional network of express buses, commuter rail, light rail and transit facilities in King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties — had also suspended all express services until further notice Friday morning “due to the icy conditions throughout the service area,” a release from Sound Transit said.

According to the Seattle-area transit service, their buses are unable to leave bus bases due to “deteriorating and unsafe road conditions.” 

“We regret this impact has on our riders. Service will be added as soon as it is safe for customers and employees,” the release said.

The massive winter storm battering the US has led to delays Friday at airports previously unaffected by the grim conditions.

The Federal Aviation Administration just posted ground stops for flights bound to Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina, American Airlines’ second largest hub, where crews are taking deicing measures.

In the Pacific Northwest, the FAA had flights bound to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Portland International Airport under ground stops due to snow and ice, though one runway had reopened in Seattle by 11 a.m. ET.

The FAA also halted traffic at Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C. — where flights were delayed and canceled Thursday, too — due to deicing. 

Reagan “will be chemically treating the airfield in advance of the flash freeze forecast for the area,” a FAA notice reads.

The FAA says major air pressure changes associated with the storm will trigger high winds at airports from Boston down to Atlanta.

The nearly 3,800 US flight cancelations recorded by FlightAware by late Friday morning have already dwarfed the roughly 2,600 nationwide on Thursday.

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock warned residents from going outside as extremely cold temperatures continue to grip the area.

It’s currently -4 degrees in the Mile High City, and the wind chill is making it feel like -18 degrees.

“It is not safe for anyone to be outdoors. … Though it doesn’t typically get this cold, we’re familiar with the slick streets and roads, and so we’re pretty experienced, but it’s still not safe to be outdoors. If you don’t have to get out, we ask people to stay indoors,” he told CNN.

The mayor discussed how the cold is also a challenge due to the influx of migrants. In just the month of December, he said that 1,500 migrants have come to the city. He said the city in response has activated its emergency operations center, gotten some funding from the state and had discussions with Washington.

“Right now, the best the federal government could do really is the Emergency Food and Shelter Program that we can all apply for,” he said.  

The city is slated to get a much-needed respite from the cold, as it’ll get into the 50s by Christmas Day.

Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP) recorded three fatal crashes in north central Kansas on Wednesday evening, according to KHP Public Information Officer Lt. Candice Breshears.

There were three fatalities — one from each crash — but only one of those is confirmed to be weather-related, Breshears said.

The two other fatalities are “believed to be weather-related,” but the agency is waiting on troopers to further their investigations, Breshears told CNN.

Nationwide power outages have increased to more than 1,172,000 customers Friday morning, according poweroutage.us. 

Power outages are expected to continue to rise throughout the day. 

Here’s a breakdown in terms of national regions:

Commercial vehicles will be banned from several New Jersey interstate highways due to the severe winter weather front hitting the state, the New Jersey Department of Transportation announced. 

The ban started at 9 a.m. ET Friday and will be in place until further notice, the agency said. 

Commercial vehicles will not be allowed on both directions of interstates 76, 78, 80, 195, 280, 287, 295, 676 and Route 440 while in the state.

“New Jersey is expected to see rain, strong winds and the potential for snow and ice as the storm moves through and temperatures drop rapidly, which could make driving conditions treacherous,” the agency said in a release.

Tractor-trailers, passenger vehicles pulling trailers and empty straight CDL-weighted trucks are some of the commercial vehicles that’ll be impacted by this ban. 

Bus service across King County, Washington, is suspended as buses are unable to leave bases due to “deteriorating and unsafe road conditions,” according to King County Metro. 

“Fast-accumulating ice and sub-freezing temperatures across King County have worsened and make it impossible for any buses to travel at the present time. We will add bus service as soon as it is safe for customers and employees,” according to King County Metro. 

Multiple streetcar lines are suspended along with paratransit, water taxis and community ride services. 

According to King County Metro the Sound Transit Link light rail is still operating.

A driving ban went into effect in Erie County, New York, at 9:30 a.m. ET due to the winter storm.

The region includes the city of Buffalo and borders Niagara Falls to its north.

Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz announced the ban in a tweet.

The New York State Thruway is also closed in both directions near Scranton, New York – about 15 miles south of Buffalo — due to a “camper versus power pole accident,” Poloncarz said. 

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told CNN This Morning that “the top concern is always safety” and he is particularly worried about the roadways.

Buttigieg also cautioned that the country is “going to see a lot of disruption” in air travel over the holiday weekend. 

“I know we all want to get to our loved ones for the holidays but please, please pay close attention to what local authorities are saying. If they’re saying it’s not safe to drive, it’s not safe to drive,” Buttigieg said. “No matter how much you want to get quickly to your loved ones, make sure you get there safe.”

“These temperatures that we’re seeing, especially in the middle part of the country, that can turn a fender-bender into something more dangerous,” Buttigieg added.

For air travelers, Buttigieg said, “I encourage people to stay in close touch with their airlines, watch that app, see what’s happening with your flight.”

Airlines continue to cancel flights across the U.S., with more than 3,300 flights canceled as of 8:30 a.m. ET, according to the tracking service FlightAware. 

“Lots of things are so important to us around the holidays, our traditions, our loved ones, but of course, the most important thing is to be safe,” Buttigieg said. He pointed to the Department of Transportation’s website for tips on safe driving in winter weather.

The winter weather system hitting the Northeast is causing temporary flooding in parts of Rhode Island, according to the Rhode Island Department of Transportation.

“With the storm surge and high tide, Ocean Rd at Beach St in Narragansett and Boyd’s Lane at Park Ave are temporarily closed due to flooding,” the agency posted on Twitter.

The agency reported additional flooding in parts of Bristol and East Providence.

The Rhode Island Public Transportation Authority also announced Friday morning that flooding has impacted service in Jamestown and Wickford. 

“Due to flooding, we will not be servicing Jamestown this morning, Friday, Dec. 23, 2022,” it said on Twitter. 

Brian Chevalier, who witnessed the flooding in Narragansett, said waves were crashing onto the streets and causing flooding.

Gov. Dan McKee also warned residents about possible power outages.

“Heavy winds will continue throughout the morning and outages are expected. Keep your mobile devices and electronics fully charged. Rhode Island Energy has extra crews on the ground to restore power as quickly as possible,” McKee said Friday morning. 

Northwest Iowa is still seeing bad travel conditions Friday morning, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation.

“There aren’t really going to be any good travel conditions today,” Iowa DOT said in a tweet. “Winds are howling and roads are icy, blowing vehicles around. If you can stay put, please do.”

Travel conditions for anyone wanting to travel into the Dakotas or southern Minnesota are especially poor, the department added.

Both UPS and FedEx are warning that the winter storm hitting large swaths of the United States is disrupting operations in the final delivery days before Christmas.

“FedEx Express experienced substantial disruptions at our Memphis and Indianapolis hubs last night due to severe winter weather that has been moving across the United States,” the company said in a statement Friday morning. “FedEx is committed to provide service to the best of our ability.”

FedEx told US customers that packages expected to be delivered Friday or Saturday could be delayed. UPS said its delays may be somewhat more localized.

“Significant weather events across several regions of the U.S. are impacting the UPS Air and Ground network, including UPS hubs in Louisville, Kentucky and Rockford, Illinois,” said UPS. “As a result, some delivery and pickup services in these areas will be affected.”

Read more here.

A ground stop has been issued for flights departing for Charlotte Douglas International in Charlotte, North Carolina, until 9:00 a.m. ET “due to wind,” according to the FAA.

The probability of ground stop being extended is “medium,” the FAA says.

What is a ground stop: It is a traffic management initiative requiring aircrafts to remain on the ground at their origination airport, according to the National Business Aviation Association. Ground stops are considered to be the most restrictive of the initiatives.

Nationwide power outages have increased to more than 900,000 customers Friday morning, according to the website PowerOutage.us. Power outages are expected to continue to rise throughout the day.

Here are the regions where the most customers are without power:

New York state is banning nonessential driving on some major interstates due to the impending winter storm, according to a tweet from the New York State Police.  

Traffic is closed to all nonessential personnel on several interstates passing through Buffalo and its surrounding areas. A full commercial vehicle ban is also in effect on Interstate-90, the NYSP said. 

Air travel trouble is shaping up to be even worse on Friday than it was Thursday.

Airlines have canceled more than 3,100 flights as of 7 a.m. ET, according to the tracking service FlightAware.

That number of cancellations is already surpassing the 2,681 flights canceled on Thursday. Nearly 10,400 flights experienced delays on Thursday, FlightAware said.

As the storm moves east, the impact at major East Coast airports is growing. New York’s LaGuardia Airport is leading the nation with the highest number of departing flights cancellations — one in three flights will not take off, FlightAware data shows.  

The FAA noted early Friday it may have to halt or restrict traffic at airports in the Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Washington areas.  

FlightAware data show more than 100 cancellations at six airports:  LaGuardia, Seattle-Tacoma, Detroit, Boston, and Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway airports.   

The growing cancellations make it harder for passengers racing against the clock and weather to rebook and arrive in time for Christmas. Flights this year were already more crowded than they’ve been previously — even before the storm disrupted travel schedules. 

“What many folks might not have realized is that the number of flights in the sky is actually down more like 15 or 20%,” Scott Keyes of Scott’s Cheap Flights told CNN. “The planes that are actually flying are more full today than they were pre-pandemic. That’s why there’s not as many empty seats to switch onto if you do find your flight gets canceled or delayed.”

Power outages across the nation have increased to more than 650,000 customers as of 7 a.m. on Friday morning, according to the website PowerOutage.US.

The states where the most customers are without power include:

Several vehicles crashed overnight in Kentucky as the state deals with “treacherous” roads caused by the severe winter weather that hit the state on Thursday and is expected to continue into the weekend, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) said on Friday. 

“Folks, roads are treacherous & several crashes took place overnight. Please stay off the roads if you can do so,” the agency posted on Twitter.

The agency also added that temperatures have plummeted and treatments like salt and calcium chloride won’t do much to help melt ice or snow.

KYTC District 5, a division of the agency, tweeted a photo of one of its snowplows covered in icicles.

“Crews are working thru the night, but the cold temps, winds are creating hazardous conditions,” KYTC District 5 said.

More than 200 million people in the US on Friday are under alerts for wind chill, which indicates what the wind feels like.

Alerts span states from the West Coast to the East Coast and from the US-Canada border to the US-Mexico border, and well into the Southeast, affecting about 60% of the country.

The polar plunge is currently over Atlanta, where the temperature dropped from 48 degrees Fahrenheit at 1:55 a.m. local time to 36 degrees at 3:55 a.m. Friday. Colder temperatures will continue to hit major cities along the East Coast by Friday’s end.

Other impacts: More than 80 million people remain under some sort of winter weather alert, mainly in areas around the Great Lakes and Upper Midwest.

More than 40 million people remain under hard freeze alerts, mainly across the South. Across most of New England, more than 10 million people remain under high wind alerts.

As much of the country confronts an unrelenting winter storm ahead of the holiday this weekend, a separate storm system is bringing heavy mixed precipitation to the Pacific Northwest on Friday.

The storm has already knocked out power for more than 30,000 people in Washington state and Oregon.

Washington: A winter storm warning is in effect for the western part of the state, including Seattle, until 7 p.m. local time.

Oregon: A winter storm warning is in effect for the northeastern portion, including Portland, from 4 p.m. through 10 p.m. local time.

Nearly 250,000 homes and businesses around the US were experiencing power outages early Friday as brutally cold air and high winds continued throughout much of the country.

Power outages are expected to continue rising throughout the day. 

Here are some of the significant current outages:

Texas: 74,746

Georgia: 69,576

Tennessee: 34,544

Missouri: 16,734

Louisiana: 16,122

As freezing temperatures from a coast-to-coast winter storm arrive in El Paso, Texas, some migrants who haven’t turned themselves in to border agents or officials after crossing the US-Mexico border are having a difficult time finding shelter.  

El Paso is in the midst of a declared state of emergency over thousands of migrants living in unsafe conditions, as a Trump-era border policy keeping migrants out of the US remains in flux amid court proceedings. 

The city has opened government-run shelters at its convention center, hotels, and several unused schools, but is unable to accept migrants who don’t have documentation from Customs and Border Protection, said El Paso city spokesperson Laura Cruz Acosta. 

The city must follow state and federal policies, which she said require migrants to have documentation in order to receive shelter at government-run facilities.

If undocumented migrants show up at government-run sites, they’ll be connected with Customs and Border Protection to start the process of turning themselves in or are connected with shelters run by NGOs on the ground, Acosta said.  

US border officials are warning migrants seeking to enter the country of the dire weather. 

“Do not risk your life and that of your loved ones trying to cross the river or the desert. Help avoid human death and tragedy, stay home or remain in a safe shelter. This is a warning of extreme importance,” Hugo Carmona, Acting Associate Chief of US Border Patrol Operations, said in a video statement.

EL PASO, TEXAS - DECEMBER 22: Migrants warm to a fire at dawn after spending the night outside next to the U.S.-Mexico border fence on December 22, 2022 in El Paso, Texas. A spike in the number of migrants seeking asylum in the United States has challenged local, state and federal authorities. The numbers are expected to increase as the fate of the Title 42 authority to expel migrants remains in limbo pending a Supreme Court decision expected after Christmas. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Related article Migrants in El Paso have trouble finding shelter as dangerously cold temperatures arrive | CNN

Polar air continues to bring drastic drops in temperatures to cities as it spreads to the South and East.

In Columbus, Ohio, temperatures dropped by 27 degrees over three hours Thursday night into Friday. The city was at 45 degrees Fahrenheit at 11 p.m. and then fell to a staggering 18 degrees at 2 a.m. Wind chill also declined by 39 degrees during the same time frame.

Atlanta’s temperatures are expected to drop to about 19 degrees by 7 a.m. Friday, another astonishing forecast from the earlier 48 degrees.

Washington, DC, was around 49 degrees early Friday morning, and temperatures are expected to begin dropping around 9 a.m., reaching about 15 degrees by 10:30 p.m.

As for New York, temperatures were around 56 degrees early Friday. But it’s expected to start changing around 11 a.m. when colder air moves in, dropping the temperature to 14 degrees by 5:30 p.m.

Looking ahead: Much of the East Coast may not see a return to temperatures above freezing until the end of the weekend or even into Monday.

Governors in more than a dozen states have enacted emergency measures and cold weather protocols as severe winter weather impacts much of the US.

Wind chill alerts cover more than half the country’s population as the sprawling winter storm brings snow, wind, ice and frigid temperatures.

Meanwhile, thousands of US flights have been canceled so far during a busy holiday travel week.

Here are the latest developments:

More than 500 miles of South Dakota’s two interstates are closed and expected to remain shut down into Friday, according to the South Dakota Department of Transportation.

“Due to the sustained strong winds causing near zero visibility and drifting snow, SDDOT anticipates that both I-29 and I-90 will remain closed through the night and into Friday, Dec. 23, 2022,” the release read. “Officials will continually assess conditions to determine when I-90 and I-29 can be reopened safely.”

Gov. Kristi Noem declared a state of emergency in South Dakota due to severe weather and has activated the state National Guard.

Meanwhile, Interstate 94 in North Dakota is closed in the western two-thirds of the state, and travel is not advised in the east along I-94 or I-29.

The North Dakota Department of Transportation said, “Portions of I-94, US 52, US 281, and ND 46 remain closed due to blowing and drifting snow, areas of near-zero visibility and icy conditions. A No Travel Advised has been extended to eastern ND.”

Interstate 90 in Minnesota is closed from I-35 to the South Dakota border, and travel is not advised on any roads in the southwest quarter of the state.

In a tweet Wednesday night, the Minnesota Department of Transportation said bluntly: “STAY HOME. DO NOT TRAVEL. Most state highways in southcentral & southwest MN are now CLOSED. Conditions could be life-threatening if you become stranded.”

Winter weather continues to disrupt holiday travel across the US on Friday, leaving travelers facing delays and cancellations during one of the busiest times of the year.

After 2,544 flight cancellations in the US on Thursday, another 2,900 Friday flights have already been canceled as of 2:30 a.m. ET, according to flight tracking site FlightAware.

Train and bus services are also being impacted by winter storms, including Amtrak and Greyhound.

Read more about Friday travel cancellations here.

More than 150,000 customers are without power across parts of the Southeast and Central US as cold air and high winds sweep through the area, according to the tracking website PowerOutage.us. Power outages are expected to rise as restoring power will be difficult in the dangerous conditions.

Among the current outages reported as of 2:30 a.m. ET Friday:

Texas: 82,217

Georgia: 45,494

Tennessee: 35,401

Missouri: 17,752

Louisiana: 15,354

Alabama: 13,684

Mississippi: 11,756

More cities are experiencing rapidly dropping temperatures as arctic air that blasted much of the Western US and Great Plains this week heads east.

Temperatures will continue to drop as the night progresses: 

Chicago: Over 11 hours Wednesday, Chicago’s temperature dropped 38 degrees – in terms of wind chill, a drop of 53 degrees, from 27 degrees Fahrenheit to minus 26.

St. Louis: Over 24 hours from Tuesday to Wednesday night, St. Louis’ temperature dropped 44 degrees – in terms of wind chill, a drop of 61 degrees, from 31 to minus 30.

Memphis: Over 6 hours Wednesday afternoon and night, Memphis’ temperature dropped 36 degrees – in terms of wind chill, a drop of 54 degrees, from 40 to minus 14.

Nashville: In just two hours Wednesday night, Nashville’s temperature dropped 29 degrees – in terms of wind chill, a drop of 41 degrees, from 39 to minus 2.

Dallas: Over 9 hours Wednesday, Dallas’ temperature dropped 31 degrees – in terms of wind chill, a drop of 44 degrees, from 40 to minus 4.

Little Rock, Arkansas: Over 9 hours Wednesday afternoon and night, Little Rock’s temperature dropped 36 degrees – in terms of wind chill, a drop of 52 degrees, from 41 to minus 11.

Indianapolis: Over 9 hours Wednesday afternoon into Thursday, Indianapolis’ temperature dropped 43 degrees – in terms of wind chill, a drop of 64 degrees, from 36 to minus 28.

Authorities in Kentucky and Tennessee say severe winter weather moving across parts of the Midwest and South late Thursday has severely affected road conditions.

The ability to drive in Bardstown, Kentucky – about 30 miles south of Louisville – is quickly deteriorating, according to videos shared by the Bardstown Police Department Thursday night.

“The lines in the roadway were visible,” an officer says in one video. “They are now completely covered in snow.”

Police advise residents to stay home and off the roads as “conditions are getting worse by the minute,” according to the video.

In Memphis, police are under an “inclement weather crash policy” and are unable to respond to every traffic accident reported due to icy, cold conditions.

Drivers in auto accidents are asked to exchange information with others involved and to report the accident to authorities within five days, according to a statement from the Memphis Police Department late Thursday.

US airlines have issued travel waivers due to the severe winter weather affecting much of the country. The important aviation hub of Chicago is forecast to be one of the cities hit the hardest, with blizzard conditions expected.

Here’s what airlines are doing to account for the winter weather:

As severe winter weather marches across US states, here’s a look at how some governors are responding to the storm:

Bad weather. Computer glitches. Staffing shortages. Oversold flights. Inflation. Holiday crunches. It has been a tough slog for many air travelers for much of 2022.

And it looks like the year will go out as rough as it came in with a severe winter storm that could make travel the week heading up to Christmas Day a dangerously cold, frustratingly messy affair.

What if you’re one of the unlucky passengers caught up in these events? What can you do?

Read more about steps you can take here:

A flight information display system shows departure times at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on December 27, 2021 in Arlington, Virginia.

Related article What should I do if my flight has been canceled or delayed?

A blizzard warning will take effect at 7 a.m. ET Friday for Buffalo, New York, and surrounding communities, where feet of snow and 70 mph wind gusts are likely, according to the National Weather Service.

The combination of the snow associated with the potential bomb cyclone, very heavy lake-effect snow and the high winds will lead to the deteriorating conditions. 

“Travel will be extremely difficult to impossible at times,” the weather service said. 

Snowfall totals of 1 to 3 feet are expected in the city and snowbelts south of the city. The blizzard conditions are possible for multiple days. 

“Very strong winds are expected to continue Friday night and Saturday with wind-driven heavy lake effect snows northeast of the Lakes. Heavy lake snows will last through at least Christmas Day, possibly lingering into the first part of next week,” the weather service said.

High winds could create drifts as tall as seven or eight feet, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz announced Thursday, as officials warned that people need to prepare for the storm, stay warm and protect against hypothermia. 

As winter weather prompts flight cancellations across the country, some are hitting the road instead to make it home for the holidays.

Alice Adkins Aldredge was in Chicago for the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic along with her husband, Tripp, and son, Greyson. Their flight out of Midway was canceled Thursday morning due to the weather.

Alice told CNN they have family visiting for the holidays, so it was important they got back to their home in Charleston, South Carolina.

“We decided to risk it on the road,” she said.

They booked a rental car and began driving around 10:30 a.m. CT. The plan is to drive 12 hours to Charlotte, North Carolina to drop off their friend, who caught a ride with them. They will then drive another 3 more hours to Charleston for a total of 15 hours on the road.

“Everything has been great so far,” Alice said, “We’ve gotten to see some sights along the way and we get to spend time together.”

Tripp told CNN that many other of their friends from the clinic chose to similarly take to the road, as there were no available flights out of Chicago.

Madison Painter and her fiancé, Tyler Logan, were among those in Chicago for the clinic. Painter told CNN their flight to Atlanta was canceled Thursday morning and rescheduled for 9 p.m. on Christmas Day. 

The couple decided, along with their friends, Calvin Scott and Brenda Simechak, to drive back to Atlanta, get their cars from the airport, and then drive another 3 hours to their home in Troy, Alabama.

“I was super worried we wouldn’t get a rental car,” Painter said, “I wanted to get home to our families.”

Luckily, they did manage to get a rental car and started their drive around 11 a.m. CT.

“It’s been crazy with the wind and snow blowing across the road,” Painter says.

To pass the time, Painter says she’s been watching the snow come down and texting with friends and family who are checking in. They’re hoping to make it back to Troy around 3 a.m. ET.

Bomb cyclone is a term given to a rapidly strengthening storm that fulfills one important criterion: Generally, pressure must drop 24 millibars (a unit of pressure) within 24 hours. However, that benchmark is also based on the latitude of the storm. So, the millibar requirement can change depending on where the storm forms.

The term can be traced back to a meteorological research paper published in a 1980 edition of Monthly Weather Review.

Its authors, MIT meteorologists Fred Sanders and John Gyakum, built upon work by Swedish meteorology researcher Tor Bergeron, who had initially defined “rapidly deepening” storms as those that met the 24 millibars-in-24 hours criterion.

But Bergeron was way up in Scandinavia, where storms strengthen much quicker because of the latitude (remember the Coriolis effect?)

Sanders and Gyakum adjusted the ground rules to vary based on latitude. They added the term “bomb” because of the explosive power that these storms derive from rapid pressure drops (though Gyakum reportedly doesn’t use that word anymore because of its reference to weaponry).

If you want to calculate the pressure drop needed for a bomb cyclone, you take the sine of the latitude where the low pressure is located and divide it by the sine of 60 degrees (and you thought you would never use trigonometry).

Once you do the calculation, multiply that result by 24, and that is the number of millibars the storm’s pressure must drop to officially qualify it as a bomb cyclone at the given latitude.