On Sunday, a severe winter storm delivered a combination of sleet, freezing rain, and snow throughout significant portions of the United States, resulting in plummeting temperatures below zero and major interruptions to both air and road travel. The accumulation of ice caused tree limbs and electrical wires to break, leaving hundreds of thousands of residences and commercial buildings across the Southeastern U.S. without power.
The National Weather Service reported that the precipitation, including ice and snow, was set to continue into Monday, followed by harshly low temperatures, which may lead to prolonged travel challenges and impacts on infrastructure. Snowfall was occurring heavily from the Ohio Valley extending to the Northeast, while critical levels of ice accumulation posed a severe threat from the Lower Mississippi Valley through the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions.
Weather Service meteorologist Allison Santorelli noted the storm's unparalleled scale, explaining that its effects stretched from New Mexico and Texas to as far northeast as New England, covering an area roughly 2,000 miles wide. This expansive coverage resulted in a widespread and unique meteorological event impacting a substantial portion of the country.