Overview
- Tens of millions are under blizzard, winter storm and wind alerts from the Midwest to the Northeast, with whiteout conditions reported in parts of Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.
- Travel is heavily disrupted as long stretches of I-35 are shut or deemed unsafe and thousands of flights are delayed or canceled, including a ground stop at Chicago O’Hare and restrictions at Detroit.
- Power outages are mounting with more than 80,000 customers out in Michigan and additional outages in New York and Ohio, while wind chills near −30°F threaten dangerous conditions in the Upper Midwest.
- Freezing rain is creating an icing threat in northern New York and Vermont, where forecasters cite 0.4 to 0.7 inches of glaze capable of making roads impassable and bringing down trees and power lines.
- The UK faces a northerly Arctic blast with Met Office yellow snow and ice warnings for Scotland on Jan. 1–2, forecasts of 2–5 cm widely, 10–20 cm above 200 m and 30 cm on highest routes, UKHSA amber cold-health alerts for northern England, and locally heavy snow bands signaled for the North West later in the week.