Parts of the USA are affected by a severe cold snap. Snow and ice caused traffic problems, particularly in the Midwest of the country. More than 1,600 flights were canceled.
The US National Weather Service warns of extreme cold in parts of the country. A winter storm raged across the Midwest – a blizzard warning was issued for large parts of Iowa and Minnesota. Virtually all major roads were partially or completely covered in snow. In Kansas City, Missouri, freezing rain caused numerous accidents.
In Iowa, traffic was largely brought to a standstill due to snow and ice.
Minus 24 degrees Celsius was measured in South Dakota. Meteorologists warn that temperatures could drop to minus 29 degrees Celsius over the weekend. According to the National Weather Service, the current major weather situation could trigger “life-threatening wind chills” and even tornadoes in the south of the country.
Flights delayed or canceled
Air traffic was also affected: According to the FlightAware website, 1,643 flights were canceled and 1,238 flights were delayed. Delta airline said it expects service disruptions due to winter weather in the Midwest to potentially last into Saturday.
Southwest Airlines advised travelers to prepare for disruptions to flights to and from Chicago, Detroit and Omaha. The Federal Aviation Administration had already warned on Thursday of disruptions caused by storms, snow and clouds.
Just yesterday, a violent storm with torrential rain in the northeastern United States temporarily cut off power to hundreds of thousands of people. In the state of Maine, wind gusts reached speeds of more than 150 kilometers per hour.