More than 1 million customers in the US, as far west as New Mexico, were without electricity, and over 10,000 flights were canceled on Sunday during a monster winter storm that paralyzed eastern and southern states with heavy snow and ice.
As snow, sleet, freezing rain, and dangerously frigid temperatures swept into the eastern two-thirds of the nation on Sunday, the number of power outages continued to rise. As of 2:16 p.m. EST (1916 GMT) on Sunday, more than 1 million US customers were without electricity, according to PowerOutage.us, with at least 330,000 in Tennessee and over 100,000 each in Mississippi and Louisiana. Other states affected included Texas, Kentucky, Georgia, West Virginia, and Alabama.
More than 10,800 US flights scheduled for Sunday were canceled, according to flight tracking website FlightAware. Over 4,000 flights were canceled on Saturday.
Washington, DC's Ronald Reagan National Airport said airlines had canceled all flights at the airport on Sunday. FlightAware data indicated that more than 80% of Sunday flights were canceled for several airports in large metropolitan regions, including New York, Philadelphia, and Charlotte, N.C.
Delta Air Lines on Sunday said that it intended to operate on a reduced schedule "subject to real-time frozen precipitation and afternoon storm conditions."
The airline had adjusted its schedule on Saturday, with additional cancellations in the morning for Atlanta and along the East Coast, including in Boston and New York City, and said it would move experts from cold-weather hubs to support de-icing and baggage teams at several southern airports.
Authorities warn about storm: 'Take it seriously, folks'
According to the data shared by the National Weather Service, people on the Northeast coast and in the center of the country are expected to see heavy rains and snow in the coming days, with a warning of "considerable disruptions to daily life" issued by the authorities.
NWS's latest forecast for Sunday through Monday morning calls for heavy snow from the Ohio Valley to the Northeast, including up to 18 inches in New England. Much of the Southeast and parts of the Mid-Atlantic are expected to get rain and freezing rain.
"Take this storm seriously, folks," said the NWS in a statement, and added, "Hazardous to impossible driving conditions are expected. Avoid travel if at all possible. Widespread closures and disruption to infrastructure may also occur."
US President Donald Trump also shared a statement regarding the storm, where he said: "I have been briefed on the record cold wave and historic winter storm that will be hitting much of the United States this weekend. The Trump administration is coordinating with state and local officials. FEMA is fully prepared to respond. Stay safe and stay warm!"
According to estimates by The New York Times, more than 180 million Americans were affected by the sub-zero temperatures recorded in central and north-east United States. Seventeen states and the District of Columbia declared weather emergencies on Saturday, the Department of Homeland Security said.
"The situation with this storm is pretty unique, just because it's going to stay cold for a period of time," Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said on the "Fox News Sunday Briefing" program. "This ice that has fallen will keep those lines heavy, even if they haven't gone down immediately."