A severe winter storm has swept across the United States, leaving at least 42 people dead, causing massive flight cancellations, and leaving hundreds of thousands without power, officials reported Tuesday. The storm, which brought heavy snow and ice from the Plains to the Northeast and South, has created dangerous travel conditions and overwhelmed emergency services.
In Texas, tragedies included the deaths of three brothers in Fannin County after falling into an icy pond, and a 16-year-old girl in Frisco who died in a sledding accident. In Austin, a person was found dead from hypothermia in the parking lot of an abandoned gas station.
Other storm-related deaths occurred across multiple states. In Arkansas, a 17-year-old boy died after being pulled by an ATV into a tree. In Pennsylvania’s Lehigh County, three adults aged 60 to 84 died while shoveling snow. New York City reported eight fatalities, including a retired police officer on Long Island, while New Jersey officials confirmed a snow-shoveling death in Verona. Massachusetts reported a woman struck by a snowplow in a parking lot. Additional deaths were recorded in Tennessee, Louisiana, Mississippi, Kansas, Ohio, and South Carolina.
The storm has also caused widespread health risks, particularly from carbon monoxide exposure. In Nashville, Tennessee, the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt treated 46 children for carbon monoxide poisoning after families used generators or alternative heating methods indoors during power outages. Carbon monoxide, an odorless gas, can be deadly if inhaled. Health officials urge residents to ensure detectors are working and to avoid using grills or generators indoors.
Transportation has been severely affected. American Airlines reported the storm as the most disruptive in its 100-year history, canceling more than 9,000 flights with impacts expected to continue for several days. Major hubs including Dallas, Boston, and New York experienced the heaviest cancellations, with Cirium data showing over 11,000 flights canceled nationwide on Sunday alone.
Power outages remain widespread, affecting over 500,000 customers across the South, with the worst outages in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Fallen trees, downed power lines, and ice accumulation have complicated restoration efforts, leaving many families without heat during dangerous below-freezing temperatures.
Authorities urge caution when traveling and recommend staying indoors when possible. Emergency services continue to respond to incidents related to the storm, including accidents, hypothermia cases, and downed power lines. Officials stress that the storm is ongoing and conditions remain hazardous across multiple regions.
