A powerful winter storm, bringing a dangerous combination of snow, ice, and plummeting temperatures, swept across the central United States on Sunday, prompting states of emergency and widespread travel disruptions. The National Weather Service (NWS) issued blizzard warnings across Kansas and Missouri, where travel was deemed “very difficult to impossible” due to heavy snowfall and high winds reducing visibility to near zero. Gusts were strong enough to threaten downed tree branches. The NWS urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel.
The storm’s intensity stemmed from a southward displacement of the polar vortex, a phenomenon increasingly linked to a rapidly warming Arctic. Heavy snowfall, exceeding 14 inches in some areas of Kansas and northern Missouri, was predicted along and north of Interstate 70. Sections of I-70 were closed in central Kansas due to hazardous conditions. Accidents and road closures were widespread; in one instance, a fire truck, several tractor-trailers, and passenger vehicles overturned west of Salina, Kansas, highlighting the treacherous conditions. Freezing rain in Wichita led to numerous collisions, prompting police to urge residents to stay home.
The storm’s impact extended beyond Kansas and Missouri. Governors in Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, and Maryland, along with multiple cities in central Illinois, declared states of emergency. The Kansas City International Airport temporarily suspended flight operations due to ice accumulation, resulting in significant flight delays. Numerous businesses in the Kansas City area closed, and some school districts considered canceling classes. The severe weather prompted Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin to declare a state of emergency on Friday, urging residents to vote early in upcoming special elections.
The storm was predicted to continue its eastward trajectory, bringing dangerous cold and wind chills to the eastern two-thirds of the country starting Monday. Temperatures were expected to be 12 to 25 degrees Fahrenheit below normal. Chicago and Minneapolis experienced frigid temperatures on Saturday, while International Falls, Minnesota, plunged to -14F.
The extreme cold extended beyond human concerns. In Louisiana, crews launched a rescue effort for a manatee spotted in Lake Pontchartrain before the cold front arrived. Manatees are vulnerable to cold stress at temperatures below 68F, making winter sightings a cause for concern. Audubon Aquarium Rescue’s stranding and rehab coordinator, Gabriella Harlamert, stated that they were working diligently to locate and assist the animal.