A major winter storm, bringing a dangerous combination of heavy snow, ice, and plummeting temperatures, swept across the central United States on Sunday. The National Weather Service issued winter storm warnings spanning a vast region, from Kansas and Missouri—where blizzard conditions were anticipated—to New Jersey. Even parts of Alabama were predicted to experience light snow on Monday.
In Missouri and Kansas, under blizzard warnings, travel was deemed “very difficult to impossible,” due to high winds severely reducing visibility and creating hazardous driving conditions. Gusty winds also posed a risk of downed tree branches. The National Weather Service urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel.
This severe weather event is linked to the polar vortex, a swirling mass of frigid air usually confined to the North Pole. However, it occasionally extends southward, bringing intensely cold temperatures to the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Studies suggest that the rapidly warming Arctic may be contributing to the increased frequency and intensity of these polar vortex incursions.
By Saturday evening, heavy snowfall was widespread between central Kansas and Indiana, particularly north of Interstate 70. The storm was projected to move into the Ohio Valley, causing significant travel disruptions, and subsequently reach the Mid-Atlantic states by Sunday and Monday. A hard freeze was forecast to extend as far south as Florida. AccuWeather predicted significant snowfall accumulations, with 6 to 12 inches expected in parts of southern New Jersey. Severe thunderstorms, with the potential for tornadoes and hail, were also a concern ahead of the storm’s cold front in the Lower Mississippi Valley. Meanwhile, upstate New York experienced a lake-effect snow event, resulting in accumulations of 3 feet or more in some areas. Missouri’s transportation department pleaded with residents to stay off the roads due to hazardous conditions.
Air travel was also significantly impacted, with Kansas City International Airport temporarily halting flight operations due to ice. Numerous flights were delayed, including a charter carrying the Kansas City Chiefs football team. The airport worked throughout the night to clear runways and resume operations.
Starting Monday, the eastern two-thirds of the country braced for dangerously cold temperatures and wind chills, significantly below normal. Chicago experienced temperatures in the teens, while Minneapolis and International Falls, Minnesota, saw even colder readings.
The severity of the storm prompted proactive measures from several states. Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency, while similar declarations were issued in Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, and several cities in central Illinois. Alabama also anticipated dangerously cold temperatures throughout the week, with a possibility of snow on Monday and later in the week. Meteorologists emphasized the seriousness of the impending weather, refuting any suggestions of exaggeration.