At least 15 dead as major winter storm batters U.S., more than 800,000 without power

At least 15 people have died across the United States as a powerful winter storm moves east and a surge of Arctic air drives temperatures sharply lower across much of the country, authorities said on Monday.

The storm has brought heavy snow, ice and dangerous cold from Texas to New England, while more than 800,000 homes and businesses were without power nationwide, according to utility tracking data.

Weather-related deaths have been reported in several states, including Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Kansas, Massachusetts, Arkansas, North Carolina and New York. Some victims died from hypothermia, while others were killed in sledding accidents or traffic incidents. In Massachusetts, a woman was struck and killed by a snow plough. In New York City, officials said five people were found dead outdoors over the weekend.

The National Weather Service (NWS) said the heaviest snow is beginning to move offshore, but warned that “frigid air” will spread across the eastern two-thirds of the country in the coming days, bringing sub-zero temperatures and dangerous wind chills. Much below-normal temperatures could persist into early February.

More than 250,000 customers were without power in Tennessee, about 157,000 in Mississippi and roughly 125,000 in Louisiana. Utility crews are working to clear fallen trees and repair damaged power lines, with additional crews deployed in several states.

• U.S. storm leaves 1 million without power, forces thousands of flight cancellations
• Frigid weather stresses U.S. electric grid

Travel disruption remains widespread. More than 10,500 U.S. flights were cancelled on Sunday and nearly 4,000 were cancelled on Monday, according to FlightAware. Freezing rain in parts of the mid-Atlantic, including northern North Carolina and southeast Virginia, has created hazardous driving conditions and raised the risk of further outages.

Snow showers are expected to linger in parts of New England and upstate New York, while lake-effect snow may continue near the Great Lakes for the next few days.

Several major institutions in New York City and Washington, D.C. are closed, and New York City public schools shifted to remote learning on Monday.

Authorities are urging people to limit travel, dress for extreme cold and check on elderly and vulnerable neighbours as the severe weather continues.

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