January 1, “Life-Threatening” Event Sweeping US This Week

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY…
1877: Thomas Edison’s Phonograph is announced by Scientific American.

The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a warning of “life-threatening” conditions across the U.S. this week, as an intense winter storm approaches ahead of the holiday weekend.

In the areas that will be the hit hardest, the Great Plains and Midwest, the combinations of high winds and frigid air will make it possible to catch frostbite after being outside for as little as 10 minutes.

As of Tuesday morning, 17 states were already under wind chill advisories, warnings, and watches.

Axios reported: “The contrast in air masses along the strong Arctic front, combined with a jet stream disturbance, will spawn a potent blizzard that will affect a huge expanse from tomorrow through early this weekend — one of the busiest travel periods of the year.”

A “bomb cyclone” blizzard is set to hit most of the lower 48 states between early Thursday and late Friday. “Chicago, northern Indiana and western Michigan may take the brunt,” Axios reported.

The NWS office in Chicago warned of “a significant threat to life for anyone stranded in the storm,” noting that the “extreme event” is projected to include winds exceeding 55 mph.

The NWS said that the storm will intensify “explosively.” The NWS office in Buffalo, New York, described the storm as a “once in a generation type event.”

The conditions could very well lead to widespread power outages across the Midwest, Ohio Valley, Mid-Atlantic, New England, South, Southeast, and along the East Coast.

Holiday travel will likely be impacted, with Axios noting the likelihood of thousands of flights being delayed or canceled ahead of Christmas weekend.

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Source: Axios