January 1, Winter Storm Cuts Power, Grounds Flights Nationwide

Wyatt’s Take

• Over 800,000 lost power and thousands stranded at airports as a major winter storm hit.
• Seventeen states called emergencies, bracing for record cold and dangerous ice.
• Federal agencies rushed to limit blackouts, but families should prepare for hardship.

A massive winter storm slammed much of the country, knocking out power to over 800,000 Americans from New Mexico to the East Coast.

More than 10,000 flights got canceled on Sunday as airlines scrambled to keep folks safe and warm.

The cold, snow, and ice are sweeping across areas where harsh winters aren’t common.

Forecasters warned the storm would last into next week, bringing some of the coldest days seen in years for many states.

President Trump called the storms

“historic”

and quickly greenlit federal disaster help for twelve states. Seventeen states and D.C. have declared their own emergencies, according to Homeland Security.

“We’d encourage everybody to stock up on fuel, stock up on food, and we will get through this together.”

That warning from Secretary Kristi Noem hit home for the South, where ice is especially dangerous.

Power outages are rising, with Tennessee hit hardest at over 300,000 out, and Mississippi, Texas, and Louisiana all past 100,000 outages each.

Others, like Kentucky and North Carolina, also felt the pain.

Energy officials rushed in backup power supplies to keep major facilities running. Texas and the mid-Atlantic got emergency orders to let their grids work overtime, skipping environmental red tape to help limit blackouts.

The National Weather Service predicted

“crippling to locally catastrophic impacts”

from heavy ice, especially in southern regions not used to this kind of storm.

With bitter winds pushing down into the Plains by Monday, the threat isn’t over.

More delays, blackouts, and closed roads may come before this cold spell passes.

America’s biggest airlines urged folks to watch for last-minute changes.

Delta, JetBlue, and United all canceled hundreds of flights and shifted crews south to help with the chaos.

Dominion Energy, serving Virginia’s huge data hub, warned this storm could be the largest they’ve seen if the ice builds as predicted.

If you’re in the affected area, stay safe, stock up, and keep close watch on loved ones until the storm passes.

Wyatt Matters

This storm is a real gut-check for folks across the heartland, reminding us how quick things can turn when the weather comes hard. Neighbors looking out for each other and not waiting on government saves lives and keeps our communities strong.

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