The Arctic winter storm, which was forecasted to strike the US during the Christmas weekend is causing havoc in the country as people are struggling to battle this year’s nerve-wracking winter. According to the officials, the storm has so far caused the death of 37 people in the country due to cold weather and harsh temperatures. Because of strong wind currents and constant snow, power grids have also been affected in the US, thus disrupting the power supply for millions of people. Constant snowfall has made the roads in many regions almost inoperable. In many areas, the layer of snow is over 40 inches. The National Weather Service had predicted that during the Christmas weekend, the Arctic storm will be causing problems throughout the Christmas weekend. Because of this alert, thousands of flights were canceled in the country to avoid any casualties.
According to the National Weather Service, Buffalo, New York reported the thickest snow of 43 inches. Because of this, the roads in this area were completely left inoperable. Temperatures were reported to be extremely low, ranging between -50 to -70 degrees Celsius. Such low temperatures froze power grids and powerlines, leaving millions of people without power. Saturday brought the harshest conditions for the people of the US, as the wind was blowing with immense velocity. The storm dilated slightly on Sunday morning, allowing the authorities and emergency crews to respond to the havoc caused by the storm on Saturday. Mark Poloncarz, the Erie County Executive, said on Sunday that he is not in a position to offer any comments based on the current situation because many people are stuck inside their cars and their homes during these harsh temperatures. New York was badly affected by this storm, which brought thick layers of snow. Kathy Hochul, the governor of New York state, said that this storm is the harshest in Buffalo’s history.
Almost all parts of the US experienced low temperatures and blizzard conditions, pushing people into their homes, and thus disturbing all their plans to have fun on Christmas. It is being said that climate change has a major involvement in this storm, bringing natural disasters to the country. Throughout the event, the US has been battling many climate issues leaving people in distress. There are several examples such as heat waves in California during summer, floods in Florida and other close states, and now this Arctic storm. All these events are strongly suggesting that these are the consequences of climate change. Throughout 2022, the US has experienced extreme weather, high temperatures in summer, floods during heavy rains, and now cold temperatures during winter. According to the current forecasting, it is estimated that the strong winds are still expected to continue for a few more days. Current weather patterns are favoring the blizzards, which will continue to reign, weakening in later days. These conditions have put the homeless and migrant workers in jeopardy as many have been left without shelter. The authorities are doing their best to address such needy people as much as they can.
