US braced for blizzards and icy winds as Arctic front sweeps across country

Much of the US was braced on Wednesday for a dangerous mix of sub-zero temperatures, howling winds and blizzard conditions expected to disrupt plans for millions of holiday travelers.

The frigid weather began hammering the Pacific north-west on Tuesday and was expected to move to the northern Rockies, then grip the Plains in a deep freeze and blanket the midwest with heavy snowfall, forecasters said. The Arctic front was forecast to spread bone-chilling cold as far south as Florida by Friday.

Even warm-weather states were preparing for the worst. Texas officials were hoping to avoid a repeat of the February 2021 storm that left millions without power, some for several days.

The drop in temperatures will be precipitous. In Denver, Colorado, the high on Wednesday was forecast to be around 50F (10C). By Thursday, it was forecast to plummet to around zero (-18C).

In Oregon, one person died after a semi-truck collided with an SUV. Police said a thin layer of ice may have been a contributing factor.

The Transportation Safety Administration expected 22 December and 30 December to be the busiest days at US airports, with traffic close to pre-pandemic levels.

The American Automobile Association said nearly 113 million Americans were expected to travel 50 miles or more this holiday season, up 4% from last year but short of the record 119 million in 2019. Most planned to travel by car. About 6% planned to fly.

The urge to travel and visit family and friends over the holidays appeared to outweigh concerns about illness. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said coronavirus cases and deaths have increased in recent weeks, and the trio of Covid-19, seasonal flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) continues to stress the healthcare system.

Several inches of snow were expected from Chicago through the Great Lakes by Friday. Snow was also forecast in the lower midwest. Delta, American, United and Southwest airlines said they were waiving change fees for people traveling through affected airports.

The NWS predicted wind-chill levels in Montana that could approach -60F by Thursday. The forecast was even worse for parts of Wyoming. The 1,500-resident town of Lusk could see wind chills of -70F.

In Texas, where the temperature is expected to drop to around 11F, the power grid will be put to the test once again. A historic freeze last year led to one of the biggest power outages in US history, knocking out electricity to 4 million customers and leading to hundreds of deaths.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (Ercot), which manages the state power grid, said last week it expects to have sufficient generation to meet anticipated demand. The council said it has implemented reforms to increase reliability, including bringing more generation online sooner if needed and purchasing more reserve power.

But a report Ercot published last month said Texans could still face power outages if an extreme storm prompted very high demand.

The deep freeze will be particularly dangerous for people without homes. Salt Lake City will make 95 additional shelter beds available after five died in recent days in sub-freezing temperatures, the mayor, Erin Mendenhall, a Democrat, said.

In Kansas City, Missouri, emergency shelters were opening for anyone needing warmth, food or safety. Organizers warned, though, that capacity was limited.

Northern Florida cities such as Tallahassee may see temperatures in the low 20sF on Friday, Christmas Eve and Christmas. The forecast calls for temperatures to drop to near freezing as far south as Tampa.