Severe winter conditions grip the United States, resulting in numerous fatalities

Relentless storms have battered the United States over the past week, resulting in at least 50 weather-related deaths, as reported by officials and US media on Saturday. Large portions of the country are preparing for additional winter challenges.

Frigid temperatures, snowstorms, and thick ice have led to fatal accidents on hazardous roads, disruptions in air travel, school closures, and power outages affecting thousands. Millions of Americans are now under fresh weather warnings. In Tennessee, the state’s health department confirmed 14 weather-related fatalities, while in Pennsylvania, five women returning from a pilgrimage to Mecca died in a Tuesday accident involving a tractor-trailer, according to police.

Kentucky reported five weather-related deaths, as stated by Governor Andy Beshear. In Oregon, an ice storm led to the electrocution of three individuals when a live power line fell on their parked car. The storm left 75,000 Oregon customers without power, prompting the state’s governor to declare a state of emergency.

Additional deaths were reported in Illinois, Kansas, New Hampshire, New York, Wisconsin, and Washington state, where exposure is believed to have caused the death of five people, according to local media citing Seattle officials.

Blizzard conditions affected various parts of the country, including the Pacific Northwest, the Rocky Mountains, and sections of New England. Notably, western New York experienced approximately 75 inches (1.9 meters) of snow in a five-day period near Buffalo this week.

The unusually cold temperatures have reached deep into the US South, a region unaccustomed to such winter weather. Parts of the country are bracing for more severe conditions over the weekend, with the National Weather Service issuing warnings of another Arctic blast bringing cold temperatures and dangerous wind chills to the Plains, Mississippi Valley, and the eastern US.

Air travel faced significant disruptions on Saturday, with over 1,100 US flights canceled and an additional 8,000 delayed, according to the Flightaware.com website.