The winter storm Elliot has already killed 17 people, caused blackouts in the United States and left thousands stranded at airports this Saturday (24.Dec.2022), Christmas Eve. The deaths were caused by a large pileup of cars in the state of Ohio and the lack of adequate response by emergency teams to a situation in the hard-hit region of Buffalo (New York), according to the USA Today🇧🇷
O NWS (English acronym for National Weather Service) informed that the temperature can reach -35 °C in some parts of the country. More than 1.6 million people were without power as of Saturday morning, with Texas and the eastern states being hardest hit.
After moving out of the West, the blizzard is expected to hit the US East Coast this weekend and make this the coldest Christmas in years in many places.
According to the NWS, the US is experiencing an event “It only happens once in a lifetime”🇧🇷 More than 240 million people have already been affected by weather alerts. The number represents 70% of the country’s population.
On the same day, heavy snow and strong winds caused the cancellation of at least 5,700 flights. On Thursday (Dec. 23), around 3,000 flights stopped being carried out. This Saturday (Dec. 24), more than 1,000 have already been cancelled. THE amtraka federal state company for passenger rail transport, has already canceled dozens of trains.
In addition to the cancellation of flights and trains, the intense cold closed several roads. The AAA (American Automobile Association) calculated that more than 100 million people planned to drive at least 80 km from December 23rd to January 2nd.
A 50-vehicle pileup in Ohio killed two people and injured several.
〰️🎦🔗❄️🥶 BREAKING: One killed, multiple injured after 50 cars involved in crashes on #Ohio turnpike #RoadAccident 🇧🇷 #WinterStorm pic.twitter.com/sqmpMN8Lgq https://t.co/XjAaSKLNDV
— To Deniz Ekşioğlu (@cover_up8d) December 23, 2022
The severe weather has prompted authorities across the country to open heating centers in libraries and police stations. On Thursday (Dec. 22), the President of the United States, Joe Biden, said in his profile on twitter have met with your team to assess the situation. The Democrat asked everyone to follow the guidelines of legal authorities.
See images posted on social media:
🇺🇸❄️A historic and brutal winter storm put some 240 million Americans under severe weather warnings
– US faces holiday travel chaos
– Thousands of flights canceled
– Major highways closedRussia is using winter “as a weapon” pic.twitter.com/xJYU3sxnKL
— AZ 🛰🌏🌍🌎 (@AZgeopolitics) December 23, 2022
One of the problems with the blowing snow is it clears off the snow in places and then it is a solid sheet of ice! This in Benton Harbor, MI. Coverage continues all evening on @weatherchannel🇧🇷 @TWCChrisWarren #MIwx @NWSIWX @NWSGrandRapids pic.twitter.com/wtnybLZgvB
—Charles Peek (@CharlesPeekWX) December 24, 2022
Our LIVE coverage of Winter Storm #Elliott continue tonight on The Weather Channel! @mikeseidel spent the entire day in Holland, Michigan: pic.twitter.com/UXqB2MAPLS
— The Weather Channel (@weatherchannel) December 24, 2022
#Winter #storm #Elliot #kills #closes #airports