Winter Storm Elliott, which hit much of the Midwest and eastern United States over the weekend, continued to wreak havoc on Monday with freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall, killing greater than 40 people and delaying air travel.
Crossing a large swath from the Great Lakes to the Rio Grande along the Mexican border, the storm has killed no less than 46 people since Monday morning, reported NBC.
The force of the impact was felt in western Recent York, where Buffalo police confirmed 10 fatalities within the “heavy snow belt”.
NBC said blizzard-related deaths were also reported in 11 other states, including Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky and Michigan.
Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Wisconsin also reported casualties.
With hundreds of individuals without power across the country, two energy corporations – Con Edison and National Grid – have urged users to reduce their use of natural gas as pipelines are susceptible to overuse and temperatures proceed to plummet.
Much of the eastern US will remain in a deep freeze until Monday, before a moderating trend emerges on Tuesday – National Weather Service said within the newsletter early Monday.
As well as to the Arctic blast, lake-effect snow brought on by cold air from Canada moving across the Great Lakes is anticipated to proceed early this week, potentially snarling post-holiday travel plans.
Greater than 1,400 flights were canceled on Monday morning and no less than 1,300 were delayed.
While air travel stays uncertain, icy roads and obscured visibility have also caused several major accidents and traffic delays across the country.
“Life-threatening low temperatures combined with dangerous wind chills will create a potentially life-threatening threat to stranded travelers, outdoor staff, livestock and pets,” the National Weather Service warned.
The Pacific Northwest and California are also bracing for extreme weather this week as experts warn that a residual “strong gust of moisture” could cause flash flooding within the region.