Live updates: Winter storm sweeps US ahead of holidays

Mission, Kansas (AP) — Tens of millions of Americans endured cold, blizzards, power outages and cancellations of Friday holiday gatherings population For certain winter weather advisories or warnings.

More than 200 million people had received advisories or warnings on Friday, according to the National Weather Service. The Bureau of Meteorology’s map “represents one of the largest winter weather warnings and advisories ever made,” the forecaster said.

According to PowerOutage, a website that tracks utility reports, the blackout has left more than 1.4 million homes and businesses in the dark.

And about 3,900 flights to and from the United States were canceled on Friday, according to tracking site FlightAware, causing further disruption as travelers tried to return home for vacation. Some airports, including Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, have closed their runways.

A huge storm spread from border to border. In Canada, WestJet has canceled all flights at its Pearson International Airport in Toronto from 9am Friday. In Mexico, migrants were waiting near the US border. In unusually cold temperatures, they waited for the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on whether and when to lift pandemic-era restrictions that have prevented many from seeking asylum. .

The forecaster said a bomb cyclone — when atmospheric pressure dropped rapidly in a strong storm — occurred near the Great Lakes, stirring up blizzard conditions such as high winds and snow.

Despite the presence of snowplows and salt trucks, driving was dangerous and sometimes fatal. Kansas City Police Department spokeswoman Donna Drake says the minivan driver died Thursday after losing control on an icy street and overturning in a creek.

Activists also rushed to keep the homeless out of the cold.In Chicago, Andy Robredo received tents, propane heaters, and other supplies through his nonprofit, Feeding People Through Plants. , planned to spend the day organizing an effort to check on unaccommodated people.

Robredo and his volunteers have built a tent modeled after an ice fishing tent, including a plywood subfloor, and are providing it to Chicago’s homeless.

“It’s not a house, it’s not an apartment, it’s not a hotel room. But it’s a big step up from what they had before,” Robledo said.

Nearly 170 adults and children stayed warm early Friday morning at a shelter and warming center operated by Cass Community Social Services in Detroit. Designed to

“This is a lot of extra personnel,” but “you” can’t turn anyone away, executive director Faith Fowler told The Associated Press.

The city’s zoo and museums were closed due to the sudden drop in temperatures. North of Detroit, Rescue his team used a hovercraft on Thursday to reach an injured swan that had frozen to ice on a lake. And on the other side of Michigan, the Grand Rapids area could get at least six inches of snow overnight, with another two to four inches every 12 hours “until likely Christmas morning,” according to the Kent County Highway Commission. says Jerry Byrne of

In Portland, Oregon, authorities have opened four emergency shelters. The city was so cold that Taylor Bailey lost all feeling in his hands as he cycled into the frigid cold to work at his Cycle Portland, a renowned bike rental, repair and touring shop. I’m sorry.

“It’s the wind, really, it’s so cold. The wind is absolutely harsh,” she said Thursday, adding that even her gloves didn’t help.

All bus services near Seattle were suspended Friday morning as an ice storm made travel dangerous.

The Weather Service predicts Philadelphia’s coldest Christmas in over 20 years. In Philadelphia, school officials moved classes online on Friday. Some surrounding districts have canceled classes entirely.

South Dakota Governor Christy Noem mobilized the state militia late Thursday to bring firewood from the Black Hills Forest Service to the Rosebud Sioux Tribe.

Scott Eisenbrown, who owns a farm and ranch near Wall in western South Dakota, said he recently lost several cows. People travel in groups of two cars just in case.

“Wear really warm clothes and don’t stay out for too long,” he said.

Buffalo, New York Mayor Byron Brown has urged people to stay indoors after meteorologists warned that two to four feet of snow could fall over the weekend.

Heavy rains and gusts of wind speeds of over 60 mph (96 kph) left thousands without power while New England escaped paralyzing cold and snow. About 150,000 homes and businesses in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont were without electricity as of Friday morning, the region’s major utility company reported. increase. An additional 100,000 blackouts occurred in Connecticut.

Hundreds of utilities and tree crews were deployed, but high winds held them back. Bucket truck usage limits are typically between 25 mph (40 kmph) and 35 mph (56 kmph), according to utility officials.

Maine reported gusts approaching 113 km/h (70 mph) along the coast on Friday morning. Winds exceeded 130 mph (210 kph) at the top of Mount Washington in New Hampshire, the tallest mountain in the Northeast.

Things were so bad in Vermont that Amtrak canceled service for the day and non-essential state offices closed early.

“We’re hearing from crew members who are seeing grown trees being ripped from their roots,” Mari McClure, president of Green Mountain Power, the state’s largest utility, said at a news conference.

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Breed was reported from Little Rock, Arkansas. Associated Press journalist Dee Ann Durbin of Detroit. Jillian Flaccus of Portland, Oregon. and Zeke Miller of Washington contributed to this report.