A blizzard has enveloped Buffalo, but the bomb cyclone is causing havoc across dozens of states, leading to deadly pileups and dangerously cold conditions.
With a large swath of the country under wind chill and cold related weather alerts, many outdoor activities should be moved indoors, including eating. Very chilly conditions made for a pasta dish to become frozen in place with a fork appearing as if it was levitating in mid-air. The wet pasta was chilled so quickly when placed outdoors that it was able to be propped up to give this unique appearance. Frost coated the edges of the plate and despite attempts, the fork was unable to be separated from the dish while outside. The pasta dish was created in Bellwood, Pennsylvania, where temperatures were -2 degrees and the AccuWeather RealFeel® was at -20 degrees.
Minnesota Governor Tim Waltz declared a peacetime emergency as a result of the powerful winter storm that impacted the state. The treacherous weather resulted in several stranded vehicles which put lives and property at risk, according to an executive order by Gov. Walz. The Minnesota National Guard has been called to assist with the rescue efforts of the stranded motorists. "The remainder of this Executive Order, including the activation of the Minnesota National Guard, remains in effect until the emergency conditions caused by the winter storm subside or Dec. 30, 2022, whichever occurs first," the executive order read.
In response to the dangerous winter weather conditions impacting the state, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer activated the State Emergency Operations Center. The activation will help provide additional state resources to local communities as necessary, according to Mid-Michigan Now. The emergency went into effect at 1 p.m. on Friday. “By taking this next step to activate the State Emergency Operations Center, we are making sure that our response is coordinated and that resources are available to impacted communities," Gov. Whitmer said. Blizzard conditions across the state have resulted in several crashes and power outages. As of 5:30 p.m. EST, more than 23,000 customers were without power in Michigan, according to PowerOutage.US.
Friday brought more travel nightmares for folks hoping to fly ahead of Christmas weekend from Portland, Oregon, to Portland, Maine. Nearly 5,000 flights in the United States were canceled and another 7,800 were delayed, according to FlightAware. The website’s “Misery Map” showed that Seattle, Denver, Chicago, Boston and New York City were among some of the worst travel hubs to fly in and out of on Friday.
However, it wasn’t all bad news, especially at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport where weather conditions were better than Thursday. “We are very excited. We’re heading somewhere in the sun, and somewhere fun,” Chicago resident Lindy Resnick told AccuWeather National Reporter Emmy Victor on Friday at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. Alex Boler arrived in Chicago from Hawaii, and although the weather was drastically different, he told Victor that he was able to make it home before the holidays.
Travelers arrive at Terminal 3 at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Visibility has dropped to near-zero in Buffalo, New York, as bitterly cold winds fuel an intense band of lake-effect snow. “The core of the lake-effect snow band has now moved into downtown Buffalo,” Extreme Meteorologist Reed Timmer said as he stood out in the elements. “Prolific lake-effect snow happening here,” he said, adding that it could be “one of the worst blizzards to ever hit the Buffalo area.” Visibility in the city has been below one-quarter of a mile since 8:47 a.m. EST Friday, with Buffalo Niagara International Airport occasionally reporting zero visibility amid heavy snow. If the snow wasn’t enough to deter people from heading outside, AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures are 25 degrees below zero and could occasionally dip lower through Friday night.
A pileup involving multiple tractor trailers has forced officials to shut down the Ohio Turnpike near Sandusky, Ohio. Numerous injuries have been reported, but the exact number of injuries is still unknown. Officials spoke with WTVG, a news station based out of Toledo, Ohio, and said that it will take a while to clear the highway and that there are many troopers and first responders at the scene of the crash. It is unclear what caused the pileup, but visibility was limited due to the ongoing bomb cyclone. People involved in the crash and first responders on the scene must battle the elements while assessing the damage. As of 3 p.m. EST Friday, the temperature in Sandusky was 2 degrees below zero with an AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperature of 44 degrees below zero.
A pileup that occured on the Ohio Turnpike near Sandusky, Ohio, on Friday amid blustery conditions. (Twitter/ @mikewaldron115)
Two electricity providers in Tennessee are asking customers to reduce power usage to ensure the power grid remains stable. MLGW, a utility company for Memphis and Shelby County, Tennessee, issued a statement saying they will be required to reduce the electrical load by 5 and 10%. “This is necessary to avoid major outages,” the company said in a statement. “Customers are asked to cooperate in reducing power usage during this critical situation.”
The Tennessee Vally Authority, which serves 10 million people in the Tennessee Valley, issued a similar statement. “We are asking businesses and the public to help by immediately reducing electric power use as much as possible without sacrificing safety,” the company said. “It is a necessary step to prevent far greater power interruptions affecting the entire area.”
When the companies issued these statements, the temperatures across Tennessee were in the single digits, including 4 F in Nashville. AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures across the state were as much as 20 degrees lower than the actual temperature, including a RealFeel® Temperature of 25 degrees below zero in Crossville, Tennessee.
Dreaming of a white Christmas? AccuWeather forecasters say that hopes may not be dashed across a large area of the country this year. As of Dec. 23, the area of the United States covered by snow stands at 53.7%. That’s more than any other year on record for the date, since record-keeping began by the National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensor in 2003. The deep freeze gripping the eastern two-thirds of the nation into the holiday weekend is likely to keep a lot of that snow in place, and some areas, including locations downwind of the Great Lakes like Buffalo face even more powder — feet of it, in fact, leading up to Christmas.
Powerful winds have downed tree limbs and power lines, knocking out electricity to more than 1.5 million households and businesses. Most of the outages are concentrated in North Carolina, which has about 187,000 without service, and other parts of the South, according to tracking site PowerOutage.us.
Some of the figures as of 1:30 p.m. EST:
• Virginia comes in after North Carolina with more than 145,000 outages.
• Tennessee - 143,000+
• Maine - 114,000+
• New York - 104,000+
AccuWeather meteorologist Dean DeVore warns of high winds leading to a deep freeze event to follow after the snow in the north-central and northeastern United States.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is urging people to stay off the roads and remain indoors as sub-zero air blasts the Bluegrass State. “We have reports of a third fatality on our roads,” Beshear tweeted. “Please stay home and stay safe.” One accident Friday morning shut down Interstate 71 between Verona and Glencoe, Kentucky, located southwest of Cincinnati. Beshear said that some people who were stranded on the highway due to the accident elected to stay in their vehicles, while other motorists were being transported to shelters. As of 12:35 p.m. EST Friday, the warmest spot in the state was Greenville, located in western Kentucky, with a temperature of 2 F, but many locations across the state were experiencing temperatures at or below zero. Frigid winds were making it feel significantly colder with AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures as low as 39 degrees below zero.
So far, at least eight people have died as a result of storm-related crashes in Kentucky, Oklahoma and Kansas, according to officials.
A major pileup involving at least nine tractor trailer trucks and other vehicles shut down Interstate 94 in Watervliet, Michigan, Friday morning. It was not immediately clear whether anyone was seriously injured. At least 15 vehicles were involved in the accident just south of Grand Rapids in Berrien County. It was one of many multiple collisions Michigan State Police responded to along I-94 due to icy roads and “sudden white-out conditions,” authorities said. Police also reported several semi-trucks had jack-knifed on Interstate 96 and other highways.
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