A powerful winter storm has caused severe disruption across large parts of the United States, killing at least 42 people and triggering major outages in electricity and oil production, according to reports from news agencies AP and Reuters. The storm brought heavy snow, ice, and extreme cold from the South to the Northeast, paralyzing transportation, shutting down schools, and leaving hundreds of thousands of homes without power.
Air travel was heavily affected as thousands of flights were canceled or delayed due to dangerous weather conditions at major airports. Local and state authorities also ordered school closures in numerous districts, citing unsafe road conditions and power outages. Emergency services were stretched as crews worked to rescue stranded motorists and restore critical infrastructure.
The energy sector suffered significant losses as freezing temperatures hit key oil-producing regions. Reuters reported that as much as 2 million barrels per day of U.S. crude oil production — approximately 15% of total national output — was shut in over the weekend. Oil and gas facilities were forced offline due to frozen equipment and operational hazards, raising concerns about fuel supply and market volatility.
Fatalities linked to the storm were reported across several states. According to AP, deaths included people struck by snowplows in Massachusetts and Ohio, sledding accidents involving teenagers in Arkansas and Texas, and multiple cases of individuals found dead outdoors after prolonged exposure to extreme cold. In New York City alone, officials confirmed that eight people were found dead outside over the weekend as temperatures dropped sharply.
Mississippi and Tennessee were among the hardest-hit states, where widespread power outages affected large rural and urban areas. Authorities warned that restoring electricity could take several days in some communities due to the scale of the damage and ongoing weather challenges.
