The snow has finally stopped falling, but the danger isn’t over yet. A massive blast of Arctic air is sweeping across the eastern United States, making life incredibly difficult for millions of people trying to dig out from a historic winter storm.
According to AccuWeather, the worst of the snow is over, but the coldest air of the winter is settling in. This deep freeze is bad news for the cleanup crews and the hundreds of thousands of people still waiting for their power to come back on.
This wasn’t just a normal snow day. Experts say this storm affected more than 200 million people across two dozen states. The damage is staggering. AccuWeather estimates the total cost of the storm will be between $105 billion and $115 billion.
READ: Winter Monster: Massive Storm Grounds Over 11,000 Flights And Threatens Millions
This includes damage to homes, businesses, and the money lost because people couldn’t get to work. That makes this the most expensive weather disaster in the U.S. since the Southern California wildfires in early 2025.
Jonathan Porter, the Chief Meteorologist at AccuWeather, explained why this storm was so different. He noted that what sets this storm apart is not just the snow and ice, but how widespread the disruption has been. The extreme cold following the storm is creating a “cascade of impacts.” Ice has snapped tree limbs and power lines, and the freezing temperatures are locking that damage in place. This makes it unsafe and slow for utility workers to fix the electricity.
For people without power, especially in the South, this is a life-threatening situation. Houses in the South aren’t usually built to hold heat for long periods. Porter warned that mobile homes are particularly vulnerable in this situation. He explained that cold air flows underneath them, causing the temperature inside to drop fast.
READ: 7 Dead, 1 Survivor After Texas-Based Private Jet Crashes On Takeoff In Maine During Storm
Experts are also worried about a hidden danger: Carbon Monoxide. When the power goes out, people often try to stay warm by using portable generators, grills, or other fuel-burning tools. If these are used too close to a house or inside a garage, they can produce carbon monoxide, a deadly gas you can’t see or smell. Porter urged everyone to make sure their generators are outside and away from windows, and to check that their alarms are working.
If you are waiting for a package or trying to catch a flight, you might have to wait a while. Over the weekend, more than 20,000 flights were canceled. Marshall Moss, a Senior Director at AccuWeather, said that while airports are trying to get back to normal, there is a big backlog. Supply chains are also messed up, meaning stores and factories might face shortages until trucks can move freely again.
Meteorologists are watching the skies closely for what comes next. There is a chance another winter storm could form and hit the East Coast this coming weekend. If that happens, it could bring even more snow and ice to areas that are already struggling to recover.
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