Deadly Winter Storm Grips the United States as Polar Vortex Triggers Extreme Cold

A powerful winter storm has swept across the United States, leaving at least seven people dead and plunging hundreds of thousands of homes into darkness. The storm, driven by a destabilised polar vortex, has brought extreme cold, heavy snow, and freezing rain across vast regions.

Authorities describe the conditions as life-threatening, with travel disruptions and emergency declarations spreading nationwide.

Meteorologists say the polar vortex allowed Arctic air to plunge deep into the United States, intensifying the winter storm and worsening extreme cold conditions.

States from Texas to New England have reported widespread power outages, icy roads, and thousands of cancelled flights. Officials warn that freezing rain, a major feature of the storm, poses severe risks by coating roads, trees, and power lines in ice.

The impact of the winter storm has been particularly severe in southern states unaccustomed to such extreme cold, highlighting the unusual reach of the polar vortex.

In the United States, emergency services remain on high alert as temperatures are expected to stay dangerously low into early February. Authorities continue to urge residents to stay indoors, stressing that prolonged exposure to the cold could be deadly.