"Frostbite in 10 Minutes": North America Declares State of Emergency Amid Worst Cold Wave Forecast

Temperatures in the U.S. and Canada Expected to Plunge to Minus 40 to 50 Degrees Celsius
13,000 Flights Canceled Over the Weekend

A snowstorm accompanied by the worst cold wave on record has swept across North America, including the United States and Canada, prompting some U.S. states to declare a state of emergency.

Reuters Yonhap News

On January 24 (local time), international media outlets including The New York Times reported that the U.S. National Weather Service had issued warnings for Ice Storms, Winter Storms, Extreme Cold, and Freezes across the entire country, except for some western and southern regions. Avalanche warnings were issued for mountainous areas, and tsunami warnings for coastal waters.

Ken Graham, Director of the National Weather Service, predicted that this would be an unprecedented cold wave in both scope and intensity, affecting about 200 million people in the United States alone. In Minnesota, known as the coldest place in the U.S., temperatures are expected to drop to around minus 40 degrees Celsius, while Quebec in Canada, located further north, could see temperatures as low as minus 50 degrees Celsius. At a wind chill of minus 40 degrees Celsius, exposed skin can develop frostbite in just 10 minutes.

An aircraft preparing for takeoff in the snow. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

In addition, a strong blizzard is forecast to sweep from the Southwest to the Northeast at different times. In fact, on this day, a mix of snow and ice began to hit New Mexico and Texas. In New York, about 30 centimeters of snowfall is expected. The current snow cloud band, stretching 1,300 miles (about 2,092 km), is expanding northeastward and will grow to 2,000 miles, sequentially impacting the central, eastern, and northern regions of the U.S.

U.S. media also issued widespread warnings about "freezing rain." Even if it does not snow, heavy freezing rain can cause droplets to freeze on power lines between utility poles, increasing the risk of lines snapping under the weight. Already, 55,000 power outages have been reported in Texas alone, and hundreds of thousands of households are expected to experience blackouts during the cold wave.

The federal government has advised residents in nearly half of the U.S. to refrain from going outside. In addition, a state of emergency has been declared in 18 states and Washington, DC. On January 26, the federal government in Washington, DC will be closed. Airlines have canceled about 13,000 flights over the weekend.

Most schools in areas affected by the cold wave and snowstorm have been ordered to close, and early voting for a special election scheduled for the 25th in New York City has been postponed.

Empty supermarket shelves due to panic buying. Photo by EPA Yonhap News

U.S. media have used terms like "blockbuster" and "record-breaking" to describe the situation, predicting paralyzed roads and triggering panic buying of daily necessities, leaving supermarket shelves empty. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem urged people to stock up on fuel and food, emphasizing, "We will overcome this situation." In addition, in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, a shortage of deicing calcium chloride has raised concerns about major traffic disruptions.