A worker clears snow from a street in front of FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C., on Monday. (Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters)
A major winter storm continued to bring heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain from the Midwest to the mid-Atlantic region, leaving at least six people reported dead.
Officials in Jackson County, Mo., said a 61-year-old man died on Sunday when he was struck by a sliding dump truck. In Wichita, Kan., a 24-year-old man and 26-year-old woman were killed in a rollover crash, when the vehicle they were traveling in spun out on the interstate and flew down an embankment, police said.
States of emergency were declared in seven states and the District of Columbia, where 16 inches of snow was forecast. Up to 18 inches of snow fell in Kansas, forcing the closure of I-70. More than 5 feet of snow was reported in western New York.
More than 1,900 flights in and out of the U.S. were canceled on Monday, and more than 5,000 were delayed. Hundreds of thousands of utility customers were without power.
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The storm’s arrival comes as an Arctic air mass is expected to send temperatures plunging as far south as the Gulf Coast. Forecasters say those frigid temperatures will likely remain through mid-January.
LIVE COVERAGE IS OVER27 updates
David Knowles
Numerous schools will be closed Tuesday, thanks to the storm
Sledders get a free lift up a hill on a snowy day outside of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., on Monday. (Leah Millis/Reuters)
Hundreds of schools across the middle of the country will remain closed on Tuesday as crews continue to clear roadways amid plummeting temperatures.
The Alton Telegraph in Alton, Ill., reported that several districts in central Illinois would keep their doors closed Tuesday. Schools will also remain closed in the Kansas City metro area, KMBC News reported.
The same will be true for schools in the Cincinnati area, WLWT5 News reported.
Schools and some businesses in and around Roanoke, Va., will also remain closed on Tuesday, WFXR reported, as will they in Cumberland County, Tenn., according to 3BMediaNews.com.
In the hard-hit area surrounding the nation's capital, the bulk of schools won't be open on Tuesday either, the Washington Post reported.
If in doubt about whether schools in an affected area will be open on Tuesday, check with your local school board.
Katie Mather
Reagan National Airport runways shut down so crew can clear snow and ice
Ronald Reagan National Airport announced this evening that it would be temporarily closing down its runways to allow for a crew to clear out snow and "prevent refreezing on the airfield." Reagan National Airport (DCA) is outside Washington, D.C.
Although the announcement, posted to X, did not include specific times, FlightAware said all inbound flights into DCA were held until 8 p.m. ET.
Earlier today, it was reported that "almost all flights" out of DCA had been canceled as the airport itself had almost 5 inches of snow by 9 a.m. ET.
Update - we will be closing all DCA runways Monday evening so airport crews can focus on snow removal and prevent refreezing on the airfield. https://t.co/52bxuAjWvR
Bao Li and Qing Bao, the two new giant pandas at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C., were spotted playing around in the snow earlier today.
The pair were both born in China in 2021 and moved to D.C. in October. They will make their public debut on Jan. 24.
❄️🐼 Tumbling in a winter wonderland! This morning, about 5 inches of snow blanketed the Washington, D.C., area, including giant panda Bao Li and Qing Bao's outdoor habitats. Flakes stuck to their fur as the bears frolicked and somersaulted. It was 🐾paws-itively the panda… pic.twitter.com/MhgkM2ZyBd
Drought, low humidity and Santa Ana winds threaten Southern California
While portions of the Midwest and the mid-Atlantic region grapple with heavy snow, Southern California is bracing for a different weather threat.
The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for Los Angeles and parts of Ventura County through Thursday evening, meaning that conditions for wildfires will be at their highest, thanks to low humidity, an ongoing drought and the arrival of strong Santa Ana winds.
HEADS UP!!! A LIFE-THREATENING, DESTRUCTIVE, Widespread Windstorm is expected Tue afternoon-Weds morning across much of Ventura/LA Co. Areas not typically windy will be impacted. See graphic for areas of greatest concern. Stay indoors, away from windows, expect poweroutages. #LApic.twitter.com/yl83LxeMEc
"HEADS UP!!! A LIFE-THREATENING, DESTRUCTIVE, Widespread Windstorm is expected Tue afternoon-Weds morning across much of Ventura/LA Co. Areas not typically windy will be impacted," the National Weather Service in Los Angeles said in a message posted to social media on Monday.
7 states declare state of emergency as storm continues to dump snow
South Jersey, N.J., on Jan. 6. (Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu via Getty Images)
On Monday the governors of seven states — Maryland, Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Virginia and West Virginia — declared a state of emergency in response to the winter storm that had paralyzed much of the midsection of the country, Sky News reported.
More than 60 million people have found themselves under winter weather alerts issued by the National Weather Service since Saturday.
David Knowles
Richmond, Va., issues Boil Water Advisory
The city of Richmond, Va., and the Virginia Department of Health issued a Boil Water Advisory Monday after the massive winter storm knocked out power to the city's water reservoir system.
"Our top priority is the health and safety of our residents and neighbors. I am asking all Richmonders to limit their water usage as the team at the Department of Public Utilities works around the clock to get our water system back online,” Mayor Danny Avula said in a statement posted to the city's website. “I’m also asking residents to consider their neighbors and only use as much water as they need – we’re all in this together, and our team is vigorously working to restore full function to our water system in the near term.”
City officials provided a checklist to ensure the consumption of "safe drinking water during this time" that included the following:
Do not drink tap water during this boil water alert.
Do not drink from water fountains in parks, public or private buildings that receive water from the City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities.
Do not use ice made from water today.
Discard the ice and sanitize the ice machine and/or ice trays. Likewise, do not use water dispensed directly from a refrigerator.
Do not use tap water to make drinks, juices, or fountain soft drinks.
Do not wash your dishes using tap water — use boiled water or use paper plates for the next few days.
Do not wash your fruits and vegetables with tap water — use boiled or bottled water.
Do not brush your teeth with tap water — use boiled or bottled water.
Do not cook with tap water, unless your food will be boiled vigorously for three minutes.
Katie Mather
If you must drive during this storm, follow these tips from the National Weather Service
The National Weather Service is advising residents in the states affected by the winter storm to stay off the roads. However, if you must drive, here's how to make sure your car stays free of ice and snow:
Check to see that your vehicle has plenty of gas and necessary emergency supplies, such as a first aid kit, a flashlight and bottled water.
Remove all the snow from your car, including the roof.
Clear off windows to maximize visibility; do the same for your headlights to ensure that others can see you.
Stay off snow and ice covered roads today if you can, but if you must head out, make sure your vehicle is completely clear of ice or snow before starting the trip.❄️https://t.co/Jlj8KgPT62pic.twitter.com/ZiAEkfZGvC
More than a dozen states have been affected by the winter storm since it started traversing over the U.S. on Jan. 4, with several deaths reported as a direct consequences of the snow and ice.
Missouri State Highway Patrol reported three deaths: A 33-year-old man who died after a parked truck slid down the road and hit him early on Jan. 4; a 61-year-old man who stepped out of his car and was hit by a truck that "began to slide on the roadway" and a 28-year-old man who was hit by a trailer "swerving due to slick road conditions" on Jan. 5.
Kansas Highway Patrol wrote in a crash report that two people died after their car slid off the interstate.
In Illinois, the Macon County Sheriff's Office said that a 10-year-old, who had been riding an inner tube in the snow with a friend, hit a boulder. He was taken to the hospital but died from his injuries.
Dylan Stableford
Truckers are pulling off the roads in Kentucky
Long-haul truckers stand outside their big rigs at a rest stop in Florence, Ky., on Monday. (Carolyn Kaster/AP)
Kentucky is one of several states where officials have been urging people to stay off the roads due to icy conditions. According to the Associated Press, a truck stop in Florence, Ky., was "jammed with big rigs" driven by truckers who decided not to risk it.
"It was too dangerous. I didn't want to kill myself or anyone else," Michael Taylor, a long-haul driver from Los Angeles who was carrying a load of rugs to Macon, Ga., told the AP.
He said he saw numerous cars and trucks stuck in ditches before deciding to pull off the interstate.
"It was crazy," Taylor said. "I know when it's time to get off the roads."
Dylan Stableford
Winter storm will be quickly moving offshore, NWS says
The winter storm that has wreaked havoc across a large swath of the country "will be quickly exiting eastward into the western Atlantic tonight," the National Weather Service said in its latest updated forecast.
"While the bulk of accumulating snowfall has ended, light additional accumulations will be possible across portions of the central Appalachians to the Mid-Atlantic coast early tonight," the weather service said. "High pressure and colder temperatures will filter eastward from the central U.S. through Wednesday supporting relatively tranquil weather for much of the central and eastern U.S."
Meanwhile, an arctic blast moving in behind the storm will cause temperatures to be "roughly 5 to 20 degrees below climatological daytime maxima" from the Great Plains to the East Coast through Wednesday.
Dylan Stableford
Massive crowd turns out for snowball fight in D.C.
People participate in a snowball fight at Meridian Hill Park in Washington, D.C., on Monday. (Marko Djurica/Reuters)
With a snow emergency declared in Washington., D.C., hundreds of people turned out for a planned snowball fight at Meridian Hill Park on Monday.
According to the D.C. Snowball Fight Association, which organized the event, it marked the 15th year of "snowbilizing the masses on DC snow days."
According to the National Weather Service forecast, 6 to 12 inches of snow was expected to fall in the D.C. metro area.
Marko Djurica/Reuters
Marko Djurica/Reuters
Marko Djurica/Reuters
Dylan Stableford
Here are the latest snowfall totals
The winter storm has created some eye-popping snowfall totals from Kansas to New York.
Several deaths have been reported on icy roads during the storm.
In Jackson County, Mo., officials announced Monday that a public works employee was killed while performing snow removal operations.
The man, identified as Everett Carter, 61, died on Sunday afternoon when he was struck by a sliding dump truck, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
“This incident serves as a solemn reminder of the dedication and risks faced by public servants like Mr. Carter, who worked tirelessly to ensure the safety and well-being of our communities,” Jackson County officials said in a press release cited by NBC News.
In Wichita, Kansas, the Kansas Highway Patrol said a 24-year-old man and 26-year-old woman were killed in a rollover crash, when the vehicle they were traveling in spun out on the interstate and flew down an embankment.
Dylan Stableford
More than 1,800 flights canceled
The storm has caused severe air travel disruptions. According to FlightAware, more than 1,800 flights in and out of the U.S. have been canceled so far, including nearly 500 at Reagan National and more than 250 at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, which issued a temporary ground stop earlier Monday due to snow and ice.
The Federation Aviation Administration warned that ground delays are possible this afternoon at New York's LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy International Airport and Newark Liberty International in New Jersey because of the icy conditions.
Dylan Stableford
What to do if your flight gets canceled due to winter weather
More than 1,800 flights in the U.S. have been canceled so far Monday, according to FlightAware, with the vast majority due to the storm.
According to federal law, airlines are required to provide refunds to customers whose flights are canceled. Here (from the Associated Press) are five tips for navigating flight cancelations:
Most airlines will rebook you on a later flight for no additional charge. That depends, however, on the availability of open seats.
You can ask to be put on another airline, but airlines aren’t required to put you on another carrier’s flight.
If you no longer want to take the trip, or you find another way of getting to your destination, the airline is legally required to refund your money, even if you bought a nonrefundable ticket.
It can help to reach out to airlines’ customer service representatives on X, the site formerly known as Twitter.
You also can try calling your airline’s international help number — usually available online — since those agents can make changes to your itinerary too.
Dylan Stableford
Arctic blast on the way for most of the country
On the heels of the winter storm, an arctic air mass will send temperatures plunging in 40 states this week, Fox Weather reported.
"More than 200 million people will see temperatures Monday that range from 5-30 degrees below average," Fox Weather said. "Temperatures will then drop overnight below freezing for everyone across the country except the West Coast and Florida."
And it's shaping up to be a cold January, as "frigid temperatures are expected to remain in place across the eastern half of the country for at least the next two weeks."
Dylan Stableford
Hundreds of crashes reported in multiple states
The storm is wreaking havoc on the nation's roadways.
Similar figures were reported in Kentucky, where dispatchers responded to more than 170 vehicle accidents and over 280 stranded motorists.
Officials in those states and others are urging people to stay off the roads.
“This is a significant snow and ice event, so the roadways are still dangerous,” Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said. “You might be able to see the pavement, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not slick."
Dylan Stableford
More than 100,000 without power in Virginia
The ongoing winter storm has knocked out power for hundreds of thousands of people, from Illinois to Virginia.
This storm is the Washington, D.C., area's first substantial snowfall of the winter season, with the National Weather Service reporting that the city has been hit with around 5 inches of snow as of early Monday morning.
While federal offices are closed today because of the weather, Congress is still set to meet later this afternoon on Capitol Hill to certify President-elect Donald Trump's victory in the 2024 election.
The Capitol on Monday. (Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
A woman on skis walks her dog along the National Mall as snow falls in Washington, D.C., on Monday. (Jemal Countess/AFP via Getty Images)
Workers clear a plaza near the Capitol. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)
A worker clears snow from the steps at the Capitol on Monday. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)
A view of the Washington Monument amid heavy snowfall. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)
Dylan Stableford
Severe thunderstorms forecast for the Southeast
In addition to heavy snow in the mid-Atlantic, other areas of the country will see moderate to severe weather on Monday.
Lake-effect snow will continue to fall across the Great Lakes and parts of the Northeast Monday.
In the Pacific Northwest, coastal rain and higher-elevation snow will continue through Tuesday.
Dylan Stableford
Dozens of Amtrak trains canceled
The storm is also disrupting rail travel along the Northeast Corridor.
According to Amtrak, at least 40 trains operating between Boston and Washington, D.C., including the popular Acela, were canceled Monday due to the impending ice and snow.
A huge snowball fight has been planned for Washington, D.C., residents on Monday morning. It's scheduled to take place at 11 a.m. ET in Meridian Hill Park.
A snow emergency was declared in the District of Columbia ahead of Monday's snowball fight. The National Weather Service forecast that the storm "will produce 6-12 inches of snow" in the area.
More than 60 million Americans under winter weather advisories
More than 60 million Americans were under a winter weather warning, advisory or watch on Sunday as the massive storm stretched from the Ohio Valley to the mid-Atlantic.
At least seven states — including Kentucky, West Virginia and Virginia — as well as the District of Columbia issued emergency declarations ahead of the storm.
As snow and ice accumulate later today and throughout Monday, road conditions are expected to become increasingly hazardous. Our multi-agency teams are actively assessing the changing weather and road conditions. Stay informed, exercise caution, and avoid driving if possible. https://t.co/sKv5ZhOhcf
All federal offices in Washington, D.C., were closed Monday due to the storm, which is expected to dump up to 12 inches of snow in the nation’s capital.
The closures, however, were not expected to impact the convening of a joint session of Congress on Monday afternoon to certify Donald Trump’s election victory.
The certification, which will be overseen by Vice President Kamala Harris, is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. ET at the Capitol.
Dylan Stableford
More than 1,600 flights canceled today
The storm has caused severe travel disruptions, particularly in the Washington, D.C., metro area.
According to FlightAware, more than 1,600 flights in the United States have been canceled so far Monday, including more than 400 at Reagan National, more than 200 at Baltimore/Washington International and over 150 at Washington Dulles.
Dylan Stableford
More than 300,000 without power
Hundreds of thousands of people from Illinois to Virginia were without power on Monday morning due to the ongoing winter storm.
The storm has dumped up to a foot of snow or more in many locations. According to the National Weather Service, western New York has seen the most snow so far, with more than 5 feet (67 inches!) reported in Taberg, N.Y. Chapman, Kan., recorded 18 inches of snow.
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UPDATED with the latest: With conditions improving on the fire lines and containment growing, evacuation orders and warnings were dramatically scaled back today around the Hughes Fire near Castaic Lake. While evacuation orders remained in place for areas around the immediate perimeter of the fire, other nearby neighborhoods were reduced from evacuation orders to warnings, …
