Winter Storm Fern is well underway, hitting parts of the South and Midwest as the East Coast braces for hazardous conditions overnight.
New Mexico was hit with snow late on Friday night, leaving homes without power as electric crews were forced to end efforts due to unsafe conditions for linemen.
The Otero County Electric Cooperative, which serves thousands of families in New Mexico, announced on Saturday night that it was calling off restoration efforts.
‘Trees are breaking off due to the heavy snow load and still falling on the line creating a very dangerous situation for crews,’ the company wrote on social media.
‘They will begin restoration efforts again in the morning, provided it is safe for them to do so.’
Otero apologized to customers waiting for power restoration, but asked for understanding so they can protect their employees.
The historic weather event will see 220 million people living in a 2,000 mile swathe of the United States endure thick ice, inches of snow and frigid weather.
Snow and rain hit parts of the Ohio Valley and the Great Plains on Saturday. The East Coast is next in Fern’s path of destruction, with temperatures already plummeting to sub-freezing degrees.
More than 14,000 flights have been canceled for Sunday – the biggest day of travel chaos since the COVID pandemic.
Power outage updates
There are over 167,000 homes across the US without power as frigid temperatures and heavy snowfall persist.
Below is a breakdown of the top states currently impacted and how many homes are without power, according to data compiled by PowerOutage.us:
Louisiana – 69,327
Texas – 49,184
Mississippi – 13,607
New Mexico – 10,282
North Carolina – 3,110
Arkansas – 2,958
Tennessee – 2,753
Georgia – 2,734
New Mexico electric company calls off restoration efforts
Otero County Electric Cooperative, an energy company in New Mexico, announced on Saturday night that conditions were too dangerous for linemen to continue restoration efforts.
The company attached photos, seen below, of heavy snowfall, that caused trees to break off as power crews attempted to restore electricity.
‘Our apologies to our Timberon members that we are unable to get your power restored tonight, but hope you understand that the safety of our employees has to be top priority,’ OCEC said in a statement.
Stuck in colder weather
The Weather Channel has predicted that the cold weather will persist into the week, with daytime highs below freezing and lows well into the single digits across most areas in Fern’s path.
Meteorologists expect the bitter temperatures to continue through at least Tuesday or Wednesday.
However, sunshine is expected to peek through at the start of the week, which could help thaw ice and snow.
Freezing rain hits Texas
The National Weather Service has warned those in Austin and San Antonio to avoid unnecessary travel as freezing rain persists.
Tri-state area seeing bitter cold temps overnight
New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey are set to experience sub-zero temperatures even after snowfall subsides.
Cities in upstate New York like Liberty and Middletown are expected to hit -3 and 1F on Saturday night.
Meanwhile, South New Jersey will hit a low of 3F and Hartford is expected to hit 1F.
Temperatures will stay low for days, with Liberty expected to hit a shocking low of -14F, according to the National Weather Service.
New York City may see mixed precipitation
Meteorologists Jonathan Belles and Sara Tonks from The Weather Channel said on Saturday night that they’ve shifted their thinking about the type of precipitation expected to hit Manhattan.
Initially, Manhattan was set to experience snowfall, but meteorologists now believe sleet and ice will mix in, reducing snowfall totals.
The mixed precipitation is expected to start late on Saturday night and persist into early Monday morning.
Tri-state area expecting heavy snowfall
Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey can expect heavy snowfall overnight, with some cities seeing up to 14 inches.
South Jersey is likely to see at least eight inches, with parts of New York and Connecticut expected to get around 11 inches, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Infographic from the National Weather Service
Governor Kathy Hochul issues scathing message to DHS Secretary
New York Governor Kathy Hochul shared on X that Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has offered federal assistance ahead of the storm.
However, Hochul demanded that Noem instead withdraw Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers from the state.
Public transit in New Jersey suspended
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill announced that bus, light-rail, and Access Link service would be suspended beginning at 4am on Sunday.
The commuter rail system will also be suspended starting at 2pm on Sunday. Additionally, commercial travel vehicles will be restricted starting at midnight to prioritize essential personnel.
Sherrill added that officials would continue to provide updates on when transit will resume as the storm progresses.
Meteorologist reveals most dangerous cities in storm’s path of chaos
Meteorologist Ryan Hall, who has been dubbed the ‘Internet’s Weather Man’ revealed to the Daily Mail where in the US he has his eye on as Winter Storm Fern ramps up.
South Carolina govenor warns of impending ‘disaster’
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster warned during a news conference that residents may be without electricity for four days or longer.
‘We don’t want to have people that are inaccessible for three or four days, perhaps without electricity, perhaps without water, perhaps without heat for that long a time,’ he said.
‘That’s called a disaster.’
McMaster added in a social media post that power outages will occur, especially in the northern part of the state.
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Winter storm leaves state in darkness because weather is too dangerous for linemen to restore power – LIVE
