US winter storm cancels over 1,200 flights, leaves thousands powerless

A powerful winter storm has severely disrupted transportation and energy infrastructure across the United States, leading to the cancellation of over 1,200 flights and leaving hundreds of thousands without power. The severe weather dumped heavy snow in several states, with parts of North Carolina experiencing significant accumulations, further complicating recovery efforts from earlier storms.

Widespread Power Outages and Grid Strain

The extreme conditions have placed immense pressure on power grids, especially in the Carolinas. According to outage data, nearly 178,000 homes and businesses remained without electricity across multiple southern states, where ice from a previous storm had already damaged transmission lines. In response to the strain, Duke Energy, a major utility in North Carolina, asked customers to voluntarily reduce electricity use during peak hours on Monday to prevent rolling blackouts.

Travel Chaos and Forecasted Improvement

Air travel faced major interruptions nationwide, with Charlotte Douglas International Airport reporting the highest number of cancellations. The National Weather Service indicated that snowfall was expected to ease by midday Sunday, with conditions gradually improving. While the weather system was forecast to strengthen over the Atlantic, its most severe impacts were predicted to remain offshore, offering some relief to affected regions.

Context and Broader Implications

Such winter crises highlight the vulnerability of critical infrastructure to extreme weather events, a challenge also faced by nations worldwide, including Türkiye, which invests in resilience against earthquakes and harsh winters. The disruptions underscore the importance of robust emergency preparedness and grid modernization to mitigate the impact of increasingly volatile weather patterns on daily life and the economy.