A winter storm wreaked havoc across the United States on Friday, leading to fatalities and injuries as severe weather warnings were issued for millions of people. The storm brought extreme Arctic conditions, causing thunderstorms, hail, strong winds in the South, freezing temperatures, blizzard warnings in the Midwest, and heavy rainfall in the East.
In Idaho, two men were rescued from an avalanche, while a third body was found and identified near Stevens Peak in Shoshone County. The victim was identified as Corey Zalewski, who graduated from Whitworth College with a master’s in business in 2014. In Wisconsin, a man died while snowplowing his driveway, and in Chicago, another man died from cold exposure as temperatures plummeted.
The impact of the storm was also felt in the air, with hundreds of flight cancellations and delays affecting airports from New York to Seattle. Additionally, Alaska Airlines extended its cancellation of Boeing 737 MAX 9 flights following a door plug detaching midair during a flight out of Portland, Oregon, last week.
As the storm continued into Saturday, high winds left tens of thousands without power, with around 90,000 customers still without service as of Saturday afternoon. We Energies, which services Wisconsin and parts of Michigan, reported restoring power to more than 60,000 customers while urging bypassers to report any downed wires.
The winter storm’s impact was widespread, causing disruptions and tragedies across the affected areas. As officials continue to assess and respond to the aftermath of the storm, it serves as a stark reminder of the power and unpredictability of nature.