Swiss cancels several flights Dreaded winter storm moves across the USA - several deaths
The winter storm that weather services and authorities have been warning about for days has reached the USA. Snow is falling from Texas in the south to New York in the northeast. More than 1 million households are without power. Black ice makes roads impassable.
25.01.2026, 18:55
27.01.2026, 18:07
dpa
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- The winter storm that has been expected for days has reached the USA.
- Snow is falling from the state of Texas in the south to New York and Illinois in the north. Many roads are covered in black ice.
- Over 1 million households are without power. Half of the US population is struggling with the increasing consequences of the extreme winter weather - almost 190 million people, according to the authorities.
- A state of emergency has been declared in at least 18 states and the capital Washington to mobilize resources and emergency personnel.
After days of warnings and forecasts, the winter storm reached the USA at the weekend. The heavy snowfall, icy conditions and extremely low temperatures in some areas caused chaos on the roads and power cuts. Half of the US population is struggling with the increasing consequences of the extreme winter weather - almost 190 million people according to the authorities.
As the Independent reports, at least five people have died in New York City due to heavy snowfall and extreme cold. Mayor Zohran Mamdani confirmed the deaths, but emphasized that the exact causes are still being investigated. At the same time, he warned of the considerable dangers of the weather conditions. As a precautionary measure, the city ordered distance learning on Monday.
Two more men have died as a result of the ongoing winter storm in the south of the USA. They died of hypothermia in the Caddo Parish region in the US state of Louisiana, as the responsible health authority announced on Sunday. The age of the men is unknown.
Meanwhile, the number of power outages continues to rise: nationwide, more than 780,000 households were without power in the early hours of Sunday, according to data from the portal poweroutage.us. This figure has now risen to over 1 million households. States in the South and Midwest, where the storm began on Friday afternoon, were hit hard, including Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana.
The US authorities have been warning for days of one of the most severe winter storms in recent years.
Image: Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP/dpa
Pedestrians cross the street on Broadway during a winter storm in Nashville.
Image: Keystone/AP/George Walker IV
Snow-covered Highway 67 in Dallas.
Image: Keystone/AP/Julio Cortez
Numerous states have declared a state of emergency in order to be able to mobilize aid funds and personnel much more quickly if necessary.
Image: Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP/dpa
More than half of the US population is affected by the onset of winter.
Image: Mike Simons/Tulsa World/AP/dpa
The US authorities have been warning for days of one of the most severe winter storms in recent years.
Image: Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP/dpa
Pedestrians cross the street on Broadway during a winter storm in Nashville.
Image: Keystone/AP/George Walker IV
Snow-covered Highway 67 in Dallas.
Image: Keystone/AP/Julio Cortez
Numerous states have declared a state of emergency in order to be able to mobilize aid funds and personnel much more quickly if necessary.
Image: Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP/dpa
More than half of the US population is affected by the onset of winter.
Image: Mike Simons/Tulsa World/AP/dpa
As the storm continues to move east, the weather poses a major challenge for travelers. Over the weekend, 15,000 flights were canceled, CNN reports. In addition, highways were partially closed due to dangerous road conditions. The broadcaster reported several accidents.
The low temperatures are also threatening: NBC News reported that it felt like minus 35 degrees Celsius in parts of the country. This makes it unusually cold, even for this time of year.
The persistent cold also threatens to paralyze parts of the country in the coming days. The authorities have called on people not to leave their homes if possible and to leave their cars at home.
At least 18 states have declared a state of emergency, including New York, Texas, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi and Missouri.
Major cities on the east coast are preparing
In Washington, people were asked to prepare flashlights and charge their cell phones. In New York, according to NBC News, centers were to be opened in all five boroughs where residents could warm up.
Media spoke of a "monster storm". "The next ten days of winter in the United States will be the worst in 40 years," warned meteorologist Ryan Maue on the online service X. Stormchasers, who normally chase tornadoes, are now on the lookout for the winter exception - and come across a meteorologist walking to work on ice skates, for example.
30 centimetres of snow expected in New York City
According to meteorologists, the storm should move into the north-east of the USA and bring around 30 centimetres of snow from Washington to New York and Boston. In upstate New York, temperatures dropped to minus 34 degrees Celsius shortly before dawn after days of heavy snowfall.
In the Midwest, temperatures felt as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius. At such temperatures, frostbite can occur within ten minutes. In Bismarck, North Dakota, where the temperature felt like minus 41 degrees Celsius, Colin Cross was bundled up on Friday in long johns, two long-sleeved shirts, jacket, hat, hood, gloves and boots as he cleaned out a vacant apartment in the apartment complex where he works. "I've been here a while and my brain has completely shut down," Cross said.
The US government put nearly 30 search and rescue teams on standby. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema), more than seven million meals, 600,000 blankets and 300 generators have been deployed to the area expected to be hit by the storm.
Emergency shelters prepared
"Millions of people are affected by catastrophic ice and snow conditions," wrote CNN on Saturday night (local time). The US media published images of empty supermarket shelves and prepared emergency shelters.
"This is a dangerous combination of a lot of snow and extremely low temperatures," said New York Governor Kathy Hochul. By declaring a state of emergency, the US states will be able to mobilize aid funds and personnel much more quickly if necessary. The storm will spread over a distance of around 3,000 kilometers from New Mexico in the southwest to Maine in the northeast over the weekend, the weather service warned.
Swiss cancels several flights as a precaution
The Swiss airline Swiss has canceled several flights as a precautionary measure in view of the expected winter storm in the USA. The airline is monitoring the situation and will make further adjustments to the flight program if necessary, it said on Friday evening in response to an inquiry.
Swiss also announced that there would be delays or flight cancellations at several airports on the US East Coast and in Canada over the weekend. Two flights were therefore canceled for Saturday, one from Zurich to Chicago and one from Chicago to Zurich.
For Sunday, the Lufthansa subsidiary also canceled three flights to New York and one return flight to Zurich. In addition, flights from Zurich to Boston, Newark and Washington D. C. Swiss also canceled five flights for the coming Monday: one each from New York to Zurich and Geneva, one each from Newark and Boston to Zurich and one from Washington to Zurich.
A total of around 2600 passengers were affected by the flight cancellations, the statement continued. A Swiss spokeswoman added that the company very much regretted the inconvenience caused to the passengers affected. Passengers would be informed directly and, if necessary, assisted in rebooking to alternative travel options.