blizzard conditions
How severe is the cold weather in Dallas due to the polar vortex?
Dallas is experiencing extreme cold with temperatures at roughly 19 degrees but feeling like 2 degrees due to wind chill. The reporter notes it's colder in Dallas than in Reykjavik, Iceland and Anchorage, Alaska. This cold snap has moved down from the north, affecting a large region from Wyoming to Oklahoma with heavy snowfall. The frigid conditions are impacting roads and travel, with high winds creating particular challenges for high-profile vehicles like 18-wheelers, though Texas highways are currently moving without major accidents.
Watch clip answer (00:52m)
CBS News
00:34 - 01:27
How does this polar vortex impact Americans throughout the states?
The polar vortex is causing widespread disruption across the U.S., with school cancellations, work disruptions, and rising electric bills. Temperatures have plunged to extreme levels, including a feels-like temperature of -64°F in Montana, with many areas experiencing 30-40 degrees below normal temperatures for February. This cold surge is sweeping from the Dakotas all the way to the Mexico border, affecting millions of Americans simultaneously. The weather system is accompanied by a winter storm bringing heavy rain to southern states, with cities from Oklahoma to New York experiencing unusually brutal cold conditions during what meteorologists emphasize is an abnormal weather pattern for this time of year.
Watch clip answer (01:45m)
CBS News
02:43 - 04:28
What are the impacts of the severe winter storm affecting the heartland of America?
The massive winter storm has created treacherous conditions across multiple states, turning roads in Oklahoma City into ice rinks with vehicles losing control. Interstate 40 has been reduced to one lane due to accidents, including a Lowe's truck spinning out and an 18-wheeler sideswiping a plow truck. The storm is bringing significant snowfall—up to a foot in Kansas and two feet in the Rockies—while Chicago experienced wind chills of 21 below zero. The death toll in Kentucky has risen to at least 14, and officials in affected areas are urging drivers to stay off roads as blowing snow continues.
Watch clip answer (01:09m)
ABC News
00:32 - 01:41
What is the scope and impact of the current winter storm in the United States?
The current winter storm is affecting 100 million Americans across 25 states, with severe weather conditions extending from Montana down to Texas and eastward to the mid-Atlantic region. The storm is bringing dangerous snow and ice accumulation to multiple regions, creating hazardous travel conditions with ice-covered roads in Oklahoma City where a semi-truck was reported sideways on Interstate 40. Extreme cold temperatures accompany this weather system, with wind chills plummeting to 21 degrees below zero in Chicago and feeling like just 1 degree in Dallas. Whiteout conditions have been reported in Oswego County, New York, with lake effect snow expected to continue through the following morning, creating widespread dangerous winter conditions throughout much of the country.
Watch clip answer (00:25m)ABC News
00:00 - 00:25
What areas are affected by the massive winter storm and what are the expected impacts?
The massive winter storm is affecting areas from Oklahoma City to Virginia Beach, with winter storm warnings in place across multiple states. The Ozarks have already received 4-5 inches of snow, and the storm is moving east along I-40, reaching Nashville in the early morning hours, creating difficult commuting conditions. As it progresses eastward, Norfolk and Virginia Beach will experience problems with sleet and freezing rain. Areas south of there along I-95 will face hazardous conditions. The storm brings record cold temperatures from Baton Rouge to Omaha, affecting approximately 100 million Americans across 25 states.
Watch clip answer (00:39m)ABC News
01:51 - 02:31
What is the scope and impact of the current winter storm affecting the United States?
The massive winter storm is currently affecting 100 million Americans across 25 states, creating widespread alerts throughout the country. The storm is bringing snow and ice to a vast geographical area stretching from Montana down to Texas and extending all the way to the mid-Atlantic and East Coast regions. This severe weather system is moving in a pattern that covers much of the continental United States, resulting in dangerous winter conditions that have prompted officials to issue alerts and warnings. The extensive reach of this storm makes it a significant weather event affecting nearly one-third of the American population.
Watch clip answer (00:08m)
ABC News
00:03 - 00:11