Kansas City blanketed in snow
Kansas City blanketed in snow
In the US, winter storm Blair is bringing the "heaviest snowfall" and coldest temperatures in over a decade.

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued alerts for more than 30 US states, spanning from Kansas to the East Coast, warning of "whiteout conditions" and roads becoming impassable.

Up to 250 million people across states are in the storm's path, facing dangerously low temperatures and hazardous travel conditions. Around 63 million people in the US are under some kind of winter weather advisory. This disruptive storm has covered roads with snow and also brought snowfall —even thundersnow — to several cities such as Kansas and Kentucky that typically don't see much at all, prompting the National Guard to come to the aid of stranded motorists.

School closures, flight disruptions and trees falling over are only to be expected. On Sunday, Virginia state police alone reported at least 135 crashes, thankfully without any fatalities.

Winter storm Blair is the result of an 'Arctic outbreak', which results from a polar vortex — a 'very cold air mass that typically originates in the Siberian region of Asia, crosses over the north pole into Canada and pushes south and east into the lower United States,' the NWS explains.




The storm began on 5 January, Sunday, and has disrupted daily life across the US. Snow already covers major roadways in nearly all of Kansas, western Nebraska and parts of Indiana, with authorities asking citizens to stay home while snow ploughs struggle to keep up with clearing duties.

Seven states, including Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri and Virginia, declared a weather emergency ahead of the storm. Washington DC is also under a snow emergency alert as of Sunday afternoon.

Given the dangerous conditions brought on by Storm Blair, the NWS has warned people to avoid travelling.

The storm has resulted in the cancellation of more than 1,500 flights across the US, while more are expected to join the list. The most affected airports include Kansas City International and St Louis Lambert International Airport — almost 190 flights have been cancelled in each location. The Chicago O'Hare International Airport has also seen 120 flight cancellations and over 60 delays.