A severe winter storm has impacted the eastern United States, affecting at least 62 million people as states declare emergencies. The National Weather Service (NWS) has warned of blizzard conditions, ice, and gale-force winds stretching from the central plains to the mid-Atlantic.
Emergency declarations have been issued in Kentucky, Missouri, and Virginia. The storm is expected to bring the heaviest snowfall in a decade to areas from northeastern Kansas to north-central Missouri, with temperatures plunging to below zero Fahrenheit (-18 Celsius) in some regions.
Winter storm warnings are in effect across a 2,400 km (1,500-mile) area, with significant travel disruptions already reported. Kansas City International Airport temporarily closed its operations due to rapid ice accumulation but has since resumed flights after treatment of runways.