Dead Bodies in the Open, Airports Shut Down, and Empty Stores: Hurricane Fern Hits America with Full Force

From Texas in the south to New England in the north, the polar storm "Fern" has caused significant damage across the United States, prompting 20 states to declare a state of emergency and warn residents to prepare for the worst.

Officials have warned that a cold air mass following this fierce storm will lead to dangerously low temperatures for several days, extending the disruptions to daily life.

The National Weather Service stated, "The impacts of snow and ice storms will continue into next week, with repeated freezing events making surfaces icy and hazardous for driving and walking in the near future."

The Louisiana Health Department confirmed the deaths of two individuals due to hypothermia.

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani reported the discovery of five bodies outdoors during the weekend amid extremely low temperatures.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced that National Guard troops were deployed in New York City, Long Island, and the Hudson Valley to assist with the emergency response to the storm.

Transport Disruptions

Ronald Reagan National Airport in Northern Virginia, near Washington D.C., was essentially shut down.

Other major city airports, including those in New York, Philadelphia, and Charlotte, North Carolina, canceled at least 80% of their scheduled flights on Sunday, according to data from FlightAware.

Major airports in Washington, Philadelphia, and New York saw the cancellation of most flights.

Flight tracking websites indicated that more than 11,000 domestic flights were canceled in the U.S. on Sunday, with over 4,000 canceled the day before. Around 2,500 flights scheduled for Monday were also canceled.

Transportation Secretary Sean Davy warned that up to 240 million Americans could be affected by the storm.

Federal offices preemptively closed on Monday.

Power Outages

There were widespread power outages in the southern U.S., with freezing rain causing ice buildup of up to an inch thick, bringing down tree branches and power lines.

Utility data revealed that more than a million homes and businesses in eight states from Texas to the Carolinas were without power at the peak of the storm on Sunday, with Tennessee being the hardest hit, accounting for nearly a third of the total outages.

Power outages are particularly dangerous as the South faces an arctic cold front and the National Weather Service warns that temperatures may plummet to record lows.

Authorities from Texas to North Carolina and New York urged residents to stay home due to the dangerous conditions.

By Sunday, the storm was moving from the South to the Northeast, bringing snow to densely populated cities such as Philadelphia, New York, and Boston.

At least 20 states, as well as the District of Columbia, have declared a state of emergency.

The Worst Is Yet to Come

Winter storm warnings have been issued for most of the Eastern third of the U.S., affecting 118 million people, with deep freezes straining power supplies in some areas.

Around 157 million Americans were urged to "stay warm" in the face of sub-zero temperatures along the Canadian border and freezing conditions further south down to the Gulf Coast.

President Donald Trump described the storm as "historic".

Shoppers emptied shelves in major stores after the National Weather Service predicted heavy snow in certain areas and the possibility of "catastrophic" ice accumulations due to freezing rain.

The National Weather Service warned that the intense ice could cause "long-term power outages and severe tree damage, as well as extremely hazardous or impossible travel conditions," including in several states that are less accustomed to such severe winter weather.