The winter months bring colder weather, shorter days, and snow to many parts of the country. Some years, winter storms raise these attributes to the extreme. The 2023 to 2024 winter season has experienced some of the more violent storms in recent years. Nationwide, there has been an increase in power outages, road closures, and travel disruptions that have been caused by the storms.
The havoc began in mid-December 2023, when ABC News reported that a severe storm between Dec. 17 to Dec. 19 in the northeastern United States caused extreme flooding and heavy wind damage. The storm left over 600,000 people without power and three people were killed as a result. Farther south, the Carolinas experienced record-breaking rainfall, causing many flash-floods. FOX Weather states that on Dec. 17, over a foot of rainfall was recorded in South Carolina as part of the extreme storm. In both instances, roads and airports were forced to shut down due to safety concerns. Many of the records broken were comparable numbers to those recorded during Hurricane Irma in 2017.
Only two days before Christmas Day, a second storm ravaged the nation, this time spanning from New York to the Rocky Mountains. CNN wrote that the storm brought heavy winds, frigid temperatures, and heavy snowfall. Over one million people lost power, and nine people lost their lives. 200 million people were put under a wind chill alert. Temperatures dipped below zero degrees Fahrenheit, and blizzards were reported all across the Midwest. The storm spanned from the Canadian border all the way down to the Mexican border in Texas. States such as Montana, South Dakota and Wyoming have experienced wind chills below negative 50 degrees Fahrenheit, while southern cities like Atlanta and Austin dipped below 0 degrees Fahrenheit on Dec. 24. Snow and ice forced the closure of all modes of transportation, as roads, airports, and rail lines had to be shut down for days on end. Many families had to cancel holiday plans as a result of the extreme weather. Arizona was affected by the Dec. 24 storms as well. Arizona’s Family states that the valley experienced showers and scattered thunderstorms. Northern Arizona got a few inches of snow, but not enough to cause any major road closures or other travel shutdowns.
A third round of storms hit the Midwest and Florida on Jan. 8, 2024. According to CBS News, Florida and regions of Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi were hit with sprawling thunderstorms that brought high winds, hail, and even tornadoes. The average wind gust was 55 miles per hour, while gusts as high as 106 miles per hour were recorded. Tornadoes ravaged northern Florida, ripping houses right from the foundation. Four deaths were recorded, while others suffered storm-related injuries. Many schools in northern-Florida were closed on Tuesday, Jan. 9 as a precaution after the heavy storm system. Northeastern states were put under a coastal flood warning as a result of the storm. Heavy rainfall grounded flights in and out of Florida, Georgia, and Alabama airports.
On the same day, a separate storm dropped over a foot of snow in parts of the Midwest. CBS News reported that the storm brought heavy snowfall from Colorado to Michigan. States received between eight to 12 inches of snow, while North Dakota reported upwards of 15 inches of snow in one day. The cold conditions forced road and airport closures. At least two deaths were reported, both due to car accidents caused by icy roads. The storm is expected to move to the northeast, bringing heavy thunderstorms and snowfall.
The heavy winter weather shows the force that nature has on the lives of many people. As the winter months continue, more storms are likely to occur, causing more havoc and destruction on the already battered states.
