Half of US braces for huge winter storm

"Some 200 million people in the United States were preparing for a massive winter storm that is expected to affect two-thirds of the country beginning Friday. Snow fell over parts of Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas on Friday. The storm is set to move to the northeast this weekend, dumping about a foot (30 centimeters) of snow from Washington through New York and Boston, the National Weather Service predicted."

"Heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain, as well as Arctic temperatures, are forecast to sweep across the country from the Rocky Mountains to the mid-Atlantic states to New England. Forecasters warned the damage from the storm could rival that of a hurricane, especially in areas hit by ice. At least 14 states and the District of Columbia have declared weather emergencies, while major airlines urged passengers to watch for sudden flight changes and cancellations."

"Thousands of power line workers were on standby, with the storm likely to cause power disruptions that could last days. Five years ago, a severe cold snap hit the Texas power grid, taking out much of it and leaving millions without power for days. On Thursday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott vowed that that would not happen again, saying the power system "has never been stronger.""

About 200 million people across two-thirds of the United States faced a massive winter storm bringing heavy snow, sleet, freezing rain and Arctic temperatures. Snow already fell in parts of Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas, and forecasters predicted about a foot (30 centimeters) from Washington through New York and Boston. Catastrophic ice accumulations were expected along the storm's southern edge, threatening the lower Mississippi Valley, Tennessee Valley and the Southeast with up to an inch (2.5 centimeters) of ice on trees, power lines and roads. At least 14 states and the District of Columbia declared weather emergencies, and major airlines warned of sudden flight changes and cancellations. Thousands of power-line workers were on standby amid warnings that outages could last days; Texas officials said the power system was stronger than during a similar cold snap five years earlier.

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