Oklahoma city – Much of the country is bracing for a big winter storm and freezing cold. This weekend, Seattle saw the most snow in nearly half a century.
And on Sunday night, at least 168 million people are under winter weather warnings. Snow is expected from Texas to Maine. Ice is a major concern in the South and Northeast. The Midwest is already deep-frozen – the arctic air is expected to descend all the way to the Gulf Coast.
It has been snowing all day in Oklahoma City, and although the temperature said it was 12 degrees on Sunday night, the wind chill felt like -15. This system is dangerous on all levels.
A huge snow storm left tens of thousands of people without power. Strong winds and heavy snow hit the Pacific Northwest first.
“It’s been a bit difficult,” said one resident. “We don’t have gas. We are all electric in our house, so heating the house has been the biggest problem.”
Conditions are just as bad in Washington, where a massive pile-up has closed the western lanes of I-90 for hours on Saturday, leaving drivers stranded in their cars.
Love and happiness this Valentine’s Day, swept away by the the same storm is creeping in the southeast ‘at night.
Yffy Yassifor / Star-Telegram via AP
Snow fell in Oklahoma City for more than 12 hours straight, covering the roads and making visibility difficult.
Kate Collins drove north with an 80,000 pound machine.
“I know my biggest concern, I think on the road, is that inexperienced drivers drive very, very slowly on the highway,” said Collins. “Twenty-five, 30 miles an hour and then swerving a lot because they don’t know where the lines are. It was probably the worst I’ve ever come across.”
But many heed the warning and stay at home to make the most of this winter wonderland.
For the first time in Texas, all 254 counties are under a winter storm warning. The temperature in Dallas is already colder than Anchorage, Alaska.
By mid-week, up to 400 record cold temperatures are possible across the country.
“Right now we have two major weather systems converging across the country, a very strong storm track here and some of the coldest air on Earth, the polar vortex that forces that cold air into a very humid and stormy environment,” said CBS News meteorologist and climate specialist Jeff Berardelli. “That means big snow and incredibly dangerous ice in the deep south.”
An unlikely and potentially messy day mash-up normally reserved for perfect pairings.