Winter Storm Blair: three people reported dead as hundreds of thousands across US without power – live updates

Texas, which is all too familiar with power outages, now joins the growing list of states experiencing major power outages, with more than 14,000 customers affected. The Lone Star state is unique in that it has its own electrical grid.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT, which manage’s Texas’s power supply, issued a Weather Watch through Friday.

The state experienced one of the worst power outages on record during another winter storm in 2021 as a result of the combination of severe weather and failing infrastructure. More than 4m homes and businesses were without electricity.

Hundreds of thousands without power across the US as Winter Storm Blair hits hard

Three people dead as Winter Storm Blair hits US

Zoos in affected states have made preparations for the extreme weather in order to protect the vulnerable animals.

The Louisville zoo in Kentucky wrote on X: “The Zoo is CLOSED today, January 5. Some animal, hospital and maintenance team members are preparing to camp out at the Zoo overnight! ❄️ “

The Cincinatti zoo has also been closed since yesterday.

More than 100,000 people in Virginia are now without power as a result of the storm, according to poweroutage.us.

In Kentucky, nearly 90,000 customers are without power and in Indiana, just over 50,000 have lost power.

In West Virginia, 45,000 people are without power and in Illinois, just under 40,000 are experiencing outages.

Major winter storm hits US – what we know so far

In Virginia, where snow and sleet accumulations of 4 to 9 inches are expected in some areas, nearly 70,000 people are currently experiencing power outages, according to poweroutage.us.

The National Weather Service reports that parts of Virginia and West Virginia may see snowfall rates exceeding one inch per hour through mid-morning today.

After that, a break is expected from late morning through early afternoon, with occasional light snow, sleet, or freezing drizzle. Later this afternoon and into the evening, a second round of snow is likely.

Over 90,000 people in Kentucky are currently without power this morning, according to poweroutage.us, as the state remains under winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories.

In some areas of Kentucky, mixed precipitation with additional snow accumulations of up to two inches and ice accumulations of up to one-tenth of an inch is expected, as well as power outages and tree damage due to the ice.

The National Weather Service in Kentucky warned on Monday morning that “travel could be impossible” and that “the hazardous conditions will affect the Monday morning and evening commutes.”

The Missouri State Highway Patrol has reported more than 300 crashes, 31 injuries and one fatality as a result of the storm.

In a post on social media, the highway patrol said that they are “working around the clock as the storm continues to impact roadways” and that they are receiving assistance from the Missouri National Guard.

As of 8 PM on Sunday, the highway patrol had recorded 2,084 calls for service, 1,043 stranded motorists, 356 crashes, 31 injuries, and one fatality.

Snow is currently falling in the southern parts of New Jersey with the heaviest snowfall expected between 8am and 1 pm ET.

The State’s Department of Transportation has urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel and “if you do have to drive, give crews plenty of space to clear the road.”

Already today, more than 1,000 flights in the US have been canceled, according to FlightAware.com.

Ronald Reagan Airport in Washington, DC, has the highest number of cancellations, with 237 flights departing from there canceled so far this morning.

At Baltimore/Washington International Aiport, 109 departing flights have been canceled.

Winter Weather Advisories are in place for parts of New York, New Jersey, Montana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Colorado, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Virginia, Kentucky, Idaho, Nevada, Wyoming, Vermont, Tennessee, Ohio, Arkansas and Indiana.

Winter weather advisories mean that periods of snow, sleet, or freezing rain are expected and will likely cause travel difficulties.

As of 8am ET this morning parts of South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Illinois, Maryland, Washington DC, Virginia, Arkansas, Indiana, New Jersey, Ohio and West Virginia are under winter storm warnings.

Winter Storm Warnings are issued for a significant winter weather event including snow, ice, sleet or blowing snow or a combination of these hazards, according to the National Weather Service.

Travel will become difficult or impossible in some situations, and weather officials advise delaying travel plans until conditions improve.