Winter storms live: Ice storms pound Pacific Northwest as death toll climbs across US

Ice storms are pounding the Pacific Northwest amid an arctic blast that has killed up to 14 people across the US.

Heavy mountain snowfall and freezing rain are expected in the Pacific Northwest today, while the East Coast will see a return to more typical Winter temperatures following a brutal cold front.

The National Weather Service has warned that icy conditions could knock out power in the Pacific Northwest on Wednesday. Overnight, more than 60,000 people in Oregon were already without power.

The weather service has also warned travelers in the Northwest to be wary of slick and hazardous driving conditions. A quarter-inch of ice could coat surfaces in and around Portland, Oregon, and as much as an inch could accumulate near the Columbia River Gorge along the Oregon-Washington border, the agency said.

Elsewhere, weather alerts are still in place in northern Maine and Buffalo, New York amid ongoing heavy snowfall.

The severe winter storm has unleashed chaos across the country, causing school closures and more than 10,500 flights to be cancelled on Tuesday.

Up to 14 people are suspected to have died as a result of the treacherous conditions in Oregon, Utah, Wyoming, Wisconsin and New Jersey.

In fact, a warming climate can sometimes increase the likelihood of unusual cold weather events.

For example, climate change is responsible for increasing the frequency and intensity of heavy precipitation, according to a widely-cited, peer-reviewed study from 2015.

Further, a warmer atmosphere can also hold more water, leading to more rain and snow, according to Climate Signals, a nonprofit that specializes in climate attribution research. New research also indicates a warming Arctic may lead to arctic air outbreaks in the US — just like what we’re seeing today across the country.

While we’re still in the thick of this storm spell and we’re not yet clear on what causes it, we do know this: This month’s storms do not indicate the climate crisis has disappeared.

At least ten people have died under weather-related circumstances in recent days, according to media reports and local authorities.

In Portland, Oregon, county officials are investigating two possible hypothermia deaths, according to The Portland Tribune, with two more killed over the weekend when trees fell on their homes. And in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, three homeless men have been found dead with suspected hypothermia in the freezing cold streets over the past few days.

Meanwhile, dangerous roads are proving fatal in some areas.

In White County, Arkansas, one man died after crossing the centre lane while driving and crashing into a tree on Sunday, according to police records.

Officials in Mississippi said that one person had died while driving on Highway 49 just south of Silver City at around 8 pm local time on Sunday, while Tennessee reported one more weather-related death without giving any details.

The two-masted sailing schooner named “Tay” ran aground on Mount Desert Island in July 1911 when it struck a ledge during a storm, resulting in the death of the ship’s cook, according to an article in the Bar Harbor Record at the time.

The Tay quickly broke into pieces and a large portion of the ship’s cargo was washed ashore by the waves as its Captain I.W. Scott tried unsuccessfully to make it to harbor. But last week, following storms across the country, part of the shipwreck was brought to the surface, washing up on Mount Desert Island’s Sand Beach after being buried for decades.

On Monday, Baltimore broke its streak of 716 days without more than an inch of snow. Now, the city is blanketed in more than 4 inches. Nearby, Washington DC also broke a similar snowless streak this week, resulting in the closure of federal offices on Tuesday.

Philadelphia broke its 715-day streak when it received more than 1.5 inches of snow by Tuesday morning. New York City broke its 701-day streak with 1.4 inches Tuesday morning as well, bringing a fresh blanket of snow to Central Park for the first time in 23 months.

Washington, DC ended its nearly two-year streak without significant snowfall this week — bringing kids and adults alike outdoors to celebrate.

While arctic winds and snow might seem like quite the change after 2023, the hottest year on global record by a wide margin, this month’s weather patterns don’t indicate that global warming is getting better — or that there is no climate crisis.

In fact, a warming climate can sometimes increase the likelihood of unusual cold weather events.

For example, climate change is responsible for increasing the frequency and intensity of heavy precipitation, according to a widely-cited, peer-reviewed study from 2015.

Further, a warmer atmosphere can also hold more water, leading to more rain and snow, according to Climate Signals, a nonprofit that specializes in climate attribution research. New research also indicates a warming Arctic may lead to arctic air outbreaks in the US — just like what we’re seeing today across the country.

While we’re not yet clear on how climate change has impacted this specific storm spell, we do know this: This month’s storms do not indicate the climate crisis has disappeared.

At least ten people have died in circumstances suspected to be linked to the current winter storms over the weekend and into this week, according to media reports and local authorities.

In Portland, Oregon, county officials are investigating two possible hypothermia deaths, according to The Portland Tribune, with two more killed over the weekend when trees fell on their homes.

One man in White County, Arkansas died after crossing the centre lane while driving and crashing into a tree on Sunday, according to police records. Roads throughout the state were unsafe at the time due to snow and ice.

Officials in Mississippi said that one person had died while driving on Highway 49 just south of Silver City at around 8 pm local time on Sunday, while Tennessee reported one more weather-related death without giving any details.

And in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, three homeless men have been found dead with suspected hypothermia in the freezing cold streets over the past few days.

Ted Cruz has been slammed for joking that Texans should “join me in Cancun” just before a deep freeze hit the state.

“Texans, with the freeze coming, wrap your pipes, cover your plants, stay off icy roads & keep your family safe. And, if it gets too damn cold, join me in Cancun!” he wrote on X.

His tweet came just as Governor Greg Abbott warned Texans to prepare for ice weather conditions that will last through Tuesday evening.

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