Millions without power in deadly US cold snap

Millions were left without power as a deadly winter storm gripped the southern and central US and several tornadoes smashed into communities.

Chicago residents work to recover after a snowstorm dumped more than 43cm in some areas of the city. Picture: AFP

Millions were left without power as a deadly winter storm gripped the southern and central US and several tornadoes smashed into communities.

Arctic conditions have brought record low temperatures to several states unaccustomed to — and ill prepared for — such ­extreme cold.

Hardest hit was Texas, where freezing conditions prompted power companies to implement rotating blackouts to stop the grid being overloaded by the surge in demand.

The winter storm spawned at least four tornadoes, including one in coastal North Carolina on Tuesday AEDT that killed at least three people, injured 10 more, downed trees, flattened homes and smashed cars.

According to the Poweroutage.us tracking site, more than four million residential, commercial and industrial customers were without electricity in Texas as of Wednesday AEDT.

In the state capital Austin, the temperature was -12C, well below February’s average low of 7C. By contrast, thermometers in Anchorage, Alaska, read -6C.

Uncommon scenes played out in Houston, where locals built snowmen and sledded. “It’s lovely to see the white but very dangerous at the same time because ­people here don’t know how to drive in it,” Houston resident ­Michael, said. You know they’re driving too fast.”

In Mississippi, residents woke to discover much of the Deep South state transformed into a snow-and-ice-covered landscape.

Authorities were struggling to clear roads, as they do not have snow ploughs because the state so rarely needs them, The New York Times reported.

At least 10 deaths have been linked to the recent bad weather, and authorities across the US urged residents to exercise caution in navigating the perilous conditions.

President Joe Biden had ­earlier issued an emergency ­declaration for Texas, providing federal help to supplement state relief efforts.

Weather-related emergencies were also declared in Alabama, Oklahoma, Kansas, Mississippi and Oregon, where more than 200,000 people were without power.

The National Weather Service said the winter storm would move towards the northeast before “making a beeline for eastern Canada’’. “But not before it causes heavy snow and freezing rain in parts of the eastern Great Lakes and New England,” the service said.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo had already ordered emergency services to prepare for sleet, ice and freezing rain.

“This massive weather system is making its way across the country and ready to deliver a one-two punch of snow, ice and heavy winds across the entire state for the next two days,” he said.

Further inland, Chicago was expecting to see up to 35cm of snow before the end of the cold snap.

The weather had caused ­almost 60 flight cancellations at local airports by Wednesday, the local ABC affiliate reported.

AFP