Tornadoes and strong storms killed at least four people and injured more than a dozen in southern Michigan on Friday, destroying multiple homes and leaving hundreds of residents without power, local authorities said.
Soon after the National Weather Service issued tornado warnings for the area on Friday, videos on social media claiming to be from the towns of Three Rivers and Union City showed massive whirlwinds tearing roofs off buildings and lifting debris into the air.
Local media footage showed smashed buildings and cars, and poles, trees and road signs that had been blown over.
Three fatalities and a dozen injuries were reported in Branch County, where Union City is located, the county&#8217;s sheriff&#8217;s office said.
One person was killed and several injured in Cass County, according to local authorities there.
<div id="attachment_1055343" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1055343" class="size-full wp-image-1055343" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2264669957.jpeg" alt="Debris is wrapped around a tree following a tornado that hit several cities in rural southwest Michigan on March 7, 2026 in Union City, Michigan." width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2264669957.jpeg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2264669957-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2264669957-864x576.jpeg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2264669957-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Bill Pugliano/Getty Images</div>
&#8220;Multiple large structures &#8211; including homes and pole barns &#8211; sustained damage ranging from major structural impacts to complete destruction,&#8221; according to a statement on a website for Cass County.
Power outages had affected hundreds of people, local officials said.
&#8220;We have multiple utility poles down, transformers damaged, and long stretches of power lines on the ground. The north side of Union Lake sustained some of the most severe damage, with roughly two miles of line brought down in that area alone,&#8221; according to a posting on Union City&#8217;s official Facebook page that said restoration may take several days.
<div id="attachment_1055345" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1055345" class="size-full wp-image-1055345" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2264663705.jpeg" alt="A Chevy Trailblazer SUV is seen crushed by a falling tree that was uprooted by a tornado that hit several cities in rural southwest Michigan on March 7, 2026 in Union City, Michigan." width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2264663705.jpeg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2264663705-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2264663705-864x576.jpeg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2264663705-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Bill Pugliano/Getty Images</div>
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer said she activated a State Emergency Operations Center for monitoring the situation.
&#8220;The state is ready to fulfill any resource requests that may arise. We&#8217;ve yet to receive any just yet. It&#8217;s sounding like the local response is and has been able to address what&#8217;s been a very devastating afternoon and evening in southwest Michigan,&#8221; Clayton Cummins, a spokesperson for Michigan emergency services and police, told Reuters.
(Reporting by Maria Tsvetkova; Editing by Donna Bryson and Tom Hogue)

Tornado Damage

Tornadoes Kill Four, Injure More Than A Dozen In Michigan

Gretchen Whitmer

Michigan

Severe Weather

Tornado

U.S.

Wages have surged for anyone in New York City who wants to sign up to shovel snow, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced at a Monday press conference.
Mamdani increased the hourly wage for snow shovelers from $19.14 to $30 per hour. After 40 hours, that rate jumps even higher, to <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/nyc-raises-snow-shoveling-pay-190728906.html">$45 an hour</a>.
“Due to the historic nature of this blizzard, we’ve increased pay to $30 per hour. You can walk into any DSNY garage until 8 p.m. this evening and starting again tomorrow at 9 a.m. All you need to bring is two forms of ID to ensure you get paid,&#8221; Mamdani said.
The identification requirement sparked backlash over the weekend, with some Americans questioning why ID is required to shovel snow, but not to vote. Mamdani responded saying that the requirement is mandated under federal law.
Before the hourly wage increase, the program reportedly failed to attract any shovelers for hours at the NYC site, according to the New York Post. City officials said they hoped to attract a total of 1,400 public shovelers. By comparison, in 2015, the city attracted 6,454 shovelers.
During the press briefing, Mamdani also reminded New York City property owners that the mandate to clear four-foot-wide paths along all sidewalks remains in effect.
“We issued more than 4,000 violations after the last storm, we do not want to issue as many citations again,” the mayor said. “So please, if you are a property owner, do your part, clear the snow and help make our city passable for our neighbors, especially those with disabilities.”
A first offense carries a $150 fine, while a third or subsequent violation can result in penalties of up to $350. Based on the more than 4,000 violations issued after the previous storm, New York City collected anywhere between $600,000 and $1.4 million in fines from unshoveled snow.
In addition to the snow shovelers, the New York City winter weather response team includes 2,600 sanitation workers, more than 2,300 plows, and 700 salt spreaders. Mamdani reported that the winter weather response team cleared more than 1,600 crosswalks, 419 fire hydrants, and nearly 900 bus stops during the storm’s first night. 
With the city’s progress, Mamdani said schools will reopen tomorrow. However, amid 15 inches of snow, parents across the city are calling for a remote learning day. The petition currently has over <a href="https://www.change.org/p/make-nyc-public-schools-remote-on-february-24-2026?utm_source=share_petition&amp;utm_medium=mobileNativeShare&amp;utm_campaign=share_petition&amp;recruited_by_id=ec5b4fd0-1102-11f1-898e-9f362cef027f&amp;share_id=byDtkgpbRR">100,000</a> verified signatures.

Major Nor’Easter

NYC Raises Wages To $30/Hour To Lure Snow Shovelers After Historic Blizzard

New York City

Snow

Zohran Mamdani

Hundreds of thousands in the Northeastern United States and the Mid-Atlantic were without power on Monday morning after some areas were hammered by more than a foot of snow, with even more expected. 
Around 146,000 customers were without power in Massachusetts, 122,820 in New Jersey, 71,471 in Delaware, and 18,386 in New York, <a href="https://poweroutage.us/">according</a> to PowerOutage.us. The storm prompted local travel bans, school closures, and the <a href="https://www.flightaware.com/live/cancelled/today">cancellation</a> of thousands of flights. 
Snowfall is expected to taper off beginning Monday afternoon and evening before the storm leaves New England Monday night. As of Monday morning, tens of millions of people were still under a blizzard warning.
The National Weather Service predicted that the Northeast and New England would continue to experience “very heavy snowfall rates” on Monday, with snowfall rates of 2 to 3 inches per hour and wind gusts of 40 to 70 mph. 
“By tomorrow morning, some areas near the coastline could wake up to storm total snowfall amounts of one to two feet as the low departs into the Canadian Maritimes. For today, however, the very high snowfall rates and potentially damaging wind gusts will make travel nearly impossible from the DelMarVa Peninsula into southeastern New England,” the National Weather Service said. 
The NWS <a href="https://www.weather.gov/">added</a> that another storm system out of the Upper Great Lakes could bring additional snow to parts of the Northeast later this week. 
Hundreds of flights at New York’s LaGuardia and JFK International, Boston’s Logan International, and Newark’s Liberty International were <a href="https://www.flightaware.com/live/cancelled/today">canceled</a> amid the storm.
As of early Monday morning, snow <a href="https://x.com/NWSNewYorkNY/status/2025910279616311458" target="_blank" rel="noopener">totals</a> were well over a foot in the New York City area, including Islip (22.5 inches), Upton (18.3 inches), Central Park (15.1 inches), LaGuardia airport (15.1 inches), JFK airport (15 inches), and Newark (18.3 inches). 
New York snowplow driver John Brown <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/02/23/weather/nyc-snow-storm">told</a> The New York Times that the roads would not stay clear. 
 “I’ve never seen something like this,” he said. “As you plow an hour later you come back it looks like you were never there.”
<div id="attachment_1048075" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1048075" class="size-full wp-image-1048075" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2262664222.jpg" alt="A school bus covered in snow during a winter storm in the Brooklyn borough of New York, US, on Monday, Feb. 23, 2026. A powerful winter storm has cut off New York City, grounding thousands of flights and straining transport networks, as 41 million people along the US East Coast brace for blizzard conditions in what could be one of the city's worst storms on record." width="1024" height="682" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2262664222.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2262664222-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2262664222-865x576.jpg 865w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2262664222-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Credit: Photographer: Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images.</div>
New York City Democratic Mayor Zohran Mamdani <a href="https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2026/02/mayor-mamdani-declares-local-state-of-emergency--snow-day-for-ny">issued</a> an emergency declaration on Monday, closing schools and imposing a ban on car travel within the city for non-emergency, non-essential purposes. Exceptions are for vehicles “providing emergency services, public transportation, medical supplies, food, fuel, utility repairs and other critical services.”
Rhode Island also <a href="https://governor.ri.gov/press-releases/governor-mckee-declares-state-emergency-issues-travel-ban-ahead-blizzard-conditions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">implemented</a> a statewide travel ban on non-essential vehicle travel. 
Governors across the Northeast have declared emergencies over the storm, including in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.

Major Nor’Easter Brings Blizzard Conditions To Northeast

Americans In The Dark As Historic Winter Storm Rages — When Will It End?

National Weather Service

As New York City braces for what the <a href="https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=40.7130466&amp;lon=-74.0072301">National Weather Service</a> has identified as the first blizzard in nearly a decade, far-left Mayor Zohran Mamdani is once again urging residents to fill gaps left by the city’s snow response, this time by signing up en masse as emergency shovelers &#8212; but there&#8217;s a catch.
In a Saturday <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jU7Er6GSZ_k">press conference</a> ahead of the storm, Mamdani encouraged New Yorkers to report directly to city sanitation garages to help dig the city out after officials reportedly failed to recruit enough emergency workers during the last major snowfall. Volunteers, however, must provide proper documentation.
“And for those who want to do more to help your neighbors and earn some extra cash, you too can become an Emergency Snow Shoveler,” Mamdani said in his announcement. “Just show up to your local Sanitation Garage between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. tomorrow with your paperwork.”
The irony has not gone unnoticed. The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) New York chapter, of which Mamdani is a member and which enthusiastically endorsed the mayor, has <a href="https://convention2021.dsausa.org/2021-dsa-convention-resolutions/">strongly advocated</a> against voter ID requirements in elections. The DSA has even <a href="https://www.dsausa.org/statements/dsa-on-save-america/">called</a> recent election integrity legislation a &#8220;campaign to reverse the gains of the Civil Rights Movement and marginalize working-class Americans&#8221; &#8212; yet Mamdani&#8217;s emergency labor push requires would-be shovelers to arrive with identification and paperwork in hand.
The <a href="https://www.nyc.gov/assets/dsny/forms/snow-laborer-registration">registration form</a> to shovel snow requires volunteers to provide multiple forms of identification:
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1047821" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Image-2-21-26-at-6.20-PM.jpeg" alt="" width="1771" height="414" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Image-2-21-26-at-6.20-PM.jpeg 1771w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Image-2-21-26-at-6.20-PM-300x70.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Image-2-21-26-at-6.20-PM-1024x239.jpeg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Image-2-21-26-at-6.20-PM-768x180.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Image-2-21-26-at-6.20-PM-1536x359.jpeg 1536w" sizes=" (max-width: 1771px) 100vw, 1771px" /></div>
Mamdani&#8217;s appeal comes after the most recent snow storm <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/02/08/us-news/mamdani-failed-to-recruit-enough-emergency-snow-shovelers-for-nyc-storm-critics/">exposed</a> shortages in the city’s emergency snow labor force, leaving sidewalks unplowed, streets impassable, and residents, particularly the elderly, struggling to navigate icy conditions. Rather than announcing reforms or improved planning, the city is again leaning on last-minute public mobilization.
Emergency shovelers are hired on a temporary basis by the New York City Department of Sanitation, often with minimal notice, as storms are already underway. The program has long been criticized as reactive, relying on volunteers and short-term workers instead of consistent staffing and preparation.
Blizzard warnings are in effect across the city and much of the region from 6 a.m. Sunday through 6 p.m. Monday, as a powerful nor’easter is forecast to bring snow, high winds, and hazardous conditions to the Northeast. Forecasters <a href="https://ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2026/02/21/nyc-blizzard-warning-february-2026-winter-storm?">said</a> New York City could see in the range of 15 to 24 inches of snow, with some places potentially exceeding that total, and winds gusting above 45 mph &#8212; conditions that meet blizzard criteria when combined with reduced visibility and sustained snowfall.
Meteorologists say that snow will begin Sunday morning and continue into Monday afternoon, with peak snowfall and strongest winds overnight. The storm is expected to affect much of the I-95 corridor, from New York through New England, with heavy snow, coastal flooding, and possible travel and power disruptions.
Mamdani, a Democratic socialist who has repeatedly called for expanded government control over housing, labor, and public services, framed the recruitment push as an act of neighborly solidarity, even as critics argue it underscores the city’s inability to execute basic municipal functions without scrambling for day-of labor.
City officials have not explained why staffing levels were not increased following the last storm, nor why emergency shovelers must once again be recruited in the immediate run-up to severe weather.
Blizzard conditions are expected to cause near-zero visibility across much of the five boroughs, and Mamdani advised New Yorkers to stay indoors, avoid travel during the height of the storm, and prepare for potentially dangerous conditions.
For now, New Yorkers are being told to grab their paperwork — and a shovel — and report for duty, as City Hall braces for another test of its winter preparedness.

New York Officials Make Public Safety Announcement

Zohran Mamdani Says No ID For Voting — But Bring One To Shovel

Snow is falling across parts of the Northeast on Sunday and is expected to intensify overnight and into Monday, with many regions under blizzard warnings.
Boston, Atlantic City, Portsmouth, and New York City are expected to be among the hardest hit, with meteorologists forecasting more than a foot of snow in some areas. Nearly 100 million people across the region are expected to be impacted by the intense winter conditions, which will be amplified by strong gusts of wind.
The National Weather Service warned that “wet snow and strong winds lasting into Monday” could trigger widespread power outages.
Road conditions are expected to deteriorate quickly as falling temperatures cause slush to refreeze overnight into ice, as conditions escalate into a full blizzard. New York Governor Kathy Hochul <a href="https://abc7ny.com/live-updates/how-snow-nyc-weekend-winter-coastal-storm-weather-forecast-nj-ny-ct-tri-state-area/18626210/">painted</a> a grim picture Sunday morning, calling the day the “calm before the storm” and warning that “the worst is yet to come.” She added bluntly, “Lives are at stake.”
In New York City, Mayor Zohran Mamdani declared a local state of emergency ahead of the city’s first <a href="https://www.nbcnewyork.com/weather/live-updates-snow-totals-blizzard-nyc-nj-timing-storm-radar/6466668/?cardId=1%3A2%3A6467058&amp;_osource=SocialFlowTwt_NYBrand">blizzard warning</a> in nearly a decade. Snow began falling at around 8 a.m. on Sunday, and meteorologists predict around 16 inches of snow will accumulate between Sunday evening and Monday morning, accompanied by wind gusts of 40-60 miles per hour.
In preparation, Mamdani has declared that all roads will be closed to all vehicles, including e-bikes and scooters, beginning at 9 p.m. The closure will last until Monday at 12 p.m. One New York parent <a href="https://x.com/ycinnewyork/status/2025638618560098590">reported</a> getting texts in English and French and emails in Bangla and Russian from New York City public schools. Mamdani also canceled school entirely on Monday, shifting away from the remote learning approach used during the city’s last major snowstorm.
The mayor also asked citizens to volunteer and get paid to shovel snow. The initiative drew backlash after participants were required to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/warmth-of-collectivism-mamdani-urges-new-yorkers-to-become-an-emergency-shoveler?author=Drew+Berkemeyer&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=6&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Zohran+Mamdani+Says+No+ID+For+Voting+—+But+Bring+One+To+Shovel">present identification</a> to sign up for the program. Mamdani defended the policy, <a href="https://x.com/TheChiefNerd/status/2025626114706538627">saying</a>, “Federal law requires that employers get authorization and documentation to pay people for their work. We are not allowed to just cut checks to individuals for their work.”
In New Jersey, Governor Mikie Sherrill declared a state of emergency, saying, “I am urging you to stay off the roads Sunday through Monday.”
New Jersey is expected to face some of the harshest winds, with gusts reaching 45 miles per hour near the Delaware River and up to 60 miles per hour along the shore. Coastal flooding is also a concern. The National Weather Service said, “One to two feet of inundation above ground level is possible in low-lying areas near shorelines and tidal waterways.”
In Boston, Mayor Michelle Wu declared a snow emergency, also closing schools on Monday along with other government buildings. Forecasters expect temperatures to rise later in the week, which could help alleviate lingering snow and ice impacts once the storm moves out of the region.

Snow Hits New York

First Snow Arrives With Blizzard Set To Drop Feet Of Snow On Northeast

Boston

New York

Winter Storm Hernando will cover the Northeast with more than a foot of snow, starting Sunday.
Blizzard conditions are expected for coastal Connecticut, Delaware, Jersey Shore, Long Island, and New York City, according to Weather Channel meteorologist Chris Bruin.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Full fledge Blizzard expected in NYC, Long Island, Coastal Connecticut, Delaware and the Jersey Shore. <a href="https://twitter.com/weatherchannel?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@weatherchannel</a> <a href="https://t.co/24NrdLDCGp">pic.twitter.com/24NrdLDCGp</a>
— Chris Bruin (@ChrisBruinTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisBruinTV/status/2025214812641165324?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The Winter Storm Severity Index is <a href="https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/wwd/wssi/wssi.php">reporting</a> “major impacts” along the Northeast coast, from Delaware up to Massachusetts. The storm is expected to last from Sunday morning through Monday evening, CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/21/weather/blizzard-snowstorm-new-york-northeast-climate">reported</a>.
In addition to cold weather, strong winds could cause coastal flooding from Delaware to Long Island, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
The National Weather Service also <a href="https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/discussions/hpcdiscussions.php?disc=pmdspd">noted</a> that “travel will be extremely dangerous” and warned of “likely” power outages. Monday commutes will likely be disrupted, as the Weather Channel <a href="https://weather.com/storms/winter/news/2026-02-18-east-coast-storm-noreaster-forecast">recommends</a> people stay off the roads.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
An approaching storm will bring rain and high elevation snow to Pacific Northwest through the weekend. Isolated severe thunderstorms are possible across parts of the Southeast today into this evening. An impactful winter storm is forecast to bring heavy snow and high winds to the… <a href="https://t.co/zWDLF1qLOe">pic.twitter.com/zWDLF1qLOe</a>
— National Weather Service (@NWS) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWS/status/2025222415119233056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Meteorologist Jim Cantore <a href="http://x.com/jimcantore/status/2025199478693613855?s=46">said</a> on X the storm is “long overdue.”
“It’s been years since I’ve seen this kind of blizzard warning for the Northeast,” he said.
The storm will turn into a bomb cyclone — a term for a storm with rapidly decreasing pressure — by Sunday, targeting cities such as Boston, New York City, and Philadelphia.
New York City is expecting thirteen to eighteen inches of snow and wind speeds up to 55 mph, <a href="https://www.nbcnewyork.com/weather/weather-stories/blizard-warning-nyc-nj-meaning-how-much-snow/6466190/">according</a> to NBC New York. It has been nine years since the city was under a blizzard warning, the Weather Channel <a href="https://weather.com/storms/winter/news/2026-02-18-east-coast-storm-noreaster-forecast">reported</a>. The city has seen more than twenty-two inches of snow this year, compared to almost thirteen inches last year.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has resumed homeless encampment sweeps to get people inside before the storm hits, the outlet reported. Cold temperatures are expected to be less severe with this storm.
Mamdani faced criticism earlier this month when nineteen homeless people died from cold weather after Mamdani ended the encampment sweeps, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-yorks-winter-death-toll-rises-to-19-curtis-sliwa-faults-sanctuary-city-policies">reported</a>.
The mayor is expected to brief the city on the storm later today.
The storm comes on the heels of a catastrophic cold weather event that slammed the South in late January, causing hazardous travel conditions, thousands of cancelled flights, and leaving <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nashville-reaches-5th-day-of-historic-power-outages-over-100k-still-have-no-electricity">hundreds of thousands</a> without power.
Nashville, Tennessee, was hit especially hard, as The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pictures-ice-wreaks-havoc-on-nashville-leaving-thousands-without-power">previously documented</a>, with major, long-lasting power outages, frozen roads, and downed trees.

Northeast Under Blizzard Warning, Braces For Over A Foot Of Snow

Pennsylvania

At least ten backcountry skiers were missing late Tuesday after an avalanche swept through northern California near the town of Truckee at Castle Peak, as powerful winter storms slammed the Sierra Nevada and created what officials described as extremely dangerous conditions for search and rescue crews.
The <a href="https://www.sierrasun.com/news/avalanche-reported-near-castle-peak-skiers-missing/">avalanche</a> was reported at approximately 11:30 a.m. local time and affected a group of 16 people, four mountain guides and 12 clients, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/nevadacountysheriffsoffice/posts/pfbid0gMfVyuYhLJYjtZWfeNSAJS4ovvJ8YUzjhRZ1ApfYdnM8UDvAmULLrX3FhosrF9WWl">according</a> to the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office. Officials said at least six skiers survived the slide and were still at the site as of late Tuesday afternoon, awaiting rescue because weather conditions made immediate evacuation unsafe.
Search and rescue ski teams from Boreal Mountain Ski Resort and Alder Creek Adventure Center were deployed to assist, the sheriff’s office said. Authorities emphasized that rescue efforts were being carried out cautiously due to ongoing avalanche danger, heavy snowfall, and near-zero visibility.
Castle Peak, a popular backcountry skiing destination along Interstate 80 near Lake Tahoe, received intense snowfall as a conveyor belt of winter storms moved through northern California. Boreal Mountain Ski Resort reported roughly 30 inches of snow in the previous 24 hours, while <a href="https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=39.30139096195015&amp;lon=-120.76822798818726">forecasts say</a> additional heavy snowfall is expected through Thursday.
Avalanche danger across the region was rated high on Tuesday. In a bulletin <a href="https://www.sierraavalanchecenter.org/forecasts/avalanche/central-sierra-nevada#/central-sierra-nevada/">issued</a> before the reported avalanche, the Sierra Avalanche Center warned against travel in or near avalanche terrain, citing the likelihood of a widespread natural avalanche cycle.
“Large avalanches may run through treed areas,” the center said, urging anyone attempting travel in non-avalanche terrain to ensure no steep slopes were connected above or adjacent to their route.
The avalanche occurred as the Sierra Nevada experienced what scientists described as some of the worst winter conditions in years. <a href="https://cssl.berkeley.edu/">According</a> to researchers at the Central Sierra Snow Lab at the University of California, Berkeley, snowfall totals had already exceeded 28 inches in parts of the central Sierra by Tuesday morning, with another two to three feet expected by Wednesday night.
High winds compounded the danger, with gusts exceeding 100 miles per hour along ridge tops and up to 45 miles per hour in mountain valleys, forecasters said. Combined with heavy snowfall, the conditions created near-whiteout conditions across much of the region.
Transportation was also heavily impacted. Portions of major highways were closed, and ski resorts across the Sierra shuttered operations, citing unsafe travel conditions. The California Highway Patrol warned motorists that visibility along mountain roads had dropped to near zero in some areas. “This isn’t inconvenient weather. This is unsafe travel,” they <a href="https://x.com/CHP_Truckee/status/2023851554894430386">said</a> in a statement on X, warning that large avalanches were expected across backcountry terrain into at least Wednesday morning.
Winter storm warnings remained in effect from southwest Oregon through much of Northern and Central California, with forecasters cautioning that travel could be dangerous to near impossible through late Thursday.
Officials said search operations would continue as conditions allow and urged the public to avoid backcountry travel until the storm system passes and avalanche risk subsides.

Buffalo, New York snow

Ten Skiers Missing After Avalanche, 6 Others Stranded Awaiting Rescue

California

skiing

Nashville Democratic Mayor Freddie O&#8217;Connell blasted the city&#8217;s electric service over the weekend just days after praising its efforts to restore power to residents left in the cold.
O&#8217;Connell said that he met with Nashville Electric Service (NES) leaders on Sunday and told them that the agency&#8217;s response and messaging around widespread power outages has been &#8220;unacceptable.&#8221; Tens of thousands of Nashville residents have gone nine days without power following a massive ice storm that ripped down trees and power lines across the city. At least four deaths have been <a href="https://www.wsmv.com/2026/01/30/victims-suspected-winter-storm-related-deaths-across-nashville-identified/">linked</a> to the storm and ensuing power outage in Nashville.
&#8220;What I learned today is that NES is unequipped to communicate about a crisis,&#8221; O&#8217;Connell <a href="https://x.com/peytonTVkennedy/status/2018298760242033103">said</a> after the meeting. &#8220;Nashvillians can&#8217;t get the last week back—nights huddled under blankets, unplanned shelter or hotel stays, the uncertainty and fear of not knowing what&#8217;s happening and how long it will take to simply return home. And that&#8217;s why it&#8217;s so troubling that details NES leadership shared about their internal outlook—that they hadn&#8217;t previously shared with us—would&#8217;ve had a huge impact on the public guidance we gave from the beginning of the crisis. That is unacceptable.&#8221;
The mayor&#8217;s statement following the meeting marked a change in tune from when O&#8217;Connell defended the Nashville Electric Service last week as residents grew frustrated with the agency&#8217;s response.
&#8220;Let’s be clear about what this is — it is a historic ice storm. This is the largest single outage in NES history. We do not have these kinds of weather events all the time,&#8221; O&#8217;Connell said at a press conference last Tuesday.
On Thursday, O&#8217;Connell suggested that the Nashville Electric Service&#8217;s response was a &#8220;success.&#8221;
&#8220;The fact that this is their largest ever number of line crews out with line workers and vegetation support ever, I think that&#8217;s a sign of their success,&#8221; he <a href="https://fox17.com/news/local/nashville-mayor-freddie-oconnell-nes-power-outages-changes-tune-says-he-is-not-satisfied-tennessee-winter-storm">said</a>, according to Fox 17 Nashville. Later during Thursday&#8217;s briefing, O&#8217;Connell said he was &#8220;not satisfied&#8221; with the power restoration efforts.
The Nashville Electric Service is led by a CEO, but it also has a five-member board that is appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the city council. Two of the current NES board members have been <a href="https://nashvillebanner.com/2026/02/02/nashville-ice-storm-recovery-nes-criticism/">appointed</a> by O&#8217;Connell. The Daily Wire reached out to the mayor&#8217;s office and asked if O&#8217;Connell met with NES leaders before the storm hit on January 24 to discuss the city&#8217;s response.
The Nashville Electric Service has faced increased criticism as over 20,000 homes and businesses remain without power in the Music City on Monday. The agency deployed only 200 linemen at the beginning of the storm to repair downed lines, far below the total number of linemen that would eventually be needed. NES officials said over 1,000 linemen are now working on restoring power in the city.
&#8220;Progress has been made with power restored to 80% of our customers who had outages,&#8221; NES CEO Teresa Broyles-Aplin <a href="https://x.com/NESpower/status/2017753965769732192">said</a> on Saturday. &#8220;By Tuesday, 90% will be restored, and by Sunday, February 8, 99% of our customers will have power back.&#8221;
She added that extensive damage in some areas means it will take the electric service more time to get power restored.
Broyles-Aplin&#8217;s past <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nashville-electric-ceo-touted-tree-hugging-over-aggressive-trimming-months-before-massive-ice-storm">comments</a> on tree maintenance have also come under scrutiny. Last August, the NES leader stressed the importance of saving Nashville&#8217;s tree &#8220;canopy&#8221; and avoiding aggressive trimming practices. Some Nashville tree service professionals argued that the Nashville Electric Service doesn&#8217;t do enough to keep trees away from power lines.
Tennessee Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-senator-declares-war-on-woke-nashville-power-company-after-week-long-outage?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=7&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Tennessee+Senator+Declares+War+On+%E2%80%98Woke%E2%80%99+Nashville+Power+Company+After+Week-Long+Outage">ripped</a> the electric service for spending time focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
&#8220;The Nashville Electric Service held 102 DEI-related training sessions by the end of 2024. They should’ve been using those resources to trim trees and bury utilities. This is what happens when companies put woke politics over the needs of the people they serve,&#8221; Blackburn said on Sunday.
Last week, the Tennessee Star <a href="https://tennesseestar.com/politics/letter-from-nashville-electric-service-ceo-shows-utility-company-held-102-dei-training-sessions-by-end-of-2024/tpappert/2026/01/29/">highlighted</a> a 2024 NES &#8220;community investment&#8221; <a href="https://www.nespower.com/-/media/project/nes/common/pdfs/annual-reports/2024/nes-esg-2024-report-interactive.pdf">report</a>, which stated, &#8220;To foster a culture of civility and belonging within our organization with the hopes of extending that dynamic beyond our walls, NES’ Human Relations Department implemented Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility, &amp; Belonging (DEIAB) trainings, hosting a total of 102 sessions in 2023 and the first quarter of 2024 for both organization-wide education and nuanced resources for leadership positions.&#8221;
Blackburn argued that while linemen are working hard to restore power to Nashville residents, leaders are botching the response.
&#8220;The linemen who are on the ground making repairs and working in the frigid temperatures to restore power are the unsung heroes of the response to this horrible winter storm,&#8221; Blackburn said. &#8220;So grateful for these men and women.&#8221;

Freddie O’Connell

Nashville’s Dem Mayor Slams Electric Service He Just Praised As City Hits 9 Days Without Power

Nashville

Tennessee

Winter storm

The top official at the Nashville Electric Service touted her effort to save Nashville&#8217;s tree &#8220;canopy&#8221; last August instead of aggressively trimming trees away from power lines. Nashville Electric Service CEO Teresa Broyles-Aplin&#8217;s past comments have now come under scrutiny after an ice storm wrecked Nashville, bringing trees down onto roads and power lines and resulting in the worst power outage in the city&#8217;s history.
The Tennessee Star <a href="https://tennesseestar.com/culture/woke-nes-ceo-on-tree-trimming-i-dont-want-us-out-destroying-the-canopy/khousler/2026/01/29/">reported</a> on Thursday that Broyles-Aplin, who took over as CEO of the electric service in 2022, touted her tree-hugging efforts during an August appearance on &#8220;<a href="https://www.newschannel5.com/plus/urban-league-live/nashville-electric-service">Urban League Live</a>&#8221; on NewsChannel 5 Nashville.
&#8220;We have customers sometimes that are concerned that we may be trimming aggressively and not taking into account the health of the trees, and that couldn&#8217;t be further from the truth,&#8221; she said. &#8220;We do species-specific trimming that is intended to ensure the health of the tree. &#8230; I think most people don&#8217;t realize that we go to that depth of effort, and we have arborists on our staff &#8230; that oversee the planning and the post-cutting inspections, so we take a lot of pride in making sure that we are cutting the trees in a healthy fashion.&#8221;
“We care about the [tree] canopy. We have to live here, too,” Broyles-Aplin said. “And so I don’t want us out destroying the canopy.&#8221;
The Daily Wire reached out to the Nashville Electric Service for comment.
While Broyles-Aplin assured people last August that the electric service takes extreme care in its trimming, some Nashville tree service owners told <a href="https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/davidson/2026/01/29/nes-nashville-power-outage-ice-tree-experts/88409270007/">The Tennesseean</a> that the Nashville Electric Service wasn&#8217;t properly keeping up with tree maintenance.
“If they maintained it better, there would be less power outages, at the end of the day,” said Lucas Crenshaw, but he also acknowledged that &#8220;you can only prepare so much.&#8221;
Meagan Cowles, another tree service owner, told the Nashville outlet, &#8220;I am very confident in my opinion to say that NES does not follow the proper cutting procedures to follow the standards.&#8221;
Tree cutting professionals told The Tennessean that the Nashville Electric Service should expand how far it cuts trees from power lines to ensure that falling trees don&#8217;t crash into the lines. They also suggested that homeowners should trim or cut trees on their property that could pose a risk to the power lines near their homes.
The Nashville Electric Service is the 11th largest public utilities agency in the country. The service&#8217;s five-member board is appointed by the mayor and confirmed by Nashville&#8217;s Metro Council. The Nashville Electric Service has been criticized over its preparedness and response to the winter storm that pounded the city with snow and ice last weekend. Tens of thousands of Nashville residents have gone without power for five days as the city also faces extremely cold temperatures.
Along with facing scrutiny over its tree trimming strategy, the agency has also been slammed by many residents who say there is a lack of manpower in the field to address the vast power outages. The Nashville Electric Service had around 200 linemen prepared to work on downed lines, and the agency has nearly quadrupled the number of linemen in the field since the weekend, relying on help from other states.
One lineman told <a href="https://fox17.com/news/local/nashville-electric-service-accused-of-rejecting-help-amid-massive-power-outages-nes-winter-storm-middle-tennessee-union-memebers">Fox 17 Nashville</a> that he doesn’t think Nashville has deployed enough workers to address the widespread outages, adding that the city needed &#8220;a minimum of 2,000&#8221; linemen. The lineman said he believes the electric company didn’t want to pay union wages for outside help.
Broyles-Aplin released a <a href="https://x.com/NESpower/status/2016901409342374389">statement</a> on Thursday morning addressing the ongoing power outages.
&#8220;Many of you are waking up to day #5 without power, which is a significant hardship. It’s our job at NES to keep the power on, and we will not stop until every household in Nashville has power again,&#8221; she said. &#8220;This storm was unprecedented for Nashville and our country, affecting almost half of the U.S. Its icy layers caused widespread damage across our service area to transmission lines, substations and distribution networks.&#8221;
Broyles-Aplin said that around 230,000 residents lost power at the peak of the outages, but it was around 230,000 homes and businesses without power at the peak. Since multiple people reside in many homes, the outages likely affected far more than 230,000 people.
&#8220;Today, we have less than 90,000 homes remaining without electricity. NES has brought in partners from around the country to engage additional available, qualified crews,&#8221; Broyles-Aplin added.
The utilities CEO said that some Nashville residents should be prepared for the power outages to continue &#8220;through the weekend or longer.&#8221; Temperatures are expected to plunge again in the Music City this weekend, with lows nearing 10 degrees.

Nashville Electric CEO Touted Tree-Hugging Over Aggressive Trimming Months Before Massive Ice Storm

Power

Winter Storm Fern is <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/weather/winter-weather/live-blog/live-updates-winter-storm-freezing-rain-snow-rcna255871">responsible</a> for at least 17 deaths so far, with fatalities reported in Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Kansas, Massachusetts, Ohio, and Arkansas.
Officials in Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Louisiana have each reported three deaths. Mississippi and Texas have reported two deaths each. The other states have reported one death each, per officials.
The Louisiana Department of Health confirmed that an 86-year-old man died from carbon monoxide poisoning. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves also confirmed two weather-related fatalities from the winter storm, per NBC News. Ohio police announced a tragic incident in which a snowmobiler was struck and killed by a plow truck.
<a href="https://www.foxweather.com/weather-news/deadly-historic-winter-storm-ice-power-outages-south-snow-northeast">Fox Weather</a> reported on the death of a 16-year-old girl in Frisco, Texas. The teenager died after a sledding crash, and another teenager is in critical condition. Local police said the two were being pulled by an SUV when the sled hit a tree.
In Pennsylvania, the coroner&#8217;s office said three people died in three separate medical incidents while they were cleaning up snow on Sunday, according to Fox Weather. The outlet also reported that a Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority snowplow struck a married couple who were on a walk. The wife died from her injuries.
In New York, several deaths are being investigated as potentially weather-related, so the number of dead could rise.
The Northeast is getting the last bit of snowfall from the storm, but the bitter cold temperatures aren&#8217;t moving out.
According to The Weather Channel, the cold could last well into next week. The National Weather Service has issued extreme cold alerts in parts of the Midwest, South, and Ohio Valley as the frigid air arrives.
More than a dozen low-temperature records were broken Monday morning. Some of the cities that dropped to their lowest temperatures include: New Orleans at 27 degrees, San Antonio and Austin at 19 degrees, Tulsa at 0 degrees, and Springfield, Missouri, at a record -11 degrees.
The Arctic blast will refreeze existing ice and snow, making power outages worse, especially in the South, where ice has been the biggest threat.
The cold temperatures are devastating to regions of the country dealing with power outages. There are more than 800,000 people without power, including 250,000 in Tennessee alone.
In Mississippi, more than 145,750 people are without power. Louisiana isn&#8217;t far behind, with 117,325 customers still in the dark. Texas has nearly 50,000 without power.

Credit: Jon Cherry via Getty Images

Death Toll Rising From Winter Storm As Parts Of Country Remain In Sub-Freezing Temperatures

cold temperatures

Death

winter weather

Jan 26 (Reuters) &#8211; A powerful winter storm sweeping across much of the United States forced airlines to cancel thousands of flights and delay hundreds on Monday, as freezing rain and heavy snowfall disrupted travel and snarled transportation networks.
About 3,800 flights were canceled, and more than 1,000 were delayed as of early Monday, according to flight-tracking website FlightAware, following more than 11,000 cancellations reported on Sunday.
The number of cancellations and delays was expected to rise as the day progressed.
Low pressure south of New England is expected to move east over the Atlantic on Monday, bringing heavy snow to parts of the Northeast and freezing rain across sections of the Mid-Atlantic, the U.S. National Weather Service said.
Snow is also expected along the Appalachian region, while rain will spread along the Southeast coast as a cold front moves offshore, the agency said.
American Airlines accounted for the largest share of disruptions on Monday, with more than 600 flights canceled and about 135 delayed, followed by Republic Airways, JetBlue Airways, and Delta Air Lines.
Shares of American Airlines, Delta Air, and United Airlines fell nearly 1% each in premarket trading.
The disruptions also left thousands of travel plans in limbo. Passengers inundated carriers on social media platforms such as X seeking clarity on flight schedules.
MORE DISRUPTION LIKELY
The Federal Aviation Administration said in an advisory that weather-related constraints, including snow, freezing rain and low visibility, were affecting major hubs such as Boston and the New York-area airspace.
The agency said ground stops and delay programs could be imposed through the afternoon at airports including LaGuardia, John F. Kennedy International, Philadelphia International, Newark Liberty International and Washington Dulles International if conditions worsen.
Major American carriers rolled out sweeping travel waivers and flexible re-booking options to assist passengers whose travel plans were disrupted by the cancellations.
Airline operations are highly interconnected, meaning cancellations can leave aircraft and crews out of position, complicating efforts to restore normal flight schedules.
International operations were also affected by the extreme weather. Dutch carrier KLM said some of its U.S.-bound flights were disrupted over the weekend, but added that all services to the country were expected to operate normally on Monday.
ROADS BATTERED, THOUSANDS WITHOUT POWER
The storm also impeded road travel. The Federal Emergency Management Agency warned that driving conditions could become dangerous as blizzard-like conditions, strong winds, and ice spread further.
Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of customers across several states, from Tennessee to the Carolinas, reported power outages, with Tennessee reporting the most cases.
More than 820,000 customers were without electricity as of early hours on Monday, according to data from PowerOutage.us.
(Reporting by Shivansh Tiwary in Bengaluru, Additional reporting by Joanna Plucinska in London; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli)
&nbsp;

Travellers at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport

Massive Winter Storm Wreaks Havoc On Travel, Cancels Flights

Over a million Americans are without power, and at least nine are dead as a result of the winter storm battering the southern and eastern United States.
Winter Storm Fern has blanketed the country with ice, snow, and freezing temperatures — a dangerous combination that has many concerned power outages will last into next week. Airlines across the United States have <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2026/01/25/flight-cancellations-delays-winter-storm/88339910007/">canceled</a> the highest number of flights since the coronavirus pandemic, according to <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2026/01/25/flight-cancellations-delays-winter-storm/88339910007/">USA Today,</a> with 4,500 flights within, into, or out of the United States delayed as of Sunday night, according to <a href="http://flightaware.com/">FlightAware.com</a>. Over 11,000 flights have been canceled.
“The dangers aren&#8217;t over even with the precipitation ending,” National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center meteorologist Brian Hurley told USA Today. “A lot of the areas that are still getting the heavy ice, freezing rain, sleet and snow, will stay below freezing through the work week.”
“We worry about people having cold weather exposure with no power,” Hurley said.
The storm, which began on Friday, has hammered a stretch of the United States from Texas to the East Coast, dumping snow and freezing rain across hundreds of miles. Several states have declared emergencies over the impacts of the storm, including Tennessee, Indiana, and South Carolina, among others.
“Heavy snow will continue to spread across the Northeast this evening and overnight, with rapid accumulations (1–2”/hr) producing totals around 2 feet in parts of the region. Catastrophic ice impacts linger farther south with prolonged power outages,” the National Weather Service <a href="https://x.com/NWSWPC/status/2015523975535759843">posted</a> on Sunday afternoon.
Videos and images of the storm&#8217;s aftermath <a href="https://x.com/MNPDNashville/status/2015559524476760412">posted</a> online have shown a glimpse of the damage, with downed power lines and trees blocking roads. Numerous closures and restrictions of schools, businesses, and local offices have been announced.
At least five of the dead were found outside in New York, but reports say they were not believed to be homeless.
&#8220;While we do not yet know their causes of death, there is no more powerful reminder of the dangers of the extreme cold, and how vulnerable how many of our neighbors are, especially homeless New Yorkers,&#8221; New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said.
Another exposure-related death was reported in Michigan and one in Austin, Texas. Two more were reported in Louisiana.

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