Freezing temperatures slam the US, forcing 5,000+ flight cancellations and flooding homeless shelters as at least 19 people die in the deadly chill.
Thousands of Flights Grounded as Winter Fury Hits
FlightAware.com reports a staggering 5,023 flights have been cancelled across the US today alone, affecting travel both within and beyond the country’s borders. Another 7,990 flights face delays. Thursday saw nearly 2,700 cancellations, with almost 500 more scrapped already for Saturday.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told CNN the aviation system “is operating under enormous strain” amid two storms and high winds battering airports nationwide.
Energy Crisis Deepens as Cold Front Shuts Key Plants
The brutal weather has wiped out 1.5 million barrels of refining capacity daily along the Gulf Coast. Giants like TotalEnergies, Motiva Enterprises, and Marathon Petroleum near Houston have halted operations. Texas saw cold weather hit ExxonMobil, LyondellBasell, and Valero Energy, impacting gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel production.
Even LNG output took a hit. Sempra Infrastructure’s Cameron plant in Louisiana reported production disruptions. North Dakota’s oilfields face freeze-ins, cutting output by up to 350,000 barrels per day – about a third of the usual haul.
Gas prices jumped 22% in West Texas to nearly $9 per million British thermal units, while power costs soared to a shocking $3,700 per megawatt hour before easing as thermal and solar supplies kicked back in.
Flooded Rail Tracks and Rising Fears
In Island Park, Long Island Railroad tracks flooded, causing chaos for commuters. Peter Rizik described the sudden deluge: “Literally within 10 minutes, boom. The water was just like a river coming down the block.”
Mayor Michael McGinty called the event “the worst weather we’ve had in 10 years, without a doubt.”
This brutal winter blast shows no sign of letting up, with communities bracing for more travel chaos and freezing temperatures in the days ahead.
