US residents brace for huge winter storm

"Some 160 million people in the United States were bracing for a massive winter storm due to affect the eastern two-thirds of the country starting Friday. An ice storm was to hit Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma on Friday, passing through the midlands and reaching all the way to Washington, DC, New York and Boston on the east coast. Forecasters warned the damage from the storm could rival a hurricane, especially in areas hit by ice."

"Thousands of power line workers were on standby, with the storm likely to cause power disruptions that could last days. Five years ago, a severe cold snap hit the Texas power grid, taking out much of it and leaving millions without power for days. On Thursday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott vowed that won't happen again, saying the power system "has never been stronger." Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger told residents to prepare for days without power and potentially not being able to leave their neighborhoods."

"Airlines cancelled around 250 scheduled flights on Friday and 400 more on Saturday, with airports in Dallas, Atlanta, Oklahoma City and Tulsa being among those worst hit so far. Several schools were also closed on Fridays, with the expected drop in temperature increasing the risk of frostbite as children wait outside for school buses. Residents have hit the shops in anticipation of the storm, with ice melt among the items selling fastImage: Will Newton/Getty Images"

Some 160 million people across the United States faced a massive winter storm affecting the eastern two-thirds beginning Friday. An ice storm was expected to hit Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma, move through the midlands, and reach Washington, DC, New York and Boston. Forecasters warned damage could rival a hurricane, particularly where ice accumulates. Thousands of power line workers were on standby as outages could last days, and past failures in Texas raised concern. Airlines cancelled about 650 flights over two days and several schools closed. Governors declared emergencies, salt trucks treated roads, and residents stocked supplies including ice melt.

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