Washington, DC: A fierce winter storm dubbed “Fern” has plunged over a million Americans into darkness, snapping power lines under thick ice accumulations from Texas to New England. A report filed by Al Jazeera said the deadly tempest, packed with freezing rain, sleet, and snow, killed at least 10 people, triggered mass flight cancellations, and prompted emergency declarations across 20 states.
As of Monday morning, PowerOutage.us reported 1,005,641 customers blacked out, with Tennessee hardest hit with over 330,000 outages, followed by Texas (90,000+), Mississippi (80,000), Louisiana, Georgia, and Kentucky, the report said.
In the Southwest where states like Tennessee and Georgia — unprepared for such ferocity — face prolonged blackouts and travel chaos. “Prolonged power outages, widespread tree damage, and severely hazardous travel conditions” are forecast, the National Weather Service warned, with Arctic cold gripping the region into next week.
A CNBC report said President Donald Trump authorized federal aid for 12 states, deploying FEMA rescue teams amid 11,500 flight cancellations and 16,000 delays at places like Atlanta and Washington. Tennessee’s Nashville saw 200,000 outages alone, while Louisiana reported hypothermia deaths. Northern states brace for wind chills below -50°F (-45°C), risking frostbite in minutes.
Governors urged residents to stay indoors as roads turned treacherous. “This storm spans 2,000 miles, a remarkable widespread impact,” said NWS meteorologist Allison Santorelli.
