500,000 homes without power as winter storm puts 180 million Americans at risk
Heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain batters 37 states across the US
Around 500,000 households are without power in the US as heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain batters 37 states.
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A huge winter storm, stretching from the southern Rocky Mountains in the west to New England on the northeast coast, has put more than half the population at risk.
According to the National Weather Service, around 180 million Americans will experience the treacherous conditions.
Josh Weiss, a meteorologist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said the storm was unique in both its broad reach, covering 2,000 miles of the US, and the extreme cold predicted in its wake.
More than 13,000 flights have been cancelled over the weekend - with the number on Sunday the biggest since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to aviation analytics.
Homeland security secretary Kristi Noem has told people to "stay home if possible".
At least 17 states, as well as the District of Columbia, have declared emergencies.
The National Weather Service has warned people to brace for a string of frigid days.
"The snow and the ice will be very, very slow to melt and won't be going away anytime soon, and that's going to hinder any recovery efforts," said meteorologist Allison Santorelli.
Governor of New Jersey, Mikie Sherrill, said she was expecting conditions the "likes of which we haven't seen in years", and announced a 35mph speed limit on highways within the state.
The storm has also left a trail of about half a million power outages, including more than 100,000 each in Mississippi, Texas, and Tennessee.
In Georgia, senior state meteorologist Will Lanxton said it was "perhaps the biggest ice storm we have expected in more than a decade".
The conditions are also difficult in the East, with New York Mayor warning temperatures will be at their lowest in eight years.
He said thousands of bin lorries had been fitted with snow ploughs as consequence of the storm.
