The polar vortex closed down highways, schools and federal buildings and caused power outages to more than 300,000 customers (Representational image)
A major storm system that struck devastation across the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic, blanketing a large swathe of the central and eastern United States in snow and ice yesterday, has claimed at least five lives.
The polar vortex closed down highways, schools, and federal buildings. It caused power outages to more than 300,000 customers across Kentucky, Indiana, Virginia, West Virginia, Illinois and Missouri, according to PowerOutage.us.
Nearly 40 million Americans were under winter weather alerts over the weekend.
Travelers were stranded on highways. Missouri authorities warned motorists to stay home as they closed down roads made treacherous by slippery ice, snow and low visibility. Kansas City International Airport was also temporarily shut down.
Most non-emergency federal employees in Washington D.C. were informed not to come to offices. Several school districts across the winter storm’s path closed in-class instructions.
The storm is expected to cross the Atlantic coast overnight.