The central United States are currently experiencing the impact of Storm Blair, causing heavy snowfall, ice, rain and blizzards all over the country from from Kansas City to Washington. The storm is caused by the polar vortex, an area of cold air circulating around the Arctic.
Since Blair has hit over 60 million people starting on Sunday, officials are urging Americans to stay at home while travel conditions have taken a turn for the worse. The governors of Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, Arkansas and parts of New Jersey have already declared states of emergency, while Maryland is in a state of preparedness.
With up to 40 cm of snowfall, Kansas City is seeing its heaviest snow in 32 years and AccuWeather forecaster Dan DePodwin talked about the potentially coldest month of January for the US since 2011, as the snowfall, ice, rain and storms will be followed by a steep drop in temperature in many places across the US. Meanwhile, large parts of Canada are also under alert.
Meteorologist @JimCantore was reporting on the latest impacts of Winter Storm Blair in Kansas City on Sunday morning when thundersnow occurred. Check out his reaction: pic.twitter.com/lxpXlJvptW
— The Weather Channel (@weatherchannel) January 5, 2025
Travellers have been and are expected to be heavily impacted by the extreme weather conditions. According to data gathered by FlightAware, 8,467 flights within the US were delayed on Sunday, 5 January, and 1,809 were cancelled altogether. At the time of writing, those numbers are already up to 414 and 1,275 for Monday, with more expected to follow.
On the road, conditions don’t seem to be much better. Following multiple accidents, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear asked residents to “please stay home” and storm chaser Brian Emfinger stated on X that roads around Kansas City were transformed into “a skating rink”. Those icy conditions are set to spread all over the country, from the Ohio Valley over the central Appalachians to the Mid-Atlantic and Washington.
🔺Attention NW Missouri 🔺
— MSHP General HQ (@MSHPTrooperGHQ) January 5, 2025
🔺 Interstate Closure Alert 🔺
Where: I-29, both directions
110 mile-marker to the 56 mile-marker
(Between Rock Port and US 71)
Why: Due to treacherous conditions this area of I-29 is closed until further notice.
We will be sweeping the area in… pic.twitter.com/I483QXPoF9
With US lawmakers meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington today, 6 January, to formally certify president-elect Donald Trump and vice president-elect JD Vance, the weather conditions could make that event more difficult than expected. However, even though US federal government offices in Washington will be closed on Monday, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson stated the weather would not prevent lawmakers from carrying out their duties.
“If you don’t need to be on the roads tonight and tomorrow, stay home. Please stay off our roads”, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser said in a press conference on Sunday, stating authorities are doing all they can to open the roads and get the city functioning once again.
