Arctic weather extreme leaves its mark, causing majority of U.S. States to remain frozen

Arctic weather extreme leaves its mark, causing majority of U.S. States to remain frozen

At least 16 people have died in weather-related car crashes over the weekend as an arctic blast swept across the United States, leaving over 700,000 people without power. The freezing temperatures are expected to bring the coldest Christmas Eve on record, putting a strain on energy systems and causing damage to transmission lines. As a result, thousands of flights have been canceled, disrupting travel plans for millions of Americans during one of the busiest travel periods of the year. Flight-tracking service FlightAware reported that more than 2,700 U.S. flights were canceled on Saturday, with total delays exceeding 6,400. On Friday, more than 5,000 flights were canceled. The stormy weather leading up to the weekend has likely kept many people at home, despite the American Automobile Association's estimate that 112.7 million people would be traveling between December 23 and January 2.