US winter storm: Americans and Canadians face mass outages on Christmas Day

2 years ago 53
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WATCH: Wind, snow, bitter acold harvester for historical storm

More than 1 cardinal Americans and Canadians are facing Christmas Day without powerfulness arsenic a monolithic wintertime tempest continues to pummel North America.

A weaponry cyclone, erstwhile atmospheric unit plummets, has brought snow, beardown winds and freezing temperatures.

Nearly 250 cardinal are affected, and astatine slightest 19 deaths person been linked to the tempest that extends much than 2,000 miles (3,200km) from Quebec to Texas.

Thousands of flights person been cancelled during the festive period.

The occidental US authorities of Montana is the worst deed by the cold, with temperatures dropping to -50F (-45C).

Near white-out conditions person been reported successful Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin and Michigan. In the metropolis of Buffalo, New York state, the US National Weather Service (NWS) reported "zero mile" visibility.

In the Pacific Northwest, immoderate residents ice-skated connected frozen streets successful Seattle and Portland.

Coastal flooding has been seen successful America's north-eastern New England region, inundating communities and downing powerfulness lines.

Image source, Getty Images

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This antheral successful Minneapolis, Minnesota state, intelligibly struggled to wide a transition from dense snow

Image source, Reuters

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This edifice successful Hamburg, New York state, was covered successful crystal from the spray of Lake Erie waves

Image source, Reuters

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In Canada, a fig of motorists person had to wantonness their vehicles successful blizzards successful the state of Ontario

Even the usually milder confederate states of Florida and Georgia are experiencing hard-freeze warnings.

The lone portion that has mostly been spared the acold upwind is California wherever continental upland ranges are helping to support the Golden State.

In Canada, the provinces of Ontario and Quebec were bearing the brunt of the Arctic blast.

Much of the remainder of the country, from British Columbia to Newfoundland, was nether utmost acold and wintertime tempest warnings.

A fig of the storm-related fatalities person progressive roadworthy postulation accidents, including a 50-car pile-up successful Ohio that killed 4 motorists. Another 4 died successful abstracted crashes successful the state.

Travel problems crossed the state were being exacerbated by a shortage of snowplough operators, with debased wage rates being blamed.

The NWS says much than 100 regular acold somesthesia records could beryllium tied oregon breached implicit the adjacent fewer days.

Have you been affected by the terrible upwind successful the US and Canada? Please email us: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

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