Massive storm slams US with snow, ice, bitter cold

AFP | Washington

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A powerful winter storm hammered the United States yesterday, with meteorologists warning millions in the east faced blizzard conditions and some areas would see the heaviest snowfall in a decade.

More than 60 million people are in the path of the dangerous storm, set to plunge the eastern half of the United States into a deep freeze of Arctic air through Monday resulting in severe travel disruptions.

The National Weather Service (NWS) warned of ice, snow and gale-force winds in states from the Central Plains to the Mid-Atlantic.

Winter storm warnings have been issued from western Kansas clear across to the coastal states of Maryland, Delaware and Virginia, an unusually broad 1,500-mile (2,400-kilometer) swath under immediate threat.

"Disruptive winter storm to impact the Central Plains to the Mid-Atlantic through Monday with widespread heavy snow and damaging ice accumulations," the NWS warned earlier. In its latest report early Sunday the agency's Weather Prediction Center said the storm will produce heavy snowfall and wind gusts exceeding 40 mph (64 kph) in parts of Kansas and Missouri.

The snowfall amounts will exceed 15 inches (38 centimeters) "the heaviest in a decade", the agency said. Scientists say extreme weather is becoming more common and more severe as a result of manmade climate change.