Severe cold temperatures and perilous wind chills persisted across the U.S. on Monday, creating unprecedented cold conditions for Iowa’s presidential nominating contest.
Approximately 150 million Americans were under a wind chill warning or advisory due to the Arctic air mass moving south and eastward.
Sunday witnessed extremely low temperatures, ranging from minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit to minus 40 F in northern and northeast Montana, with Saco, Montana, plummeting to minus 51 F. Subzero lows extended as far south as Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, and parts of Indiana. The Buffalo Bills faced challenges preparing Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, for a delayed playoff game, seeking shovelers to clear more than a foot and a half of snow.
Citizen shovelers, undeterred by the daunting task, worked in freezing temperatures to help prepare the stadium for the game. Despite high snow totals in neighboring towns, Bills fans showed resilience, contributing to their team’s cause.
The frigid weather also impacted the Iowa caucuses, affecting voter turnout and creating dangerous travel conditions. Campaigns anticipated the cold to be a factor in the opening contest of the Republican presidential primary process.
Air travel experienced disruptions with FlightAware reporting around 2,000 cancellations within, into, or out of the United States on Monday, along with numerous delays. In Utah, where almost four feet of snow fell in 24 hours, a snowmobiler lost their life in a collision with a semitrailer.
Swirling snow and avalanche dangers led to road closures in Utah and Colorado, with officials closing a stretch of Interstate 70 in Colorado. Warming centers were opened for stranded motorists, and ice jam warnings were issued in Wyoming and Montana.
Light snowfall was expected in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast on Monday and Tuesday, with Washington, D.C. anticipating 2 to 3 inches, marking the most snowfall in a day in the capital in at least two years. The harsh winter conditions continued to impact various regions across the country.
