A massive winter storm swept across most of the northern United States, dropping heavy snow and causing violent thunderstorms and tornadoes in the South. The storm left approximately 500,000 Americans without power from Kentucky to Michigan.
According to AccuWeather, at least 13 people have died due to the winter storm, which first dumped several feet of snow on California's mountains before moving east. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear reported five fatalities in Kentucky due to high-speed winds that toppled trees and power lines and caused damage to homes and other structures. Power crews worked around the clock to restore service to the hundreds of thousands of Kentuckians who lost power during Friday's wind storm.
Tornadoes and thunderstorms were also spawned by the storm system in the South, leaving over 173,500 buildings in Kentucky without electricity as of Sunday evening, according to poweroutage.us. Approximately 71,400 people in Michigan and 30,000 people in Tennessee were also without power.
Teenage Hikers Rescued
According to a relative, two teenage hikers who were lost in the mountains of southern California during the winter storm were found safe after being stranded for several days. The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office sent a helicopter to search for the missing hikers, who had become stranded during their 10-day expedition due to the storm, which dumped a foot of snow on the mountains east of Los Angeles. The teenagers were lucky to be alive after spending three nights huddled together for warmth amid the extreme weather. Although they were prepared for the hike itself, they were not prepared for the massive amount of snow they encountered.
In Kentucky, high winds reached speeds of up to 75 miles per hour last week, causing extensive damage across the state, primarily to trees and electrical lines. Governor Andy Beshear warned on Saturday that it could take several days to restore electricity, and as of Sunday, over 216,000 residents were still without power. Similarly, approximately 110,000 people in Michigan were still without power as of Sunday. Despite the challenging conditions, power crews and authorities are working diligently to clear roads and restore power to the affected areas.
Despite the hazardous weather conditions, two teenage hikers who were lost in the mountains of southern California were found safe and sound after several days. The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office sent a helicopter to locate the two missing teenagers who had become stranded due to a foot of snow dumped by the winter storm.
A winter storm warning remains in effect until Monday morning, with 13 counties declared under states of emergency by California Governor Gavin Newsom. Residents in Southern California may remain stranded in their homes for several more days as most plows are unable to handle the snowfall.
Despite the difficult conditions, power crews, authorities, and search crews are working tirelessly to clear roads and restore power to affected areas.
