Winter Storm Fern snarls US travel as millions brace for deep freeze

Shafaq News– Washington

Winter Storm Fern paralysed air travel across the United States on Monday, grounding more than 10,000 flights and placing up to two-thirds of the population under winter weather warnings.

FlightAware reported that roughly 35% of domestic flights were cancelled, stranding thousands of passengers, marking the worst aviation disruption since the 2020 COVID-19pandemic peak.

Authorities said between 140 million and 240 million Americans were affected by snow, ice, and extreme cold. At least 24 states declared emergencies, while US President Donald Trump issued federal disaster declarations for several states to speed up aid.

In Tennessee, ice brought down power lines, plunging large parts of Nashville into darkness. Louisiana officials confirmed two deaths linked to cold exposure. In Washington, authorities rushed to expand shelter capacity as temperatures dropped to dangerous levels.

Despite the disruption, residents in the capital and surrounding areas briefly turned snow-covered streets into play areas, as schools closed and travel remained largely at a standstill.