A severe winter storm swept across the United States, cutting power for more than a million people in several states as temperatures plunged below freezing. The Poweroutage portal notes that the bulk of the outages occurred in the Northeast, a region that includes New York, Maine, New Hampshire, and Connecticut, where well over 860,000 residents lost electricity. The disruption touched many communities, from urban centers to rural towns, and affected essential services, schools, and businesses that rely on steady electric supply for warmth and daily operations. The outage figures reflect a striking contrast between densely populated areas and more sparsely populated regions, yet the impact was felt widely across the Northeast and beyond as winter weather intensified.
Within this larger pattern, the New England area accounted for about 534,000 outages, distributed across Maine with roughly 250,000 customers, New Hampshire around 100,000, Massachusetts near 68,000, and Connecticut close to 50,000. Across the Atlantic Seaboard, more than 330,000 customers faced interruptions to their power as the storm pressed inland and affected several near-sea-coast states. In New York alone, about 90,000 residents confronted outages, while Pennsylvania reported around 80,000, and both Virginia and Maryland each saw more than 60,000 customers go without electricity. These numbers underscore the widespread reach of the storm and the varying severity from one locality to another, influenced by infrastructure, weather patterns, and local mitigation efforts. The data from the outage tracker illustrates how a single weather event can ripple across multiple states, creating challenges for utilities, emergency responders, and residents who must navigate cold conditions and potential disruptions to heating and critical services.
The U.S. National Weather Service NWS continues to monitor the system, warning that the major winter storm is likely to persist and evolve. Forecasters expect heavy snowfall, persistent winds, and lingering cold to affect a large portion of the nation, with up to 200 million people potentially impacted by a mix of travel hazards and power interruptions as the storm continues through the weekend. Weather services and utility providers emphasize preparedness measures and response plans to help communities cope with ongoing outages, encourage residents to conserve energy where possible, and advise travelers to monitor local advisories for travel advisories and safety recommendations. The situation remains dynamic, with continuous updates guiding emergency management actions and public safety communications across affected areas (Source: National Weather Service and utility outage trackers).