Over 1.5 million people without power as winter storm sweeps through US & Canada

In the United States and Canada, nearly 1.5 million people are without power across several states as a powerful Arctic winter storm sweeps through both countries. 

Large parts of both the countries are under winter weather alerts that stretch from coast-to-coast and as far south as the US-Mexico border. The storm has brought damaging winds and freezing temperatures that can quickly lead to frostbite.

At least six storm-related deaths have been reported in the US. Major airports have cancelled thousands of flights as the storm intensifies. More than 1,400,000 people from Texas to Maine had no electricity as intense winds damaged power lines. Power outages have also been reported in Canada,



affecting 317,900 people in the provinces of Quebec and Ontario. 

The US National Weather Service said that over 200 million people - or roughly 60% of the US population - are under some form of winter weather advisory. 

Much of Canada, from British Columbia to Newfoundland, is also under extreme cold and winter storm warnings. Several school boards in Ontario, including Toronto, have cancelled classes. 

Meteorologists have described the winter storm as a bomb cyclone, a term given to an explosive storm that intensifies rapidly, with its central air pressure dropping by at least 24 millibars in 24 hours.