Winter storms bring power outages and travel disruptions across the US

A severe winter storm that brought storms and freezing weather to much of the US left nearly a million households without power.

On day two of the storm — the number of customers without power in five states — 820,000 in Michigan alone — rose to more than 945,000.

According to FlightAware data, more than 6,000 US flights have been canceled or delayed.

Meanwhile, other parts of the US experienced unusually warm weather.

The temperature in Washington, D.C., reached 81F (27C) on Thursday, the hottest February temperature since 1874.

The North Carolina cities of Charlotte and Greensboro experienced the highest levels.

The warm winter weather is in stark contrast to the chill that hits Southern California, which is usually warm and sunny year-round.

There, a winter storm warning has been issued for millions of people who have been told to brace for unusually cold, icy winds and snow.

“We are still on track for a dangerous winter storm. Watch for blizzard legs in the mountains,” the National Weather Service (NSS) in Los Angeles tweeted.

According to the NWS, the last time Los Angeles was under a tornado warning was in 1989.

Elsewhere, the cold forced schools, businesses and some state legislatures to close.

Portland, Oregon had nearly 11 inches (28 cm) of snow overnight, the National Weather Service (NWS) reported.

Thick, icy roads caused major traffic delays for commuters, after forecasters predicted a light dusting of snow.

Dylan Rivera, a spokesman for the Portland Bureau of Transportation, told local media that forecasters were unable to predict the “spectacular” snowfall.

“Even if we had a warning, this was a spectacular event. And now, a spectacular event with no warning? That’s a double whammy,” he told Oregon Public Broadcasting.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz called out the National Guard to help drivers stuck on Wintry roads.

The storm also killed a volunteer firefighter in Michigan, who reportedly came into contact with a downed power line.

Oregon officials are also investigating the death from suspected hypothermia, which they believe may be related to the storm.

High winds have been a problem in parts of the US, local media reported, uprooting a giant redwood tree that crashed into the living room of a home in the Bay Area of ​​California. Firefighters said that a one-year-old child is in critical condition.

Bay Area fire departments said they were inundated with downed trees, homes and power lines blocking roads.

In Canada, snow flakes and sleet are forecast overnight after parts of southern Ontario were covered in snow during the evening rush hour on Wednesday.

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