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A dangerous winter storm system has endangered lives and breaking records across the United States. Some reports have indicated that at least 4 people have died linked to a dangerous winter storm system. CBS News also reported that millions of businesses and homes in Texas are without power and heat, as the electrical system struggles to meet the demand. One person died on an interstate in Kentucky when they lost control of their vehicle and were hit by a semi-truck. A 50-year-old man in Louisiana also died after slipping on ice and hitting his head on the ground. A 78-year-old man died in Texas after falling on his front lawn and being stuck in the cold for two hours, and a 10-year-old boy died in Tennessee after falling into a frozen pond. The boy’s 6-year-old sister also fell through the ice into the pond, but she was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

The record cold snap has turned Texas into a hell. Flurries fell in south Texas, blanketing Galveston’s sandy beaches in white. The city manager of Galveston has warned infrastructure damage caused by the extreme temperatures could rival the cost of a hurricane. Frozen roads sent an 18-wheeler careening out of control near Austin. A man jumped out of the way just seconds before a car lost control and crashed into a police cruiser. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said, “The ultra-low temperatures will last for several days, meaning that what becomes frozen will remain frozen for a long period of time”. The firefighters in Vermont rescued a young man from frigid waters after he fell through the ice.

Tennessee roads turned into ice rinks after frozen precipitation fell. Cars were at a standstill on a slippery highway in Little Rock, Arkansas, trapping nurses who just got off their shift. The temperature in parts of Oklahoma dipped below 20 degrees for 5 days straight for the 3^rd time ever. The crews worked to clear snow as fast as they could with another storm looming. The cold caused a transformer to blow in Louisiana, ripping a fireball through power lines. The agency overseeing Texas’s power grid has declared its highest emergency level in over a decade. Texans are sitting in the dark Monday night after rolling blackouts were issued due to high power demand. The power outages are also complicating the fight against the pandemic.