A major winter storm swept across the United States on Jan. 23, bringing heavy snow, strong winds, and freezing temperatures. Meteorologist have been calling the storm Winter storm Fern. The storm caused a widespread of disruptions across the country, affecting millions through travel delays and power outages.

The storm begin on Friday Jan. 23 and moved eastwards leaving over a foot of snow in 19 states, the top level of snow being 31 inches in Bonito Lake NM. The storm caused 34 states to have destructive ice and heavy snow and affected 220 million people across the US. Over 100 deaths have been reported nationwide. The cause of death was most likely exposure to the cold, hypothermia, accidents while shoveling, car crashes and carbon monoxide poisoning from generators.

Air travel experienced major disruptions, with thousands of flights being cancelled at national airports like John F. Kennedy and New York’s LaGuardia. A large amount of roads were closed and authorities advised residents to stay at home unless travel was urgent. As of Sunday Afternoon, many communities are still in the process of recovering. Cleanup efforts were expected to happen throughout the week.

To stay safe during a winter storm, those at home should drip faucets to prevent frozen pipes and keep space heaters at least 3 feet away from flammable items. If a power outage happens, generators should be operated outdoors only and far from windows to keep from carbon monoxide poisoning. For anyone going out, dressing in thick layers is recommended to prevent hypothermia.