A powerful blast of arctic weather caused subzero temperatures and stranded motorists in the Great Plains on Thursday before heading east ahead of Christmas.
The mercury dipped to minus-3 degrees in Wichita, Kansas, by midday and Kansas City officials warned of icy roads and low visibility as the system swept across the middle of the country Thursday, canceling more than 1,000 flights and catching the attention of the White House.
“This is not like a snow day when you were a kid. This is serious stuff,” President Biden said.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency that lasts until Monday as the state braces for temperatures that will plummet into the teens and create icy conditions.