Death Toll from Dangerous Arctic Blasts Surges Across 12 States

Amid dangerous arctic weather in the U.S., the number of dead in weather-related incidents continues to rise across 12 states.

Following a week of heavy snowfall, windy conditions and freezing temperatures across the U.S brought by an arctic front, the National Weather Service (NWS) warned on Saturday of another Arctic blast that will bring cold temperatures and dangerous wind chills to the Plains and the Mississippi Valley, to the eastern US. Freeze alerts were issued overnight across the South, from Texas to Florida. Additionally, higher elevation snow is expected across the West and heavy rain is expected in northern California.

"As the latest round of snow rapidly departs the northeastern U.S., a large
dome of arctic high pressure system will dominate the eastern two-thirds
of the country through the weekend," NWS said.

Newsweek has reached out to NWS via email for comment.

According to the Associated Press, this weekend's expected freezing temperatures come after at least 55 deaths around the country have been reported as of Saturday, many of them involving hypothermia or road accidents, including Tennessee, which alone recorded 19 deaths.

On Friday, local news KGW reported at least 12 people have died as a result of winter weather conditions in the Portland, Oregon area since last Friday. Oregon's governor, Tina Kotek, declared a statewide emergency Thursday night, nearly a week after the start of the dangerous weather conditions.

Additionally, thousands have been without power since last weekend in parts of Oregon's Willamette Valley because of the freezing rain.

The cold temperatures in Washington state were also to blame for five deaths. While a statement from Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear reported five deaths from the freezing weather and urged Kentuckians to stay off the roadways unless necessary. Another two people died from exposure to the freezing temperatures in Louisiana, where temperatures in part of the state stayed below freezing for more than two days.

According to NBC News, another six deaths in Illinois and Mississippi, three in New York state, and there were one each in Arkansas, Wisconsin, Wyoming and New Hampshire, according to local and state officials.

While Americans across the U.S. continue to brace the bone-chilling cold and dangerous icy conditions, residents with weather warnings, particularly in the worst-affected areas, are urged to stay at home until conditions improve. Motorists are warned that conditions on roads may be icy and that visibility is likely to be poor due to blowing snow.

A potential thaw is not expected until next week, when the forecast calls for above-average temperatures across most of the country, according to the NWS.