Mega winter storm causes at least 30 deaths nationwide

A massive winter storm with dangerous polar temperatures lashed much of the United States for the third straight day Monday, causing at least 30 deaths, according to an AFP count, power outages and thousands of planes grounded.

A frigid and potentially deadly mass of Arctic air could delay the resumption of normal activities in locations from New Mexico to Maine hit by the storm, which brought a violent combination of heavy snowfall and strong winds.

The death toll rose to at least 30 from the extreme phenomenon, according to a compilation of reports from authorities and local media, with causes including hypothermia, traffic accidents, sledding, off-road vehicles and snowplows.

In New Jersey, a man was found dead in the snow with a shovel in his hand.

In New York City, eight more people were found lifeless amid the plummeting temperature, although the causes of their deaths are still under investigation.

Power began to return, but as of Monday night, nearly 600,000 customers were still without service, according to tracking website Poweroutage.us.

Tennessee, Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana, southern states unaccustomed to the intense winter weather and freezing cold that is forecast to continue much of next week, were especially hard hit.

Approximately 190 million people in the United States were under some form of extreme cold warning, the National Weather Service (NWS) told AFP.

Residents as far south as the Gulf Coast were expected to experience frigid temperatures overnight well into the week.

And in the Great Lakes region, people woke up to extreme temperatures that could cause skin frostbite within minutes.

Low temperatures

In parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin, the NWS reported early Monday morning temperatures as low as 87.1 °F, with wind chill exacerbating the situation.

Over the weekend, nearly half the states received at least 12 inches (30.5 centimeters) of snow.

New Mexico's Bonito Lake accumulated the most total snowfall in the country over the weekend, with 31 inches (78.7 centimeters) according to official reports.

Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell told reporters that trees continued to fall under the weight of encrusted ice in Tennessee's capital, sometimes cutting power where it had already been restored.

The city's police and fire departments were leading a new task force that is working to connect residents without electricity with transportation to a heated emergency shelter.

Many other municipalities around the country were setting up similar shelters.