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A least 9 dead as massive winter storm leaves more than a million without power and bitter cold across much of the U.S.

DLNews Weather:

The U.S. is preparing for a "historic" winter storm just before Christmas. An Arctic cold front will pass over parts of the country, the U.S. Weather Service warns. It said the storm would bring extreme cold, heavy snowfall, and icy winds.

U.S. media, citing weather experts, warned that a particularly severe storm could develop - a "bomb cyclone." In some places, it will be so cold that frostbite threatens within minutes, authorities said. In some areas, "life-threatening" temperatures are expected with strong winds.

Nearly 280 million people are affected by the weather warnings.

The U.S. Weather Service said the "record-breaking cold" would spread from the Rocky Mountains to the eastern half of the United States. New York State was predicted to experience a storm, "the likes of which occur only once in a generation."

But it won't just hit the northern and midwestern parts of the country - the southern U.S. will also be affected. Extreme freeze warnings have already been declared for the states of Louisiana, parts of Mississippi, Alabama, and Texas.

Flights canceled, chaos expected.

This storm is likely to have far-reaching effects on travel, he said. This is likely difficult for many people who want to travel to their families over Christmas. According to media reports, thousands of flights have already been canceled.

Chicago and Detroit airports are among the country's major hubs, and severe snowstorms are expected. Strong winds, rain, and ice could also affect highways and airports in the East Coast metropolitan areas of Washington, Philadelphia, New York, and Boston.

Three people were killed in traffic accidents in the U.S. state of Kansas. The cause was snow and icy roads, police said Thursday (local time), according to a report in the newspaper USA Today.

President Joe Biden warned his countrymen, "This is not like a nice snow day in childhood. This is really serious."