2025 is starting off with a bang for millions of Americans. No, not fireworks this time. It’s Winter Storm Blair and massive snowfall. Unfortunately, the hazardous conditions are causing deadly crashes and stopping airline travelers in their tracks. 

A winter storm is dumping mass quantities of snow on states from Kansas to the East Coast, causing crashes and travel headaches

Just five days into the new year, the National Weather Service (NWS) issued winter storm warnings across much of the contiguous United States. Winter Storm Blair and other hazardous storm conditions will dump heavy snowfall and bring record-breaking freezing temperatures to states across the American Midwest to portions of the East Coast.

In addition to widespread power outages, the hazardous weather is creating chaotic driving conditions for millions of the country’s motorists. As you might imagine, the heavy snowfall and polar conditions are causing crashes and road closures. A fire truck, the very emergency vehicle that motorists and homeowners depend on in a disaster, overturned on an icy road outside of Salina, Kansas, per ABC News.

Authorities in Missouri and Kansas cautioned the states’ residents against driving in the icy and slick conditions. In Lexington, Kentucky, an overturned semi-truck prompted emergency services to close Interstate 75 to clear the incident. Concurrently, a pickup truck crashed and rolled over on a highway near the incident, leading to further travel delays for the region’s travelers. Many other crashes have hampered roads and busied rescue crews across Kentucky and Southern Indiana.

The news isn’t much better for air travel in the first week of the new year. According to CBS News, airlines are offering travel waivers to passengers nationwide due to the woeful winter weather. American Airlines, Delta, United Airlines, and Southwest Airlines are offering limited rebookings and waiving select fees for stranded or delayed travelers.  

So, what can you do to stay ahead of the snow? For starters, don’t drive if it’s not necessary. Stay home with sufficient supplies like water, food, warming layers, flashlights, and power banks. However, if you must drive, keep it slow and avoid sudden steering or throttle inputs. Moreover, never leave home without an emergency kit or a charged cell phone.