“Astronomical winter” conditions are heading for nearly every state in America ahead of the holiday weekend, according to the National Weather Service. Arctic blizzards, below-freezing temperatures, and intense winds are forecast to impact millions from the Pacific Northwest to the Appalachian Mountains lasting until Saturday afternoon, the government agency said. More than 90 million people across 37 states are under weather alerts, in what the NWS is calling a “once in a generation type event,” with states as far south as Texas bracing for icy conditions. A wall of “dangerous” arctic air sweeping through the US from Western Canada could bring heavy snow in the Northwest and Rocky Mountains, while the Midwest faces possible blizzard conditions and “life-threatening” wind chills before the storm swings eastward. Hong Kong Observatory issues frost warning and cold weather alert According to the NWS, temperatures in the Great Plains could reach as low as -30 degrees Fahrenheit, while wind gusts of up to 60 miles per hour could hit the central and north-central US with temperatures as low as -40F. The agency warned this week that such conditions can be life-threatening and lead to frostbite in just 10 minutes, leaving shelters across the country scrambling to prepare for the dangerous weather. Central Iowa Shelter & Services in Des Moines, Iowa, where temperatures are expected to dip below zero several times this weekend, is already at full bed capacity, a staffer said. “It’s freezing out there,” Verna Williams said. “We are not turning anyone away. Everyone needs somewhere to get warm.” The shelter plans to continue helping walk-ins even as their numbers grow, Williams said, finding chairs and tables for people to use once the beds are gone. She said there were about 260 people at the shelter on Wednesday evening. “Just making sure that they’re able to be safe, and have some warmth, have somewhere for safety, have somewhere to get something to eat and drink,” she said. Shelters in the Midwest are also preparing for sub-zero temperatures and working to get unhoused people off the streets and inside, Perry Hines, chief development officer at Wheeler Mission in Indianapolis said. “During this bitter cold, our neighbours experiencing homelessness are at risk of frostbite, hypothermia, or even death,” Hines said. “The danger is real and we are here to help.” The winter conditions are also almost certain to cause travel nightmares across the country during one of the busiest travel weekends of the year, the NWS warned. Airlines cancelled more than 2,000 US flights, disrupting holiday travel for thousands, as the powerful winter storm hit the United States. The Federal Aviation Administration said on Thursday that the winter storm was bringing blizzard conditions to the Midwest with major travel disruptions expected in Chicago, Detroit and Minneapolis-St. Paul. More than 1,500 US flights were cancelled on Thursday and another 761 flights for Friday were scrapped, according to flight tracking website FlightAware. About 21 per cent of departing flights at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport and 37 per cent of flights at Chicago Midway were cancelled by Thursday afternoon. In the seven days ending on Wednesday, the Transportation Security Administration said it screened nearly 16.2 million passengers, slightly below the 16.5 million screened in the same period in 2019. Last year’s holiday period was marred by an outbreak of Covid-19 among staff that forced airlines to cancel thousands of flights. US airlines, including Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and American Airlines, said earlier this week they were waiving change fees and fare differences for passengers in a range of affected areas. American Airlines said it was continuing to monitor the winter storm, which is expected to affect Midwest, Northeast and East Coast airports this week.