A winter storm sweeping through the United States this week could bring parts of the country the coldest Christmas in four decades, forecasters said.

The super-cold snap started in the Pacific Northwest before moving east and strengthening into a "bomb cyclone" on Friday.

A bomb cyclone is a system of low pressure - similar to a hurricane - that quickly absorbs energy and brings cold temperatures, snow and high winds. (Source: NASA/CIRA)

Alerts issued in 37 states, affecting 9000 million Americans

Cold snap warnings were issued in 37 states, affecting more than 9000 million Americans.About 80% of the United States will drop below freezing, even including southern states like Texas, and even the "Sunshine State" Florida will usher in the coldest Christmas in 30 years.

(Source: "Washington Post")

The National Weather Service (NWS) said parts of the country could experience a freezing cold of -50 degrees Fahrenheit (-45 degrees Celsius) to -70 degrees Fahrenheit (-57 degrees Celsius) by the end of the week. The NWS warns on its website: "Wind chill of this magnitude can cause frostbite in less than five minutes if precautions are not taken, and prolonged exposure to cold can also cause hypothermia and death. "

And all of this is just in time for the Christmas holiday travel rush.

Whether you plan to travel by plane or car during the Christmas holidays, you may face delays, cancellations and other unexpected situations, and you need to be prepared in advance just in case.

What should I do if the flight is paralyzed in a large area?

The bad weather means that the airport is in chaos or even "paralyzed". According to the forecast of the American Automobile Association AAA, the airport will be very crowded during the holiday season. It is expected that nearly 720 million Americans will fly between December 12 and January 23. This is a 1% increase over last year and is almost on par with 2.

(Source: Getty Images)

In order to keep abreast of airport and flight dynamics,First, you need to install a flight tracker app on your phone, or use an airline app to monitor your flight and set up alerts that can help you act quickly if a flight is delayed or even canceled.

If your flight is cancelled, many airlines, including United, American and JetBlue, are willing to rebook passengers on other flights at no extra cost.Of course, check the details with your airline first, as each airline has different requirements for when passengers can rebook.

(Source:Getty Images)

Scott Keyes, founder of Scott's Cheap Flights, said: "If your flight is cancelled, federal law obligates airlines to provide full refunds upon request, even if the flight is canceled due to weather.Scott's Cheap Flights is a service provider that tracks airline ticket transactions and emails them to customers.

"As a passenger it's not your fault and you are entitled to a full cash refund if you want it," Mr Keith said.

Mr Keith added,Airlines may also offer refunds if a flight is "significantly delayed" if you decide not to fly, although they are not required to do so.Different airlines have different definitions of "significant delay", but as a rule of thumb,Usually a delay of 2 to 3 hours can be considered serious.

Airline related policies

For airline-specific policies, consult the Department of Transportation's schedule of what 10 airlines can offer if a flight is delayed or canceled for reasons within the airline's control, such as staffing.

Compensation measures that 10 airlines can provide for flight cancellations due to controllable factors (Source: U.S. Department of Transportation website)

Compensation measures that 10 airlines can provide for flight delays due to controllable factors (Source: U.S. Department of Transportation website)

The agency said in August it was working on a rule change toAirlines are required to refund passengers who are delayed by three hours in departure or arrival on domestic flights or by six hours on international flights.

In addition,Passengers stranded at the airport can also negotiate with airlines for vouchers, even if the airline is under no obligation to provide a voucher in the event of a delay or cancellation due to weather.

Please pay attention to these when driving

About 1.02 million people plan to drive between Dec. 12 and Jan. 23, according to AAA, which is 1 million more people than will drive during the Christmas holidays in 2 and almost on par with 2021, when 360 million people took to the roads. (The record was set in 2018, when 1.025 million people traveled by car over the Christmas holiday.)

(Source: Getty Images)

INRIX traffic analyst Bob Pishue said,Try to drive on Christmas Day if you can.

But if you must travel before Christmas, avoid driving between 12pm and 23pm on December 4, and between noon and 7pm on December 12. 

"The AAA strongly recommends that drivers carry an emergency kit," said Aixa Diaz, a spokeswoman for the group.

An emergency kit should include a phone charger, a flashlight with extra batteries, first aid kit, reflectors, ice scraper or snow brush, shovel, drinking water, plenty of food and treats, and don’t forget to bring treats for your pets .

Drivers should prepare warm gloves, clothing, hats and blankets for everyone in the vehicle.They should also clean the headlights, replace old wiper blades and check the vehicle's tire pressure.

Drivers should refrain from using cruise control in slippery conditions and try to stay in the same lane as much as possible, as there may be ice between the lanes.

"If you hit a patch of ice and start to skid, try to stay calm and resist the urge to brake suddenly,” Ms. Diaz said.Instead, see where you want the car to go and drive in that direction."

 

* This article is an original article on food,

It represents the author's position and does not involve any commercial interests.

It is for transmission and reference only and does not constitute any suggestion of behavior.