Donald Trump has dismissed concerns about global warming as the United States grapples with a severe ice storm amid frigid weather conditions.
The US President, known for his controversial statements, has consistently cast doubt on climate change, leading to the US pulling out of international climate agreements and advocating for the use of fossil fuels with his “drill baby drill” mantra.
Using the current extreme weather in the US as a platform, Trump once again questioned the concept of global warming. Previously labeling climate change as a hoax, he now refers to advocates of climate action as “environmental insurrectionists.”
Taking to Truth Social, Trump wrote, “Record Cold Wave expected to hit 40 States. Rarely seen anything like it before. Could the Environmental Insurrectionists please explain — WHATEVER HAPPENED TO GLOBAL WARMING???”
Across a vast swath of the country, from New Mexico to the Carolinas, millions of Americans are preparing for a potentially devastating ice storm that could cause significant damage to trees, power lines, and lead to prolonged power outages. Major cities like Washington, DC, Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston are predicted to face challenging travel conditions due to heavy snowfall.
Approximately 160 million people, almost half of the US population, are under various watches, warnings, and alerts related to the impending winter storm, as announced by the National Weather Service. The alerts span from the western states of Arizona and Montana to the eastern regions of the Carolinas and Maine.
The storm is forecasted to commence on Friday and persist through the weekend, bringing heavy snowfall and various wintry precipitation forms, including freezing rain and sleet. Meteorologists predict an atmospheric river of moisture that will sweep across Texas and other Gulf Coast states before moving northeastward through Georgia and the Carolinas.
Weather service forecasters on the East Coast anticipate snow accumulations exceeding a foot in major cities along the I-95 corridor from D.C. to Boston, with increasing confidence that the storm will impact these metropolitan areas significantly.
In Washington, D.C., forecasters from the weather service’s Washington/Baltimore office warn of a high-risk situation due to the combination of heavy snow, ice, and prolonged frigid temperatures, posing a significant threat to life and property throughout the region.