Cold wave rolls over USA: "Mountains are still dead" - video shows bizarre ice world

Created: 2022-12-28Updated: 2022-12-28, 4:50 p.m

By: Martina Lippl

Monster storm in the United States hit the city of Buffalo, New York, in particular.

© JOED VIERA/afp

Extreme snowfall and freezing cold have been causing chaos in the USA for days.

The city of Buffalo in the state of New York is particularly affected.

All information in the news ticker.

• Masses of snow in the US city of Buffalo (New York state): emergency services rescue the dead from their cars or under snowdrifts.

• Snowstorm "Elliott" in the USA: Military police impose driving ban in Buffalo.

• This news ticker on 

  extreme weather

   in the city of Buffalo and the USA is continuously updated.

Update from December 28, 12:31 p.m .:

The situation in Buffalo is incredibly dangerous after the severe winter storm, as the many deaths show.

In addition to the masses of snow, some houses are even covered by a complete layer of ice, as several pictures and videos on social media show.

The news podcast

s features one of these chilling, but fascinating footage.

Winter Storm “Elliott”: snow clearing almost impossible – military police imposed driving ban in Buffalo

First report from December 28, 2022:

Buffalo – The US Weather Service had warned of a severe winter storm before Christmas.

Then an Arctic cold front – also known as a bomb cyclone – swept across much of the country.

Massive snowfalls and extreme cold caused chaos.

Several states declared states of emergency.

Millions of US citizens had to cancel their holiday travel plans.

Traveling in these conditions is extremely dangerous.

Storm "Elliott" developed into a "historic winter storm".

In addition, temperatures dropped well below minus 30 degrees in some cases - in the US state of Montana even below 40 degrees.

Masses of snow in the US city of Buffalo (New York state): emergency services rescue the dead from their cars or under snowdrifts

At least 50 people have died nationwide in the "Snowstorm of the Century".

In the Erie County area in the US state of New York, the authorities report almost 31 deaths.

"We are recovering from one of the worst storms we have ever seen, unfortunately with the highest death toll we have ever had from any storm," Erie County Administrator Mark Poloncarz said at a news conference Tuesday.

A blizzard in 1977 claimed 29 lives.

Monster storm in the United States hit the city of Buffalo, New York, in particular.

© JOED VIERA/afp

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Snowstorm in the USA: Nurse (22) gets stuck in the snow with her car – dead

The city of Buffalo (275,000 inhabitants) is particularly affected in the county west of New York.

In Buffalo, the dead were found in cars, homes and snowdrifts.

Some people died while shoveling snow, others died because rescue workers could not respond to medical emergencies in time.

More bodies are expected to be found as the snow is cleared or melts.

Rescue workers search stuck cars.

A young nurse (22) got stuck with her car in the snow on her way from work.

Only 18 hours later, rescue workers found the 22-year-old dead, reports the afp news agency.

The forces themselves had been trapped in the snow.

Snow chaos in the USA: military police imposed a driving ban in snow-covered Buffalo

The city of Buffalo is buried under masses of snow.

The snow is almost meters high.

According to its own statements, Buffalo Niagara International Airport will remain closed until at least December 28th.

The amount of snow is historic, even if the area is winter and snow tried.

However, the extreme onset of winter is currently challenging the city.

Clearing the streets is almost impossible.

A driving ban still applies.

State and military police were dispatched Tuesday to keep people off Buffalo's snow-covered streets.

In Buffalo, only snow plows and tracked excavators are allowed to drive on the snowy roads.

The police shared photos of stranded cars in the snow on social media.

"They can definitely go out and check on neighbors, go to open shops, and so on.

But don't drive," Poloncarz wrote on Twitter.

Snowstorm in the USA: A New York State Trooper car blocks the entrance to Route 198 in Buffalo.

© Jeffrey T. Barnes/dpa

Thousands of people are without power in Buffalo days after the storm.

Many grocery stores and pharmacies are still closed.

Some residents are desperate.

Most major highways in the area have reopened.

According to the weather service, temperatures are expected to rise to 10 degrees by the weekend.

The blizzard wasn't the first winter spectacle in the USA.

Large amounts of snow caused a state of emergency in New York as early as November.