Deep freeze to return to eastern US following deadly winter storms

Wind chill and weather advisories were in effect across the Midwest and much of the eastern United States on Thursday as a new winter storm began to unleash more snowfall and freezing temperatures, closing schools and delaying travel.

By the weekend, at least 3 inches of snow is expected to fall in states stretching across Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin to New York, New Jersey and New England, according to AccuWeather. Snow fell overnight across the Midwest, dumping several inches in Chicago and Detroit.

Several school districts in Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, North Carolina and Kentucky were closed because of the storm.

As the storm moves east, some parts of Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Kentucky, Maryland and New Jersey could see between 3 to 6 inches of snow Thursday night and Friday, AccuWeather said. The weather is expected to snarl traffic and delay travel in Washington D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York City.

Meanwhile, the Southern Plains and Gulf Coast can expect a brief break from the cold Thursday as temperatures return to the 60s and 70s, the National Weather Service said. The pause will be short-lived as another frigid arctic airmass spreads across the eastern half of the U.S. ahead of the weekend.

A swath of freezing rain and heavy mountain snowfall battered the Pacific Northwest on Thursday and is anticipated to continue into the weekend, according to the weather service. The heaviest snowfall is expected over the Cascades and Lower Columbia Basin, where upwards of a quarter to half inch of ice is possible through Saturday morning. Rain along the coastline of Oregon and Washington could lead to flash flooding as the ground is "very saturated," the weather service warned.

Developments:

∎ More than 2,000 flights were delayed or canceled across the U.S. Thursday morning, according to Flight Aware. The airports with the most travel delays were in Seattle, Chicago and Detroit.

∎ Over 80,000 households across the country early Thursday morning were without power across the U.S., according to a database maintained by USA TODAY. Most outages – some 40,000 – were reported in Oregon.

Oregon residents brave freezing temperatures amid power outages

When John Whitfield and his family returned to their home in Springfield, Oregon, on Saturday, they found that the power was out.

Whitfield started a fire and, with his girlfriend and 3-year-old daughter, huddled in front of the hearth. When he woke up the following morning and saw the power was still out, they sought refuge from the below freezing temperatures at a friend's house. In the days since, he's helped friends and neighbors by giving them rides or picking up groceries.

"There's definitely a lot of people reaching out for help right now. A lot of people are just wanting groceries," Whitfield told the Register-Guard, part of the USA TODAY Network. "I've got one guy – he's in Springfield with no power right now – asking if I can take him to Eugene where there's power so he can get warm."

Springfield resident Julia Rhodes at a local gas station on Tuesday, before the next ice storm arrived, told the outlet she had not had power for two days and the temperature inside her house had dropped to about 20 degrees.

"It's getting pretty cold," Rhodes said while getting gasoline for her generator. "It was like 20 degrees inside, and I got a little one and I just got to make sure that he stays warm and that we get some lights for tonight."

Power line falls on car in Portland killing 3 and injuring baby

Three people were killed and a baby was injured Wednesday in Portland, Oregon, when a power line fell on a parked car.

By the time authorities arrived at the scene, two adults and one teenager were dead. The Portland Fire Department believes they were electrocuted when they got out of the vehicle. The baby survived and was taken to a nearby hospital.

Since late last week, when a barrage of winter storms began to slam the Pacific Northwest with freezing temperatures and ice, five people in Oregon died of hypothermia and two were killed by falling trees.

From Utah and Wyoming to Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey, at least three dozen other people have died as a result of weather-related incidents since last weekend. In Tennessee, 14 people suffered weather-related deaths as of Wednesday, according to the state's health department.

So long, subzero temps! A 'dramatic' January thaw is around the corner

Indiana weather map

Storm system brings heavy ice to Pacific Northwest

Alan Reppert, a senior meteorologist at AccuWeather, said an ongoing storm in the Pacific Northwest will bring "some major ice to Portland and Seattle."

The weather service said high snowfall rates and blowing snow are possible and widespread winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories went in effect on Wednesday.

Heavy rainfall also will head south into northern California on Thursday and Friday, along with the risk of localized flash flooding, the service reported.

Oregon weather map

US weather watches and warnings

National weather radar

Contributing: Associated Press, Haleigh Kochanski, Jorge L. Ortiz, John Bacon and Doyle Rice

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Deep freeze to return in the East; heavy ice across Pacific Northwest