Winter storm grounds more than 1,200 flights across the US

Severe winter weather disrupted travel and power supply across large parts of the United States, forcing the cancellation of more than 1,200 flights and leaving tens of thousands of customers without electricity, according to a report published by Bloomberg on Sunday.

Heavy snowfall affected multiple states, with parts of North Carolina recording double-digit snow accumulations both inland and along coastal areas. The National Weather Service said snowfall was expected to taper off by midday Sunday as conditions gradually improved.

Forecasters noted that while the storm system is expected to strengthen as it moves into the Atlantic, its most severe effects are likely to remain offshore.

The latest bout of winter weather has added strain to US power grids, particularly in the Carolinas. Duke Energy, a major electricity and natural gas provider in North Carolina, urged customers to reduce power consumption during peak morning hours on Monday to help prevent temporary outages.

Power disruptions continued across parts of the southern United States, where ice damage from an earlier storm brought down transmission lines. Outage tracking data showed that nearly 178,000 homes and businesses across several states were still without electricity.

Air travel disruptions persisted nationwide, with Charlotte Douglas International Airport reporting the highest number of flight cancellations as the storm continued to affect operations.