New York, December 27 (RHC)-- The death toll from a once-in-a-generation winter storm that brought Arctic temperatures and heavy snow to much of the U.S. has risen to more than 50.  More than half of the dead are in Buffalo, New York, where search-and-rescue crews are searching for people trapped under more than four feet of snow.  

New York Governor Kathy Hochul said it was the worst blizzard ever in a city known for its inclement winter weather.   Gov. Hochul said: “And this will go down in history as the most devastating storm in Buffalo’s long, storied history of having battled many battles, many, many major storms.”

The winter weather grounded thousands of flights and caused chaos on some of the busiest travel days of the year.  In Texas, federal regulators have granted the Electric Reliability Council of Texas permission to exceed air quality limits and pollute more than is usually allowed, in order to meet surging demand due to freezing temperatures. 

Meanwhile, Jackson, Mississippi, has once again issued a “boil water” order for city residents after cold temperatures caused pipes to burst and brought pressure through the city’s crumbling water system to a trickle.