Millions of Americans from the Ohio Valley to the mid-Atlantic are preparing for significant disruptions due to one of winter’s most severe storms. The storm, expected to unleash heavy snowfall, ice, rain, and thunderstorms, is likely to disrupt morning commutes and delay school reopenings across the East Coast.

On this critical day, national attention is also focused on Washington, D.C., where the US House and Senate will convene in a joint session to formally declare Donald Trump and JD Vance the president-elect and vice president-elect. This important event occurs amid warnings of a winter storm anticipated to deposit between five to ten inches of snow, with isolated areas potentially receiving up to 16 inches. Reports suggest that the weather could impact over 60 million people across a swath of approximately 1,300 miles.

In preparation for the storm's impact, various businesses and government agencies have begun announcing closures. Federal offices in Washington, D.C., will be closed, although this does not apply to Congress. Mayor Muriel Bowser emphasized the need for citizens to allow snowplow operations to proceed safely. "If you don’t need to be on the roads tonight and tomorrow, please stay home," she advised.

Furthermore, temperatures across the Central US are predicted to plunge dramatically, with over 45 million individuals from Nebraska to Louisiana under severe cold weather alerts. The National Weather Service projects that by Tuesday, some regions could experience temperature drops of up to 30 degrees below seasonal averages, solidifying any falling snow and ice.

Travel disruptions are evident, with several states, including Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, and New Jersey, declaring states of emergency. Reports indicate that the National Guard has been deployed to manage the hundreds of stranded motorists, especially in Kansas and parts of Indiana, where snowfall has exceeded eight inches coupled with strong winds gusting up to 45 mph, creating treacherous conditions.

Flight disruptions are significant as well, with more than 1,260 flight cancellations reported nationwide early Monday morning due to the storm's progression across the country. Various local schools have announced closures, including all public schools in Washington, D.C., as well as others in Virginia and Ohio, citing safety concerns posed by icy conditions on the roads.

The storm's effects have already led to power outages affecting over 230,000 customers across five states, as sleet and snow bring down power lines. Ice storm warnings are currently in place for regions in southern Illinois, western Kentucky, and southeastern Missouri. In Kentucky, where residents had previously dealt with destructive weather events, Governor Andy Beshear called upon citizens to take the winter warnings seriously.

Travel advisories warn that conditions in affected areas may be "dangerous or impossible for driving," particularly for bridges and overpasses that are likely to become slick. The situation remains critical as blizzard conditions continue in Topeka, Kansas, where recorded snowfall reached 14.1 inches, marking one of the largest single-day accumulations.

Meanwhile, in the South, the storm is expected to spawn embedded thunderstorms. Parts of Arkansas and Louisiana are under a tornado watch as the severe weather threat shifts to the southern Georgia and northern Florida regions. Weather officials continue to monitor the situation closely as conditions evolve.

As the storm progresses and impacts continue to unfold, residents are encouraged to stay updated through trusted sources and heed safety recommendations from local authorities.

For more detailed information on the winter storm's impact, visit CNN.