US storm cuts power to hundreds of thousands of homes and grounds flights

Snow, sleet, freezing rain and perilously cold temperatures forecast to sweep eastern two-thirds of nation

More than 700,000 households and businesses in the US are without power and over 10,000 flights are expected to be cancelled ahead of a monster winter storm that threatens to paralyse eastern states with heavy snowfall.

Forecasters said snow, sleet, freezing rain and dangerously frigid temperatures would sweep the eastern two-thirds of the nation on Sunday and into next week. Those warnings came after three people were found dead Saturday afternoon on New York City streets “from weather-related circumstances” amid the brutally cold temperatures, as the local NBC affiliate reported.