More than 8,000 flights were canceled and 140 million Americans were warned of a major storm

The American authorities announced the cancellation of more than 8,000 flights that were scheduled to take off at the beginning of the week as a major storm approaches that is expected to leave devastation across large parts of the country, threatening to cut off power for days and obstruct major highways. About 140 million people face a winter storm warning extending from New Mexico to New England.

The National Weather Service forecast warned of widespread heavy snowfall and a band of catastrophic ice extending from eastern Texas to North Carolina.

Meteorologists warned that the damage, especially in areas that will receive heavy freezing rain, may be similar to damage caused by hurricanes.