AFP, New York

More than half a million Americans woke up without power yesterday, as freezing temperatures gripped swathes of the country in a monster storm that has killed at least 30 people.

A frigid, life-threatening Arctic air mass could delay recovery as municipalities from New Mexico to Maine tried to dig out following the storm, which dropped a vicious cocktail of heavy snow and wind, along with freezing rain and sleet.

Forecasters warned that much of the northern half of the country will see temperatures that are “continuously below freezing through February 1,” the National Weather Service said in an X post.

It added that “record low temperatures” hit southern states, which are unaccustomed to intense winter weather.

While skies began clearing in parts of the country, relentless snowfall in northeast meant parts of Connecticut saw over 22 inches of snow, with more than 16 inches recorded in Boston. The storm was linked to at least 30 deaths, according to a compilation of state government and local media reports.