Winter storm, sub-freezing cold descend on US, from Rockies to Atlantic Coast
Workers have been preparing for bad weather (AP)
More than 8,000 flights across the US have been cancelled over the weekend as a major storm bears down on the country, threatening to knock out power for days and snarl major roads.
Snow fell over parts of Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas on Friday in a frosty prelude to a monster winter storm expected to converge with bitter Arctic cold and engulf much of the United States over the weekend from the Rockies to the Eastern Seaboard.
At least 14 states and the District of Columbia declared weather emergencies as of Friday morning with roughly 200 million people under a winter storm warning from New Mexico to New England.
The US National Weather Service has warned of widespread heavy snow and a band of catastrophic ice stretching from east Texas to North Carolina.
Forecasts called for heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain, accompanied by dangerously frigid temperatures, to sweep the eastern two-thirds of the nation, threatening to upend travel and spawn widespread power outages.
I have been briefed on the Record Cold Wave and Historic Winter Storm that will be hitting much of the United States this weekend. The Trump Administration is coordinating with State and Local Officials. FEMA is fully prepared to respond. Stay Safe and Stay Warm! President DJT https://t.co/t524rfMjvj
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 24, 2026
"This is a mean storm," said Jacob Asherman, a meteorologist at the US Weather Prediction Center in Maryland, calling it the biggest so far this season in terms of intensity and scope.
Forecasters say damage, especially in areas pounded by ice, could rival that of a hurricane.
Snowfall totals were likely to exceed a foot in the hardest-hit areas of the Rockies, the Plains, the mid-Atlantic and the Northeast, according to the National Weather Service.
Along the southern fringe of the storm's snow belt, sleet and freezing rain were expected to glaze the southern Plains, the lower Mississippi Valley, Tennessee Valley and the Southeast with "catastrophic" ice accumulations, forecasters said.
The worst was predicted for parts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee, where ice up to an inch thick was likely to coat tree limbs, power lines and roadways, Asherman said.
Snow began to fall on Friday over the southern-central Plains and was expected to expand eastward across a broad front, fed by two streams of dense moisture - one blowing in from the Pacific and one welling up from the Gulf of Mexico.
At the same time, a zone of near-record high pressure was migrating out of the Rockies, pulling an Arctic air mass into the US combined with gusty winds, Asherman said.
By Friday night, the edge of the storm sent freezing rain and sleet into parts of Texas while snow and sleet fell in Oklahoma.
Sub-zero conditions were expected to reach as far south as the southern Plains, lower-Mississippi Valley, Ohio Valley and mid-Atlantic into early next week, shattering some record-low temperatures in those regions, forecasters said.
Officials warned that the bone-chilling cold and ice were likely to cause major travel and power disruptions in some areas unaccustomed to heavy winter weather.
Governors in more than a dozen states sounded the alarm about the turbulent weather ahead, declaring emergencies or urging people to stay home.
The forecast in Texas was reminiscent of a 2021 ice storm that cut power to nearly 40% of the state's energy grid and left more than 2.7 million people without electricity for days. That storm was blamed for more than 200 deaths, most due to exposure to the cold.
"Dallas could see a half-inch of ice," said Brandon Buckingham, a meteorologist with private forecasting company AccuWeather.
"This is going to become treacherous very quickly."
Texas governor Greg Abbott told residents on the social media platform X that the state transport department was pre-treating the roads, and told residents: “Stay home if possible.”
Utility companies braced for power outages because ice-coated trees and power lines can keep falling long after a storm has passed.
The state’s largest electrical grid operator, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), said it is ready for this weekend's storm and expects “sufficient generation to meet demand this winter.”
More than 3,400 flights were delayed or cancelled on Saturday, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware. More than 5,000 were called off for Sunday.
Travelers: Be prepared for winter storms. ❄️✈️
— FlightAware (@flightaware) January 23, 2026
View our free resources and stay informed about flight delays and cancellations.https://t.co/HZRU2cN6mv #flightaware #aviation #winterstorm
In the nation's capital, with 4 to 8 inches of snow forecast, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser asked the National Guard to provide high-clearance vehicles to ensure first responders could effectively move through the District.
The storm represents the first major test for New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who took office just weeks ago. He told local news station NY1 on Friday the city's sanitation workforce would transform into "the nation’s largest snow-fighting operation" in advance of the heavy snowfall expected on Sunday.
The US Midwest saw wind chills as low as minus minus 40C, meaning that frostbite could set in within 10 minutes.
Texas, stay weather aware this weekend.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) January 23, 2026
I have activated state emergency response assets, deployed resources statewide, and TxDOT crews are pre-treating roads.
Prepare in advance. Stay home if possible. Use heaters safely–never use generators indoors.
Stay safe.…
In Oklahoma City, which could see up to 12 inches of snow and a glaze of ice before the weekend is over, Morgan Mayo, a manager at the Not Your Average Joe cafe, said customers were packing in on Friday morning to escape the frigid outdoors, where the low hit 8 degrees Fahrenheit on Friday.
"We're going to do our darndest to stay open," even on Saturday, when the high was expected to be just 10 degrees, Mayo said. "We have several employees who live in walking distance and are willing to brave the storm."
The US federal government put nearly 30 search and rescue teams on standby. Officials have more than seven million meals, 600,000 blankets and 300 generators placed throughout the area the storm is expected to cross, officials said.
Power outages are certain for some, especially in areas where the heaviest ice will accumulate on trees and powerlines.
— National Weather Service (@NWS) January 23, 2026
The cold can be deadly--but even without power, there are still ways to warm things up. Closing blinds and curtains and closing room doors can help contain… pic.twitter.com/hzdSXesqWO
President Donald Trump said via social media on Friday that his administration was coordinating with state and local officials and “FEMA is fully prepared to respond”.
After the storm passes, it will take a while to thaw out. Ice can add hundreds of pounds to power lines and branches and make them more susceptible to snapping, especially if conditions are windy.
In at least 11 southern states from Texas to Virginia, a majority of homes are heated by electricity, according to the US Census Bureau.
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