As the weekend began, millions of Americans braced for a powerful storm moving from the Southwest through the Midwest and into the Northeast. The National Weather Service placed approximately 140 million people under winter storm warnings stretching from New Mexico to New England.
Governors in over a dozen states issued emergency declarations or advised residents to remain indoors. The storm’s impact is expected to include road closures, widespread flight cancellations, and the possibility of extended power outages in areas affected by heavy ice accumulation.
Flight Disruptions and Emergency Declarations across Multiple States
Thousands of weekend flights were canceled as the storm disrupted air travel across the United States. By Saturday, more than 3,400 flights had either been delayed or canceled, and over 5,000 additional cancellations were reported for Sunday, according to the flight tracking site FlightAware.
Travelers across the country experienced last-minute disruptions. One passenger, Angela Exstrom, had her return trip to Omaha from Mexico rerouted through Los Angeles after her flight out of Houston was canceled. “If you live in the Midwest and travel in the winter, stuff can happen,” she said.
As freezing rain and sleet swept into Texas and snow fell in Oklahoma, officials began issuing warnings and taking precautionary measures. According to the National Weather Service, the storm is expected to drop up to a foot of snow from Washington to Boston. Meanwhile, a band of potentially catastrophic ice is forecast from east Texas through North Carolina.
In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott announced on social media that the Department of Transportation was already treating roads in preparation for hazardous conditions. “Stay home if possible,” he advised residents. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, nearly 30 federal search and rescue teams were put on standby, with millions of meals, blankets, and hundreds of generators deployed along the storm’s expected path.
Power Grid Concerns and Extreme Temperatures Threaten Infrastructure
As the storm intensified, utility companies prepared for the possibility of major power outages. Ice accumulation on trees and power lines can cause damage long after precipitation ends, especially in high winds. The Midwest experienced wind chills as low as minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit, with frostbite risks reported in under ten minutes of exposure, according to the National Weather Service.
In North Dakota, where wind chills reached minus 41 degrees, residents bundled up in layers as temperatures dropped. Colin Cross, a worker in Bismarck, said, “I’ve been here awhile and my brain stopped working,” while clearing out an apartment unit. Power companies in Southern states, where most homes rely on electric heating, were mobilizing extra staff to prevent a repeat of the 2021 Texas grid failure. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, electricity remains the primary heating source in 11 Southern states.
Churches and cultural institutions adjusted plans due to the storm. The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville held its Saturday night show without an audience. In Philadelphia, public schools announced closures for Monday, with Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. encouraging safe snowball fights at home.
Across university campuses in the South, including the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Mississippi, Monday classes were canceled. At the University of Georgia, students were advised to leave dorms, but many, like sophomore Eden England, opted to remain. “I’d rather be with my friends… kind of struggling together if anything happens,” she said.
