A major winter storm struck broad swaths of the U.S., placing more than 140 million people under warnings and causing heavy snow, sleet, freezing rain and widespread power outages. Nearly 14,000 flights were canceled and over 130,000 customers lost power as hazardous travel conditions and catastrophic ice were reported. The National Weather Service warned of prolonged, bitter cold and potential for extensive tree and power-line damage; officials urged residents to avoid travel and prepare for outages.
Major Winter Storm Pummels U.S.: 140M+ Under Warnings, Widespread Outages and Travel Chaos
A plow truck clears snow on I-40 during Winter Storm Fern in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.Photograph: Nick Oxford/Reuters(Photograph: Nick Oxford/Reuters)
A powerful winter storm swept across much of the United States on Saturday, placing more than 140 million people under winter-storm warnings and bringing heavy snow, sleet, freezing rain and widespread power outages.
Snow and ice were reported across the Plains, the South and the Midwest, affecting states including Oklahoma, Iowa, Tennessee, Kansas, Texas and Missouri. The intense cold and hazardous road conditions prompted electric-grid operators to take extra precautions to avoid rolling blackouts.
Human Toll and Local Impacts
Three people were found dead on New York City streets amid freezing temperatures on Saturday afternoon. Police said a 67-year-old man was discovered on a Manhattan sidewalk at about 7:45 a.m.; two additional victims — a man in his 30s and a woman in her 60s — were found separately in Brooklyn. Sources told NBC News New York the deaths were weather-related.
Ice and sleet hit northern Texas overnight and moved into central parts of the state. About one-third of Mississippi’s counties reported ice on roads and bridges. Dominion Energy warned it was preparing for widespread outages in Virginia and North Carolina.
Travel and Power Disruptions
As of Saturday afternoon, FlightAware reported nearly 14,000 canceled flights through Monday that involved U.S. departures, arrivals or connections. PowerOutage.us showed more than 130,000 customers without electricity nationwide, including roughly 61,600 in Texas.
The X account of Chicago & Midwest Storm Chasers reported many vehicles stuck along the southwest side of Interstate 30 near Little Rock, and Arkansas meteorologist Zachary Hall said Interstate 40 was "at a standstill" because of accidents. Officials urged residents to avoid travel unless absolutely necessary.
Forecast And Warnings
The National Weather Service (NWS) warned the storm was "underway," with precipitation already affecting south-central states. Forecasters said more than 160 million Americans could be affected in some way by the system. The NWS cautioned that widespread, extended power outages were possible, along with major travel disruptions, extensive tree damage and dangerous conditions.
“What really makes this storm unique is, just following this storm, it’s just going to get so cold,” said Allison Santorelli, a meteorologist with the NWS, warning that snow and ice will be slow to melt and will hinder recovery efforts.
Heavy snow is expected from the southern Rockies and Plains through the mid-Atlantic into the Northeast, with totals likely to exceed 12 inches in parts of the Ohio Valley, mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Widespread freezing rain and sleet are forecast across the southern Plains, lower Mississippi Valley, Tennessee Valley and Southeast.
The NWS warned of "catastrophic ice accumulation" where freezing rain exceeds half an inch, noting totals greater than 1 inch are possible in parts of northern Louisiana, central and northern Mississippi, southern Tennessee and the southern Appalachians. After the storm, communities from the southern Plains to the Northeast should expect bitterly cold temperatures and dangerously low wind chills.
Government And Utility Responses
At least 16 states plus Washington, D.C., declared states of emergency before the storm. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear warned that some areas of his state could see up to 15 inches of snow and significant ice accumulation, urging residents to avoid travel and prepare. New York City officials forecast between 3 and 16 inches of snow across boroughs.
On Friday night former President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that he had been "briefed on the Record Cold Wave and Historic Winter Storm" and said FEMA was "fully prepared to respond." Utilities and emergency managers remain on alert as crews stage for outages and road clearance.
Advice: Residents in affected areas should heed local warnings, avoid unnecessary travel, prepare for extended outages (stock water, food, warm clothing and medicines), and check local utility and emergency-management updates for restoration timelines.
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