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Massive Winter Storm Blankets 40% of U.S., Triggers Power Outages and Federal Declarations

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Widespread wintry mix engulfs two‑fifths of the nation The storm erupted Saturday January 25 and quickly spread across roughly 40 % of the United States, delivering snow, sleet and freezing rain from Texas to the Northeast [1][2]. By Sunday afternoon more than 213 million people were under winter‑weather advisories, with the National Weather Service highlighting a catastrophic ice band stretching from east Texas to North Carolina [1][2][3]. NOAA recorded extreme snowfall totals, including 31 inches at Bonito Lake, Texas, and 23 inches at Crested Butte, Colorado, while Arctic air kept temperatures well below normal throughout the weekend [1][2][6].

Federal officials declare emergencies and mobilize resources President Donald Trump approved emergency declarations for at least a dozen states, enabling FEMA to position search‑and‑rescue teams, meals, blankets and generators along the storm’s path [3][6][13]. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem called the event “the largest storm that we’ve seen impact the most states in this big of a population in possibly decades,” emphasizing its historic scale [1][2][10]. Governors in Mississippi, Texas and other affected states activated National Guard units, pre‑treated roads with brine, and stocked ice‑melting chemicals to mitigate the anticipated damage [3][5][15].

Power outages and travel chaos affect hundreds of thousands Poweroutage.us reported hundreds of thousands without electricity, with Tennessee and Mississippi hardest hit, while FlightAware recorded roughly 12,000 canceled flights and nearly 20,000 delayed across the Northeast and Mid‑Atlantic [3][4][9]. Record low temperatures were observed in New York State, where Watertown hit −34 °F and nearby Copenhagen fell to −49 °F, among the coldest readings on record for the region [3][15]. Mississippi’s governor declared the ice storm the worst since 1994, deploying 200,000 gallons of de‑icing chemicals and urging residents to avoid non‑essential travel [3][5][15].

Ice accumulation and snowfall forecasts threaten infrastructure The Winter Storm Severity Index flagged very high ice risk in Mississippi, western North Carolina and Georgia, warning that half‑inch accumulations could cripple power lines and trees [7][8]. Snowfall forecasts ranged from a few inches in Dallas to 22 inches in Oklahoma City, with additional 6‑12‑inch bands expected from the Plains through the Ohio Valley into the Mid‑Atlantic [1][2][11]. Wind chills plunged to −50 °F in parts of Minnesota and North Dakota, raising frostbite risk and complicating road‑treatment efforts [6][17][20].

Arctic air surge intensifies cold and prolongs hazards deep Arctic air mass spilling south from Canada drove wind chills below −40 °F across the Midwest and as low as −41 °F in Bismarck, North Dakota, extending the danger of hypothermia [6][17][20]. The lingering cold is expected to keep ice and snow on surfaces for days, increasing the likelihood of prolonged power outages and hazardous travel conditions [3][12][13]. Officials continue to urge residents to stock emergency supplies, limit travel, and monitor evolving forecasts as the storm tracks northeastward toward New England [4][5][13].

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Timeline

Dec 11, 2025 – The National Weather Service issues winter storm warnings for 13 states (Montana to Vermont), forecasting 3‑5 inches of snow, severe icing that could disrupt flights, and widespread school and municipal office closures, prompting extensions of tax deadlines [11].

Dec 22, 2025 – NWS releases a string of advisories across the Northeast ahead of Christmas, warning of light snow turning to a wintry mix with possible freezing rain, low visibility in Maine and hazardous road conditions for holiday travelers [10].

Jan 1, 2026 – A powerful New Year’s Day storm brings up to 4 feet of snow to parts of the Appalachians and Northeast, creates near‑zero visibility, triggers power outages, and prompts New York Governor Kathy Hochul to urge residents to avoid non‑essential travel [9].

Jan 20, 2026 – Forecasters project a major winter storm from Texas to the Carolinas as Arctic air collides with Gulf moisture, placing more than 200 million people under sub‑freezing temperatures, flagging icing hazards on I‑20 and I‑40, and noting model confidence in 4‑plus inches of snow and quarter‑inch ice accumulations [21][25]; former NOAA chief Ryan Maue calls the event “a widespread potentially catastrophic event from Texas to the Carolinas” [16].

Jan 20, 2026 – The Weather Prediction Center describes the system as a “massive winter storm” that could deliver ice and snow across the South and Mid‑Atlantic through Sunday, warning that wind chills may drop below ‑40 °F and that the storm could affect over 160 million people [21].

Jan 21, 2026 – The Weather Prediction Center updates the forecast, shifting the storm track northward and expanding the impact area from the Southern Rockies to the East Coast, while meteorologist Stephanie Abrams says the system “stretches from Texas through the Southeast to the I‑95 corridor” [8]; a NWS spokesperson notes this is the first substantial winter weather event of the season for Texas [7].

Jan 21, 2026 – Texas places statewide winter storm watches, warning of 4‑10 inches of snow/ice, dangerous wind chills, and threats to livestock and unprotected pipes, as officials mobilize extra utility crews to avoid a repeat of the 2021 cold‑snap grid failure [7][20].

Jan 22, 2026 – The Weather Channel names the system “Winter Storm Fern” and launches a live tracker as the storm spreads from the Southern Rockies to the Northeast, prompting the NWS to issue watches across dozens of states and warning of long‑duration heavy precipitation and significant ice buildup [5].

Jan 22, 2026 – A brutal Arctic blast drives record‑breaking cold, with Dallas‑Fort Worth and Raleigh poised to shatter daily highs, while officials in at least ten states (MO, AR, LA, MS, TN, AL, GA, NC, SC, VA) declare emergencies to mobilize resources ahead of the storm [3][2].

Jan 22, 2026 – Eastern states brace for a severe ice storm; governors order school closures in Chicago and Des Moines, pre‑treat roads from Oklahoma to Tennessee, and the Texas Rangers cancel a Fan Fest, reflecting the storm’s broad societal impact [15].

Jan 22, 2026 – FEMA readies nearly 30 search‑and‑rescue teams, pre‑positions 7 million meals, 600 k blankets, and 300 generators as the storm places 182 million people under ice‑and‑snow watches and over 210 million under cold‑weather advisories [14].

Jan 23, 2026 – The storm expands to a 1,500‑mile swath from the Plains to the Northeast, delivering 6‑12 inches of snow (up to a foot in some locales), heavy ice in the South, and prompting emergency declarations in at least ten states [2].

Jan 23, 2026 – National Weather Service warnings cover multiple states with snowfall up to 17 inches in western Pennsylvania, lake‑effect bands adding 8‑16 inches near the Tug Hill Plateau, and ice that could trigger days‑long power outages [6].

Jan 23, 2026 – The Winter Storm Severity Index (operational since 2020) flags the South—especially Mississippi, western North Carolina, and Georgia—as facing the most extreme ice impacts, with half‑inch ice threatening power lines and trees along I‑20 and I‑30 [18][23].

Jan 23, 2026 – Travel warnings affect millions as the NWS urges drivers to avoid the weekend, citing 9‑13 inches of snow in Missouri and surrounding areas, up to an inch of ice in NC/SC/GA, and recommending emergency supplies in vehicles [4].

Jan 24, 2026 – The National Weather Service issues two advisories urging Americans to stay off the roads as winter storms and ice threaten large portions of the country, emphasizing life‑threatening conditions and potential long‑lasting outages [4].

Jan 25, 2026 – A historic winter storm blankets the U.S. with snow, ice, and sleet, affecting roughly 2,000 miles from New Mexico to New England, leaving hundreds of thousands without power and prompting President Donald Trump to approve emergency declarations for at least a dozen states [12][1].

Jan 25, 2026 – DHS Secretary Kristi Noem declares the event “the largest storm that we’ve seen impact the most states in this big of a population in possibly decades,” underscoring its unprecedented scale [17][22].

Jan 25, 2026 – Record sub‑zero temperatures hit New York’s Watertown (‑34 °F) and Copenhagen (‑49 °F), among the coldest ever recorded in the region, while Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves deploys 200,000 gallons of ice‑melting chemicals, salt, and sand to treat roads [12].

Jan 26, 2026 – The storm continues to dump snow, sleet, and freezing rain across roughly 40 % of the nation, with NOAA reporting up to 31 inches of snow at Bonito Lake, TX, and the Winter Storm Severity Index warning of catastrophic ice from east Texas to North Carolina [17][22][12].

Jan 26, 2026 – Power‑outage tracking shows hundreds of thousands still without electricity, especially in Tennessee and Mississippi, while FlightAware records about 12,000 canceled flights and nearly 20,000 delayed, highlighting the storm’s nationwide transportation impact [12].

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