Tag: freezing rain

Colossal winter storm kills at least 18; hundreds of thousands without power across US

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The workweek opened with yet more snow dumping on the Northeast under the tail end of a colossal winter storm that brought lingering misery to parts of the South, where freezing rain left hundreds of thousands shivering without electricity Monday. Authorities reported at least 18 weather-related deaths.Deep snow — over a foot extending in a 1,300-mile swath from Arkansas to New England — halted traffic, canceled flights and triggered wide school closures Monday. Up to two feet were forecast in some of the harder-hit places.There were more than 800,000 power outages in the nation on Monday morning, according to poweroutage.com. Most of them were in the South, where weekend blasts of freezing rain caused tree limbs and power lines to snap, inflicting crippling outages on northern Mississippi and parts of Tennessee.Utility officials in New Albany, Mississippi, said some homes and businesses could be without electricity for at least a week. In nearby Oxford, where most residents and University of Mississippi students were without power Monday, Mayor Robyn Tannehill said on social media that so many trees, limbs and power lines had fallen that “it looks like a tornado went down every street.”“Apparently, the new status symbol in this town is having electricity,” said Marshall Ramsey, a University of Mississippi journalism professor whose family was running a generator at their Oxford home Monday to power a space heater and keep phones charged.A pair of burly, falling tree branches damaged real estate agent Tim Phillips’ new garage, broke a window and cut off power to his home in Oxford. He said half of his neighbors had homes or vehicles damaged.“It’s just one of those things that you try to prepare for,” Phillips said, “but this one was just unreal.”The U.S. had more than 6,400 flight delays and cancellations nationwide Monday, according to flight tracker flightaware.com.More light to moderate snow was forecast in New England through Monday evening.New York City saw its snowiest day in years, with 11 inches falling on Central Park. Main roads throughout the city were largely clear Monday morning, but pedestrians had to plod through snow on some sidewalks and multiple subway lines with above-ground tracks saw delays.Bitter cold grips much of the nationMeanwhile, bitter cold followed in the storm’s wake. It got down to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit in parts of Minnesota on Sunday. Many communities across the Midwest, South, and Northeast awakened Monday to subzero weather. The entire Lower 48 states were forecast to have their coldest average low temperature of minus 9.8 F — since January 2014.Record warmth in Florida was the only thing keeping that average from going even colder, said former National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration chief scientist Ryan Maue, who calculates national averages based on National Weather Service data.From Montana to the Florida Panhandle, the weather service posted cold weather advisories and extreme cold warnings as temperatures in many places dipped to zero and even colder. Wind made conditions even chillier and the overnight cold refoze roads early Monday in a cruel reprise of the weekend’s lousy travel weather.Even with precipitation ending in Mississippi, “that doesn’t mean the danger is behind us,” Gov. Tate Reeves said in a news conference Sunday.Freezing rain that slickened roads and brought trees and branches down on roads and power lines were the main peril in the South over the weekend. In Corinth, Mississippi, heavy machinery manufacturer Caterpillar told employees at its remanufacturing site to stay home Monday and Tuesday.It already was Mississippi’s worst ice storm since 1994 with its biggest-ever deployment of ice-melting chemicals — 200,000 gallons — plus salt and sand to treat icy roads, Reeves said. He urged people not to drive anywhere unless absolutely necessary. “Do please reach out to friends and family,” Reeves added.At one point Sunday morning, about 213 million people were under some sort of winter weather warning, authorities said.Some 12,000 flights also were canceled Sunday and nearly 20,000 were delayed.Storm leads to deaths in a number of statesIn New York City, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said at least five people who died were found outside as temperatures plunged Saturday, though the cause of their deaths remained under investigation. Two men died of hypothermia related to the storm in Caddo Parish in Louisiana, according to the state health department.In Massachusetts, police said a snowplow backed into a couple walking in a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority parking lot in Norwood on Sunday. A 51-year-old woman was killed and her 47-year-old husband was hospitalized.Two teenagers died in sledding accidents, a 17-year-old boy in Arkansas, and a 16-year-old girl in Texas, authorities said.Three weather-related deaths were announced in Tennessee, authorities said. Further details were not immediately available.___Amy reported from Atlanta. Bynum reported from Savannah, Georgia. AP journalists Charlotte Kramon in Atlanta; Jonathan Mattise in Nashville, Tennessee; Kath McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire; David Caruso in New York; Julie Carr Smyth in Columbus, Ohio; Sara Cline in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Heather Hollingsworth in Mission, Kansas, contributed to this story.

The workweek opened with yet more snow dumping on the Northeast under the tail end of a colossal winter storm that brought lingering misery to parts of the South, where freezing rain left hundreds of thousands shivering without electricity Monday. Authorities reported at least 18 weather-related deaths.

Deep snow — over a foot extending in a 1,300-mile swath from Arkansas to New England — halted traffic, canceled flights and triggered wide school closures Monday. Up to two feet were forecast in some of the harder-hit places.

There were more than 800,000 power outages in the nation on Monday morning, according to poweroutage.com. Most of them were in the South, where weekend blasts of freezing rain caused tree limbs and power lines to snap, inflicting crippling outages on northern Mississippi and parts of Tennessee.

Utility officials in New Albany, Mississippi, said some homes and businesses could be without electricity for at least a week. In nearby Oxford, where most residents and University of Mississippi students were without power Monday, Mayor Robyn Tannehill said on social media that so many trees, limbs and power lines had fallen that “it looks like a tornado went down every street.”

“Apparently, the new status symbol in this town is having electricity,” said Marshall Ramsey, a University of Mississippi journalism professor whose family was running a generator at their Oxford home Monday to power a space heater and keep phones charged.

A pair of burly, falling tree branches damaged real estate agent Tim Phillips’ new garage, broke a window and cut off power to his home in Oxford. He said half of his neighbors had homes or vehicles damaged.

“It’s just one of those things that you try to prepare for,” Phillips said, “but this one was just unreal.”

The U.S. had more than 6,400 flight delays and cancellations nationwide Monday, according to flight tracker flightaware.com.

More light to moderate snow was forecast in New England through Monday evening.

New York City saw its snowiest day in years, with 11 inches falling on Central Park. Main roads throughout the city were largely clear Monday morning, but pedestrians had to plod through snow on some sidewalks and multiple subway lines with above-ground tracks saw delays.

Bitter cold grips much of the nation

Meanwhile, bitter cold followed in the storm’s wake. It got down to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit in parts of Minnesota on Sunday. Many communities across the Midwest, South, and Northeast awakened Monday to subzero weather. The entire Lower 48 states were forecast to have their coldest average low temperature of minus 9.8 F — since January 2014.

Record warmth in Florida was the only thing keeping that average from going even colder, said former National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration chief scientist Ryan Maue, who calculates national averages based on National Weather Service data.

From Montana to the Florida Panhandle, the weather service posted cold weather advisories and extreme cold warnings as temperatures in many places dipped to zero and even colder. Wind made conditions even chillier and the overnight cold refoze roads early Monday in a cruel reprise of the weekend’s lousy travel weather.

Even with precipitation ending in Mississippi, “that doesn’t mean the danger is behind us,” Gov. Tate Reeves said in a news conference Sunday.

Freezing rain that slickened roads and brought trees and branches down on roads and power lines were the main peril in the South over the weekend. In Corinth, Mississippi, heavy machinery manufacturer Caterpillar told employees at its remanufacturing site to stay home Monday and Tuesday.

It already was Mississippi’s worst ice storm since 1994 with its biggest-ever deployment of ice-melting chemicals — 200,000 gallons — plus salt and sand to treat icy roads, Reeves said. He urged people not to drive anywhere unless absolutely necessary. “Do please reach out to friends and family,” Reeves added.

At one point Sunday morning, about 213 million people were under some sort of winter weather warning, authorities said.

Some 12,000 flights also were canceled Sunday and nearly 20,000 were delayed.

Storm leads to deaths in a number of states

In New York City, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said at least five people who died were found outside as temperatures plunged Saturday, though the cause of their deaths remained under investigation. Two men died of hypothermia related to the storm in Caddo Parish in Louisiana, according to the state health department.

In Massachusetts, police said a snowplow backed into a couple walking in a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority parking lot in Norwood on Sunday. A 51-year-old woman was killed and her 47-year-old husband was hospitalized.

Two teenagers died in sledding accidents, a 17-year-old boy in Arkansas, and a 16-year-old girl in Texas, authorities said.

Three weather-related deaths were announced in Tennessee, authorities said. Further details were not immediately available.

___

Amy reported from Atlanta. Bynum reported from Savannah, Georgia. AP journalists Charlotte Kramon in Atlanta; Jonathan Mattise in Nashville, Tennessee; Kath McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire; David Caruso in in New York; Julie Carr Smyth in Columbus, Ohio; Sara Cline in Baton Rouge, Louisiana sand Heather Hollingsworth in Mission, Kansas, contributed to this story.

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January 26, 2026
Icy conditions restrict transport across Germany

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Heavy snowfall and freezing rain disrupted rush-hour traffic across large parts of Germany on Monday morning.

Accidents became more frequent on the roads in the north-east according to reports from states including Saxony, Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

Rail operator Deutsche Bahn said that delays and cancellations were to be expected on long-distance services. This applies to the whole of southern Germany as well as connections to and from Berlin, Hamburg and Hanover, Deutsche Bahn said.

In Berlin, tram services had to be cancelled due to icy overhead power lines, and public transport services were restricted elsewhere in the capital.

The snow front reached south-western Germany on Sunday evening, where some areas saw up to 25 centimetres of fresh snow.

Early on Monday, parts of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Brandenburg were still under severe weather warnings from the German Weather Service due to the risk of black ice. Parts of northern Bavaria were under severe weather warnings due to snowfall.

Near Weinsberg in the south-western state of Baden-Württemberg, 15 to 20 cars and lorries got stuck in the snow on a road connecting two motorways during the night, according to police.

Near Nuremberg, a man skidded in his car on an icy road and ended up in the front garden of a church, crashing into the steps of the building. Rescue workers took the 34-year-old driver to hospital with minor injuries.

The weather is not set to improve for the time being. The weather service expects further snowfall in many parts of Germany during the course of the day, which will then gradually ease, and further frosty weather.

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January 26, 2026
Rare, prolonged period of sleet hits DC region, with freezing rain risk looming – WTOP News

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While this weekend’s winter storm may not be remembered for the amount of snow it brought to the D.C. region, it may be remembered for the ice.

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How snow and sleet are measured during snowstorms

While this weekend’s winter storm may not be remembered for the amount of snow it brought to the D.C. region, it may be remembered for the ice.

Snow transitioned to sleet Sunday morning, and according to the National Weather Service, snow totals topped out around 8 inches in the D.C. area, with most places seeing between 5 and 6 inches of snow accumulation. See a more complete list of snow totals across the region here.

Certain spots could see 3 or more inches of sleet on top of that snow, which is pretty unusual.

“Sleet is a common form of wintry precip, but extended periods of heavy sleet are pretty rare,” WTOP’s Dave Dildine said. “One of the only times it’s happened this century locally was Valentine’s Day, 2007, when a few inches of sleet fell.”

Temperatures Sunday afternoon were sitting well below freezing — around 20 degrees in most places. So why is it sleet and not snow?

“Usually we stay all snow when it’s this cold. What’s happened is the warm air aloft is melting the snowflakes as they fall from the clouds into rain drops, and then they get close to the ground, they refreeze into ice pellets before they reach the ground. That’s what sleet is,” WTOP meteorologist Matt Ritter said.

And that sleet piled up Sunday, compacting the snow beneath the layer of ice pellets. Ritter said he saw reports of 2 to 3 inches of pure sleet on top of the 4 to 8 inches of snow that fell Sunday morning.

All the precipitation should end by 10 p.m. Sunday, Ritter said, but the storm’s impacts last far beyond that time.

“A lot of this is just going to freeze, as if it were going to be solid rock, making it even more difficult to clean up. And we’re not going to be above the freezing point again for at least a week. This cold weather’s going to stick around for days and days,” Ritter said.

Impacts across DC region

Local leaders from Virginia and Maryland told WTOP those who live on side streets may not see plows come through for a while.

Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins said her team is looking at a concerning potential bout of freezing rain from around 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

People participate in a snowball fight in Meridian Hill Park in Washington, DC, on January 25, 2026. A massive winter storm on January 24 dumped snow and freezing rain from New Mexico to North Carolina as it swept across the United States towards the northeast, threatening tens of millions of Americans with blackouts, transportation chaos and bone-chilling cold. After battering the country’s southwest and central areas, the storm system began to hit the heavily populated mid-Atlantic and northeastern states as a frigid air mass settled in across the nation.
(Photo by Oliver Contreras / AFP via Getty Images)
Photo by Oliver Contreras / AFP via Getty Images

People participate in a snowball fight in Meridian Hill Park in Washington, DC, on January 25, 2026. A massive winter storm on January 24 dumped snow and freezing rain from New Mexico to North Carolina as it swept across the United States towards the northeast, threatening tens of millions of Americans with blackouts, transportation chaos and bone-chilling cold. After battering the country’s southwest and central areas, the storm system began to hit the heavily populated mid-Atlantic and northeastern states as a frigid air mass settled in across the nation.
(Photo by Oliver Contreras / AFP via Getty Images)
Photo by Oliver Contreras / AFP via Getty Images

A man walks along a path as snow falls in Washington, DC, on January 25, 2026. A massive winter storm on January 24 dumped snow and freezing rain from New Mexico to North Carolina as it swept across the United States towards the northeast, threatening tens of millions of Americans with blackouts, transportation chaos and bone-chilling cold. After battering the country’s southwest and central areas, the storm system began to hit the heavily populated mid-Atlantic and northeastern states as a frigid air mass settled in across the nation.
(Photo by Amid FARAHI / AFP via Getty Images)
Photo by Amid FARAHI / AFP via Getty Images

WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 25: Children play in the snow near the US Capitol on January 25, 2026 in Washington, DC. A massive winter storm is expected to bring frigid temperatures, ice, and snow to millions of Americans across the nation.
(Photo by Anna Rose Layden/Getty Images)
Photo by Anna Rose Layden/Getty Images

A view of a snow covered National Mall in Washington, DC, on January 25, 2026. A massive winter storm on January 24 dumped snow and freezing rain from New Mexico to North Carolina as it swept across the United States towards the northeast, threatening tens of millions of Americans with blackouts, transportation chaos and bone-chilling cold. After battering the country’s southwest and central areas, the storm system began to hit the heavily populated mid-Atlantic and northeastern states as a frigid air mass settled in across the nation.
(Photo by Amid FARAHI / AFP via Getty Images)
Photo by Amid FARAHI / AFP via Getty Images

WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 25: An Architect of the Capitol worker clears snow from the West front of the U.S. Capitol on January, 25, 2026 in Washington, DC. A massive winter storm is bringing frigid temperatures, ice, and snow to nearly 200 million Americans from Texas to New England..
(Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images

A young boy sits in a fort built out of snow in the D.C. area on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026.
(WTOP/Abigail Constantino)
WTOP/Abigail Constantino

WTOP’s Dave Dildine measured nearly 5 inches of snow in Chevy Chase just before 9 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026.
(WTOP/Dave Dildine)
WTOP/Dave Dildine

A little girl builds a structure in the snow in Germantown, Maryland, on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026.
(WTOP/Linh Bui)
WTOP/Linh Bui

A plow clears a parking lot in Gaithersburg, Maryland, on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026.
(WTOP/Steve Dresner)
WTOP/Steve Dresner

A car spins out in Gaithersburg, Maryland, on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2025.
(WTOP/Steve Dresner)
WTOP/Steve Dresner

A couple walks in the snow in Arlington, Virginia, on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026.
(WTOP/Sandy Kozel)
WTOP/Sandy Kozel

Skye frolics in the snow in Bowie, Maryland,
(WTOP/Anne Kramer)
WTOP/Anne Kramer

Birds land on a balcony in Upper Marlboro, Maryland.
(WTOP/Dan Ronan)
WTOP/Dan Ronan

Emmett plays in the snow in a Chinatown park in the District.
(WTOP/Bill McFarland)
WTOP/Bill McFarland

A worker clears a sidewalk in Friendship Heights, Maryland, on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026.
(WTOP/Giang Nguyen)
WTOP/Giang Nguyen

A Metrobus travels through Chevy Chase, Maryland, on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026.
(WTOP/Julia Ziegler)
WTOP/Julia Ziegler

A small plow clears the area in front of a story in Chevy Chase, Maryland, on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026.
(WTOP/Julia Ziegler)
WTOP/Julia Ziegler

“If that is the case, then we’re going to have to keep focusing on the primary roads before we can get to any side streets. If that’s not the case then we might be able to start getting into neighborhoods much sooner. But we’ll have a better, I think, estimate probably by early morning on Monday,” she said.

In Maryland, Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich said once crews do get to side streets, there will be additional challenges.

“We’re focused on the main arteries right now,” Elrich said. “They’re going to have a coating of ice on many of the streets by the time we get there. That’s going to make it more difficult, for sure.”

While there aren’t reports of power outages yet in the D.C. region, officials with Pepco and Dominion Energy are warning that’s a possibility, especially if sleet turns to freezing rain in certain areas Sunday evening.

Read about how to prepare and how utility companies are planning to respond to potential outages here.

School systems call it early, cancel classes Monday

A slew of school systems, including those in Arlington, Fairfax and Prince William counties in Virginia and Anne Arundel County in Maryland, announced early in the day Sunday operational changes for Monday.

Meanwhile, maximum telework is in effect Monday for federal government workers, and those who can’t telework will be granted weather and safety leave.

Some school closings for Tuesday are starting to trickle in, with Maryland’s Montgomery County Public Schools being among the first.

See the full list of closings and delays here.

Full forecast

SUNDAY: WINTER ALERT: Afternoon wintry mix with highs in the mid-20s and wind chills in the teens.
Winds: Northeast 10-20 mph

MONDAY: COLD ALERT: Mostly sunny. Highs between 24-29 and wind chills in the teens.
Winds: Northwest 10-20 mph, with gusts 35-40 mph

TUESDAY: Sunny and cold. Highs between 20 and 25.
Winds: Southwest 5-10 mph

WEDNESDAY: Mostly sunny. Highs between 19 and 24.
Winds: Northwest 5-10 mph

Current conditions

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© 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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January 25, 2026
Ice from winter storm leaves a million customers without power across the South

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A massive winter storm dumped sleet, freezing rain and snow across much of the U.S. on Sunday, bringing subzero temperatures and paralyzing air and road traffic. Tree branches and power lines snapped under the weight of ice, and about a million homes and businesses in the Southeast were left without electricity.The ice and snowfall were expected to continue into Monday in much of the country, followed by very low temperatures, which could cause “dangerous travel and infrastructure impacts” to linger for several days, the National Weather Service said. Heavy snow was forecast from the Ohio Valley to the Northeast, while “catastrophic ice accumulation” threatened from the Lower Mississippi Valley to the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast.”It is a unique storm in the sense that it is so widespread,” weather service meteorologist Allison Santorelli said in a phone interview. “It was affecting areas all the way from New Mexico, Texas, all the way into New England, so we’re talking like a 2,000 mile spread.”President Donald Trump had approved emergency declarations for at least a dozen states by Saturday. The Federal Emergency Management Agency pre-positioned commodities, staff and search and rescue teams in numerous states, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said.New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said the state was bracing for the longest cold stretch and highest snow totals it has seen in years. Communities near the Canadian border have already seen record-breaking subzero temperatures, with Watertown registering minus 34 degrees Fahrenheit and Copenhagen minus 49 F, she said. “An Arctic siege has taken over our state,” Hochul said. “It is brutal, it is bone chilling and it is dangerous.” Effects of the stormIn Corinth, Mississippi, where power outages were widespread, Caterpillar told employees at its remanufacturing site to stay home Monday and Tuesday.”May God have mercy on Corinth, MS! … The sound of the trees snapping, exploding & falling through the night have been unnerving to say the least,” resident Kathy Ragan wrote on Facebook.Video below: Dashcam captures moment tree falls from weight of ice in North LouisianaOn the east side of Nashville, Jami Joe, 41, had power Sunday afternoon but she feared the juice might not last long as ice-heavy limbs from mature oak and pecan trees continued to crash around her house. “It’s only a matter of time if a limb strikes a power line,” she predicted.In Little Rock, Arkansas, officials say the weight of accumulated snow and sleet likely caused the collapse of an awning onto several houseboats. Six people were rescued and 22 were evacuated, Pulaski County officials said.Storm knocks out power and snarls flights As of Sunday morning, about 213 million people were under some sort of winter weather warning, Santorelli said. The number of customers without power stood at about 1 million, according to poweroutage.us.Tennessee was hardest hit with about 337,000 customers out by midday Sunday, and Louisiana and Mississippi all had more than 100,000 customers in the dark. Tens of thousands of homes and businesses were without power in Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama and West Virginia. Some 11,000 flights were canceled Sunday and more than 14,000 delayed, according to the flight tracker flightaware.com. Airports in Philadelphia, Washington, Baltimore, North Carolina, New York and New Jersey were hit especially hard.At Philadelphia International Airport, inside displays registered scores of canceled flights and few vehicles could be seen arriving Sunday morning. At Reagan National in Washington, virtually all flights were canceled.Bitter cold makes things worse Even once the ice and snow stop falling, the danger will continue, Santorelli warned.”Behind the storm it’s just going to get bitterly cold across basically the entirety of the eastern two-thirds of the nation, east of the Rockies,” she said. That means the ice and snow won’t melt as fast, which could hinder some efforts to restore power and other infrastructure.Video below: Listen as ice-covered trees crack in MississippiAlong the Gulf Coast, temperatures were balmy Sunday, hitting the high 60s and low 70s, but thermometers were expected to drop into the high 20s and low 30s there by Monday morning. The National Weather Service warned of damaging winds and a slight risk of severe storms and possibly even a brief tornado.In New York City, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said at least five people who died were found outside as temperatures plunged Saturday before the snows arrived in earnest, though the cause of their deaths remained under investigation.The Democrat pleaded with New Yorkers to stay inside and off roads: “We want every single New Yorker to make it through this storm.”Two men died of hypothermia related to the storm in Caddo Parish in Louisiana, according to the state health department there.Across the affected areas, officials announced that school would be canceled or held remotely Monday.Recovery could take a while In Oxford, Mississippi, police on Sunday morning used social media to tell residents to stay home as the danger of being outside was too great. Local utility crews were also pulled from their jobs during the overnight hours.”Due to life-threatening conditions, Oxford Utilities has made the difficult decision to pull our crews off the road for the night,” the utility company posted on Facebook early Sunday. “Trees are actively snapping and falling around our linemen while they are in the bucket trucks.”Tippah Electric Power in Mississippi said there was “catastrophic damage” and that it could be “weeks instead of days” to restore everyone.The Tennessee Valley Authority provides power to some utilities across the region, and spokesperson Scott Brooks said the bulk power system remains stable but overnight icing had caused power interruptions in north Mississippi, north Alabama, southern middle Tennessee and the Knoxville, Tennessee, area.Icy roads made travel dangerous in north Georgia, where the Cherokee County Sheriff’s office posted on Facebook, “You know it’s bad when Waffle House is closed!!!” along with a photo of a shuttered restaurant. Whether the chain’s restaurants are open — known as the Waffle House Index — has become an informal way to gauge the severity of weather disasters across the South.

A massive winter storm dumped sleet, freezing rain and snow across much of the U.S. on Sunday, bringing subzero temperatures and paralyzing air and road traffic. Tree branches and power lines snapped under the weight of ice, and about a million homes and businesses in the Southeast were left without electricity.

The ice and snowfall were expected to continue into Monday in much of the country, followed by very low temperatures, which could cause “dangerous travel and infrastructure impacts” to linger for several days, the National Weather Service said.

Heavy snow was forecast from the Ohio Valley to the Northeast, while “catastrophic ice accumulation” threatened from the Lower Mississippi Valley to the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast.

“It is a unique storm in the sense that it is so widespread,” weather service meteorologist Allison Santorelli said in a phone interview. “It was affecting areas all the way from New Mexico, Texas, all the way into New England, so we’re talking like a 2,000 mile spread.”

President Donald Trump had approved emergency declarations for at least a dozen states by Saturday. The Federal Emergency Management Agency pre-positioned commodities, staff and search and rescue teams in numerous states, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said the state was bracing for the longest cold stretch and highest snow totals it has seen in years. Communities near the Canadian border have already seen record-breaking subzero temperatures, with Watertown registering minus 34 degrees Fahrenheit and Copenhagen minus 49 F, she said.

“An Arctic siege has taken over our state,” Hochul said. “It is brutal, it is bone chilling and it is dangerous.”

Effects of the storm

In Corinth, Mississippi, where power outages were widespread, Caterpillar told employees at its remanufacturing site to stay home Monday and Tuesday.

“May God have mercy on Corinth, MS! … The sound of the trees snapping, exploding & falling through the night have been unnerving to say the least,” resident Kathy Ragan wrote on Facebook.

Video below: Dashcam captures moment tree falls from weight of ice in North Louisiana

On the east side of Nashville, Jami Joe, 41, had power Sunday afternoon but she feared the juice might not last long as ice-heavy limbs from mature oak and pecan trees continued to crash around her house. “It’s only a matter of time if a limb strikes a power line,” she predicted.

In Little Rock, Arkansas, officials say the weight of accumulated snow and sleet likely caused the collapse of an awning onto several houseboats. Six people were rescued and 22 were evacuated, Pulaski County officials said.

Storm knocks out power and snarls flights

As of Sunday morning, about 213 million people were under some sort of winter weather warning, Santorelli said. The number of customers without power stood at about 1 million, according to poweroutage.us.

Tennessee was hardest hit with about 337,000 customers out by midday Sunday, and Louisiana and Mississippi all had more than 100,000 customers in the dark. Tens of thousands of homes and businesses were without power in Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama and West Virginia.

Some 11,000 flights were canceled Sunday and more than 14,000 delayed, according to the flight tracker flightaware.com. Airports in Philadelphia, Washington, Baltimore, North Carolina, New York and New Jersey were hit especially hard.

At Philadelphia International Airport, inside displays registered scores of canceled flights and few vehicles could be seen arriving Sunday morning. At Reagan National in Washington, virtually all flights were canceled.

Bitter cold makes things worse

Even once the ice and snow stop falling, the danger will continue, Santorelli warned.

“Behind the storm it’s just going to get bitterly cold across basically the entirety of the eastern two-thirds of the nation, east of the Rockies,” she said. That means the ice and snow won’t melt as fast, which could hinder some efforts to restore power and other infrastructure.

Video below: Listen as ice-covered trees crack in Mississippi

Along the Gulf Coast, temperatures were balmy Sunday, hitting the high 60s and low 70s, but thermometers were expected to drop into the high 20s and low 30s there by Monday morning. The National Weather Service warned of damaging winds and a slight risk of severe storms and possibly even a brief tornado.

In New York City, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said at least five people who died were found outside as temperatures plunged Saturday before the snows arrived in earnest, though the cause of their deaths remained under investigation.

The Democrat pleaded with New Yorkers to stay inside and off roads: “We want every single New Yorker to make it through this storm.”

Two men died of hypothermia related to the storm in Caddo Parish in Louisiana, according to the state health department there.

Across the affected areas, officials announced that school would be canceled or held remotely Monday.

Recovery could take a while

In Oxford, Mississippi, police on Sunday morning used social media to tell residents to stay home as the danger of being outside was too great. Local utility crews were also pulled from their jobs during the overnight hours.

“Due to life-threatening conditions, Oxford Utilities has made the difficult decision to pull our crews off the road for the night,” the utility company posted on Facebook early Sunday. “Trees are actively snapping and falling around our linemen while they are in the bucket trucks.”

Tippah Electric Power in Mississippi said there was “catastrophic damage” and that it could be “weeks instead of days” to restore everyone.

The Tennessee Valley Authority provides power to some utilities across the region, and spokesperson Scott Brooks said the bulk power system remains stable but overnight icing had caused power interruptions in north Mississippi, north Alabama, southern middle Tennessee and the Knoxville, Tennessee, area.

Icy roads made travel dangerous in north Georgia, where the Cherokee County Sheriff’s office posted on Facebook, “You know it’s bad when Waffle House is closed!!!” along with a photo of a shuttered restaurant. Whether the chain’s restaurants are open — known as the Waffle House Index — has become an informal way to gauge the severity of weather disasters across the South.

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January 25, 2026
DC area braces for winter storm that could blanket the region with 10 inches of snow, plus freezing rain – WTOP News

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Nearly a foot of snow and sleet will coat the D.C. region this weekend. But it won’t be a winter wonderland.

Nearly a foot of snow and sleet will coat the D.C. region this weekend. But it won’t be a winter wonderland.

The bone-chilling temperatures will stick around for Sunday, with temperatures holding in the 20s. According to WTOP meteorologist Mike Stinneford, you can expect Sunday to start with 3 to 6 inches of light fluffy snow, which will then change to sleet in the afternoon. Most areas will reach 5 to 10 inches.

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Areas east and south of the District will see the highest accumulation numbers.

D.C., Maryland and Virginia have declared states of emergencies to better prepare their jurisdictions with state and federal resources.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore told WTOP on Friday that the storm will likely reach “every single part of the state of Maryland.”

“There’s nothing I would have loved more after this storm than to have a 50-degree day, because then everything would melt. … That’s not what’s going to happen,” he said.

With an Arctic mass moving southeast across North America, extremely cold temperatures will settle throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. Make sure to layer up and keep your gloves handy.

Looking to the big snowstorm

Overnight into Sunday, the National Weather Service said, “Given how cold the air mass is below the warm nose, (there’s) some question as to how much freezing rain there is, versus those droplets refreezing in the cold layer back into sleet.”

Sunday is when things get hairy — moderate to heavy amounts of snow will start pre-dawn and through the morning. Heavy morning snow and a mix of freezing rain and sleet moves north, making the roads hard to traverse.

This system will be high impact, with potential snowfall totals in the 5 to10 inch range or more for the immediate D.C. metro area. The National Weather Service reports that some areas could see up to 14 inches of snow and sleet accumulations, with ice buildup between one and two tenths of an inch.

Jaw-chattering temperatures in the teens could freeze and compact the snow, making it stick around longer than the D.C. area is used to.

DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia prepare

D.C.’s mayor and the governors of Virginia and Maryland have declared states of emergency, which sets several things in motion to clear roads and keep resources flowing.

“We’ve already pretreated all of our roads across the region, so we have over 14,000 lane miles pretreated,” Alex Liggett with VDOT Northern Virginia told WTOP. “That kind of helps us for the first few hours of the storm, it reduces that bonding of snow and ice to the pavement.”

Liggitt said the agency is spending Saturday organizing snowplow crews to be ready to go when the precipitation starts. “Right now they’re starting to load up their trucks, kind of staggering in so they’re not overwhelming the yards. And then we’re going to need to be staging all those trucks on the roads across Northern Virginia,” he said.

Once the snow starts, VDOT officials are being explicit to the traveling public: “Do not travel once snow begins,” Liggitt told WTOP. Snow is expected anywhere between 8 p.m. Saturday night and midnight, and he said drivers should say off the roads.

“We’re expecting this to be a multiday response and it’s going to take some time to treat and clear roads in priority order,” he said. It may take a few days for plowing to go through some Northern Virginia neighborhoods, he added.

The District has also been preparing its snow truck fleet, and is bringing on additional plows, according to Anthony Crispino, the interim director of the D.C. Department of Public Works. He told WTOP that the city has already identified and salted alleyways and if the alleys are wide enough, the city is preparing to run plows through them.

After the mayor issued a snow declaration on Friday, Crispino warns that residents and visitors need to make sure their cars are not blocking designated snow routes.

“The 24-hour (parking) grace period expires at noon today, so residents and visitors need to make sure that their cars are not on a designated snow route at noon, that’s when enforcement will go into effect,” Crispino told WTOP on Saturday.

A winter storm warning is in effect for most of the region until 4 a.m. Monday. The National Weather Service forecast the frigid temperatures will last through the beginning of next week, with more snow on the horizon for next weekend.

Power outages and dangerous roads are entirely possible, so stay up to date on regional notices and stay indoors as much as possible.

FORECAST

SATURDAY NIGHT: WINTER ALERT
Heavy Snow
Lows: 15-20
Wind Chill: 5-10
Winds: Northeast 5-10 mph
Snow begins late in the evening and picks up in intensity before midnight. Heavy snow continues through sunrise. Expect a few to several inches of fluffy, powdery snow already on the ground by the time you wake up Sunday.

SUNDAY: WINTER ALERT
Heavy AM Snow, PM Wintry Mix
Highs: 24-28
Wind Chill: 10s
Winds: Northeast 10-20 mph
By the time you wake up, there will already be a few to several inches of snow on the ground. As the day goes on, a warm layer a few thousand feet above the ground develops. This will cause sleet pellets to mix in with snowflakes, and eventually freezing rain late in the afternoon and early evening. This will cut down snow totals, especially south of the D.C. metro area. Freezing rain may lead to a quarter-inch or less of ice on surfaces, tree limbs and power lines in this area. Farther north, plan for all snow with the highest totals ranging anywhere from 12 to 15 inches. Regardless of the exact mix line, this system will be high impact for everyone. Travel will be very difficult to nearly impossible in some areas. Power outages are a possibility for areas that see more ice accumulation. Stay with the First Alert Weather Team on-air and online for updates throughout the storm.

MONDAY: COLD ALERT
Mostly Sunny
Highs: 24-29
Wind Chill: 10s
Winds: Northwest 10-20 mph
Gusts: 35-40 mph
The winter storm comes to an end, but the cold air is here to stay. Snow melt will be very difficult except for areas under direct sunshine. Road conditions will remain hazardous and likely snow and ice covered throughout the day.

CURRENT CONDITIONS

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Ciara Wells

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January 24, 2026
State leaders say ice, roads and cold temps present most danger for winter storm
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Addressing the public ahead of the storm on Thursday at the North Carolina National Guard headquarters in Raleigh, Gov. Josh Stein said he hopes there is plenty of snow to give children and families fond memories of playing outside. But if the storm brings ice instead, that’s more dangerous — possibly leading to slick roads and widespread power outages.

“None of us can control what this storm will ultimately look like, but each of us can get prepared,” Stein said. “Be ready to stay home for a few days, potentially without power. And know that we are taking this storm seriously, and we will do everything we can to keep you safe.”

State officials are spreading hundreds of thousands of gallons of brine on roadways (300,000 to be exact), but that’s unlikely to completely prevent ice from building up and turning roads dangerous. The Highway Patrol has been warning truckers about highway spots that get particularly slick or steep, and state emergency leaders are pre-deploying first responders and rescue squads in areas where they expect the most crashes.

“This storm could be something we haven’t seen in years,” North Carolina Transportation Secretary Daniel Johnson said. “For that reason, this storm has our full attention.”

Will Ray, the state’s director of emergency management, offered several tips Thursday for how people can stay warm in their homes if they lose power, without also risking their lives to fire or carbon monoxide accidents. Those included:
- Ensure that generators are operated outside and away from open windows or doors to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Never burn charcoal indoors or use a gas grill indoors.
- Properly vent kerosene heaters and make sure that all heaters have space around them to reduce fire risk.
- Use battery powered sources of light instead of candles.
- Make sure that you have plenty of warm blankets and clothing available.
Stein urged people to get prepared as quickly as possible, before the storm hits, and to check on their friends, family and neighbors during the storm. Stein says it’s important to stay informed, get prepared, and make a plan relating to food, water, heating, and power.

“Fortunately, we have two days to make sure that we have everything we need to ride out the storm,” he said. “Don’t wait until it’s too late, and if you’re getting as you’re getting ready, don’t forget to check on your loved ones and neighbors and anyone who might be especially vulnerable, including the elderly.”

“This storm could be something we haven’t seen in years,” said NCDOT secretary Daniel Johnson. “For that reason, this storm has our full attention.”

People looking for tips on emergency preparedness can visit the state government’s website for that, www.ReadyNC.gov.
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January 22, 2026
There’s a slight chance for freezing rain in North Texas next weekend, NWS says

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Fort Worth could possibly see freezing rain next weekend, according to the National Weather Service Fort Worth.

National Weather Service Fort Worth

North Texas could see freezing rain this coming weekend, according to the National Weather Service Fort Worth.

Some of the weather models are showing a 20% chance Friday night and Saturday, with freezing temperatures expected overnight Saturday.

“Not all weather models are in complete agreement on that, so it is certainly something we will be keeping an eye on as we go through the next few days,” a NWS meteorologist said on Sunday.

Monday’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day will be mostly sunny but cooler, with highs in the lower 50s, according to NWS.

The Dallas-Fort Worth area can expect mostly sunny skies on Tuesday with highs in the mid-50s, with a 30% chance of showers after midnight, according to NWS.

Isolated to scattered light rain is expected on Wednesday, Jan 21, with a 30% chance of showers in the morning, then partly sunny in the afternoon, highs in the upper 50s.

Temperatures will rise through Friday, Jan. 23, reaching the mid-60s, before another chance of showers arrives Friday night and Saturday, Jan. 24, with low temperatures in the 20s, according to the NWS.

This story was originally published January 18, 2026 at 5:39 PM.

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Shambhavi Rimal

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Shambhavi covers crime, law enforcement and other breaking news in Fort Worth and Tarrant County. She graduated from the University of North Texas and previously covered a variety of general assignment topics in West Texas. She grew up in Nepal.

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Shambhavi Rimal

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January 18, 2026
Freezing rain in Fort Worth’s forecast? When North Texas could see winter weather

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March 5, 2015: Sleet and snow overnight left all of North Texas under a slippery white blanket. Downtown Fort Worth rooftops were glistening under a layer of snow and ice.

David Kent

Star-Telegram

After a mostly sunny, cool Thanksgiving week, some forecasters suggest freezing rain could be possible the first week of December in Fort Worth.

According to the Weather Channel, a chance of freezing rain is expected in the Fort Worth area on the night of Monday, Dec. 1, and the morning of Tuesday, Dec. 2. Temperatures are expected to dip below freezing at around 26 degrees the night of Dec. 1 before reaching a high of around 42 on Dec. 2., the Weather Channel 10-day forecast says.

On the other hand, a National Weather Service meteorologist said the NWS Fort Worth office’s forecast currently runs through Dec. 1 and it shows no signs of freezing rain or any winter weather in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

And AccuWeather’s extended forecast predicts warmer temperatures, showing a low around 42 on Dec. 1.

A clearer picture of whether rain or freezing rain is possible on Dec. 1 and 2 should be available on Wednesday of this week, the NWS meteorologist said.

In the meantime, thunderstorms and rain showers will return to the North Texas forecast this weekend, the weather service said. There’s a 40% chance of rain overnight Friday into Saturday, Nov. 29, according to the NWS. Rain will continue most of Saturday and into Sunday, Nov. 30.

After flooding on Monday, the weekend storms will bring lighter rain than past storm systems, and severe weather is unlikely, according to the NWS.

Related Stories from Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Shambhavi Rimal

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Shambhavi covers crime, law enforcement and other breaking news in Fort Worth and Tarrant County. She graduated from the University of North Texas and previously covered a variety of general assignment topics in West Texas. She grew up in Nepal.

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Shambhavi Rimal

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November 24, 2025