This weekend will be cold with temperatures in the low 20s on Saturday, but feeling more like single digits throughout the day. The wind chill will remain mostly in the single digits throughout the day.
WCCO
Overnight temperatures will feel similar to Friday night, with a high at 10 degrees for the metro and single digits for most of the state. Clouds will linger throughout the overnight hours.
WCCO
Moisture trapped in the lower part of our atmosphere will cause clouds to remain through most of the day on Sunday. There is a chance we will see a few peeks of sunshine. The high temperature on Sunday is expected to be in the upper teens. Winds will continue throughout Sunday and don’t die down until Sunday night into Monday.
WCCO
Monday temperatures look to remain in the 20s, but skies will be clearer. Temperatures trend warmer as the week continues with highs on Tuesday expected to be in the mid-30s.
Blizzard warnings were issued Saturday for New York City, New Jersey and coastal communities along the East Coast as a late-winter storm set to arrive on Sunday threatened to make a mess of the start of a new week.
More than 14 million people are currently under blizzard warnings, including one in New York City — the first time in nine years a blizzard warning has been issued for the Big Apple.
“While we do get plenty of these nor’easters that produce heavy snow and strong impacts, it’s been several years since we saw one of this magnitude across this large of a region in this very populated part of the country,” said Cody Snell, a meteorologist at the service’s Weather Prediction Center.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani urged New Yorkers to stay inside and off the roads for the duration of the storm. This is the new mayor’s second major snowstorm of his administration. During that storm, 19 people died during brutally cold weather that lasted more than three weeks.
The National Weather Service increased its assessment of the potential severity of a storm that was projected to be less ferocious only days earlier.
The weather service said 1 to 2 feet of snow was possible in many areas as it issued blizzard warnings for New York City, Long Island, southern Connecticut and coastal communities in New Jersey and Delaware. Snowfall totals upwards of 6-18 inches are possible across the Northeast. Lower snowfall amounts are expected in the Mid-Atlantic area.
Maps from the National Weather Service show snow accumulation forecast for the weekend.
National Weather Service
Flooding was also possible in parts of New York and New Jersey, the weather service said.
The weather service said the storm could arrive quietly on Sunday with rainfall in some places before worsening, with the heaviest snowfall expected Sunday night. Snowfall rates up to 1-2 inches per hour are expected by Sunday night, with higher rates over 2 inches per hour possible.
The weather service warned that the storm, with steady winds of 25 to 35 mph, would “make travel dangerous, if not impossible. Scattered downed tree limbs and power outages are possible due to snow load and strong winds.” The National Weather Service predicted difficult travel conditions across the region.
The storm approached just as the icy remains of a snowstorm that struck the region weeks earlier were finally melting away. However, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow earlier in the month, meaning the groundhog thinks there will be six more weeks of winter.
On Saturday, officials in Atlantic City, New Jersey, urged residents and casino visitors to stay off streets during the storm, especially in low-lying neighborhoods prone to flooding.
“I could go on and on probably with a good two dozen streets where we know we will get water and there will be snow on top of that, said Scott Evans, the city’s fire chief and emergency management coordinator. “So you won’t be able to see it until it’s too late, so therefore please stay at home.”
The National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning for parts of southern New England — its first in four years. CBS Boston said the storm is forecast to hit the city and surrounding areas Sunday night through Monday afternoon.
Saturday is a WCCO Top 10 Weather Day! It’ll feel springlike with temperatures as high as the upper 50s for the southern part of the state and upper 40s to mid-50s for the rest of the state.
The day will remain mostly sunny, with calm winds. Some parts of Minnesota could reach record highs.
WCCO
Overnight temps drop back down to the upper 20s to low 30s across the state. Fog will redevelop across northern parts of the state.
Sunday will feel similar, but will see more cloud cover. Temperatures on Sunday are expected to reach the upper 40s.
Our warm trend continues through the start of the work week with 40-degree temperatures on Monday. Tuesday could bring a round of rain for parts of the state before we start to drop back down to more seasonable temperatures.
Seasonable cold air returns Saturday with temperatures reaching the 20s for southern and central Minnesota and teens for northern Minnesota. Saturday will also see a mix of clouds and sun.
Air from the Pacific Northwest is heading to Minnesota, which will bring our temperatures up on Sunday. We will return to the 30s.
Monday will see above average temperatures with highs expected in the 40s — about 15 degrees warmer than average for this time of year. We remain above freezing as we head into Tuesday and Wednesday.
There is a slight chance of snow later into next week, but the chances are low.
With much of the United States facing freezing temperatures, many are hoping for an early spring forecast come Groundhog Day 2026 on Monday.
Last year, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow on Groundhog Day 2025 — predicting that there would be six more weeks of winter. Phil’s forecast was wrong last year, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. There were near average temperatures in February 2025 and above average temperatures in March 2025 in the contiguous U.S.
But just how accurate has Phil been since he started being used for weather predictions more than 130 years ago?
According to the legend, if Phil sees his shadow on Feb. 2, he predicts six additional weeks of winter. But if he doesn’t see his shadow, he predicts an early spring. Unfortunately, his forecasting track record since 1887 has been a bit spotty.
“Predicting the arrival of springtime for an entire country, especially one with such varied regional climates as the United States, isn’t easy! Phil’s track record is evidence of that,” according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
What has Phil predicted on Groundhog Day?
Phil makes his prediction every year on Feb. 2, halfway between the Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox. More often than not, Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, a sign of more winter.
Between 1887 and 2023, the forecasting groundhog saw its shadow 107 times, according to NOAA. There was no shadow to be seen 20 times. During the late 1800s, 10 years were lost because no records were kept, according to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. In 1942, Phil had a partial shadow, and the following year, he didn’t make an appearance. Records do not specify why Phil skipped his 1943 appearance.
Groundhog handler AJ Dereume holds Punxsutawney Phil, who did not see his shadow, during the 134th annual Groundhog Day festivities on Feb. 2, 2020, in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.
Jeff Swensen/Getty Images
Are Phil’s Groundhog Day predictions accurate?
Punxsutawney Phil is a groundhog, not a meteorologist. Between 2013 and 2023, he saw his shadow seven times, and of those seven, he was correct only once.
NOAA’s determinations on Phil’s accuracy are based on temperatures in February and March. Here’s how it breaks down:
2013: No shadow — His prediction was right.
2014: Shadow — His prediction was right.
2015: Shadow — His prediction was wrong.
2016: No shadow — His prediction was right.
2017: Shadow — His prediction was wrong.
2018: Shadow — His prediction was wrong.
2019: No shadow — His prediction was wrong.
2020: No shadow — His prediction was right.
2021: Shadow — His prediction was wrong.
2022: Shadow — His prediction was wrong.
2023: Shadow — His prediction was wrong.
2024: No shadow — His prediction was right.
2025: Shadow – His prediction was wrong.
2026: We’ll find out
On average, Phil has gotten it right 30% of the time over the past decade, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Overall, the Stormfax Almanac says, Phil has only been right 39% of the time going back to his first recorded prediction in 1887.
Where did the Groundhog Day tradition even come from?
Groundhog Day has its roots in both pagan and Christian traditions, including Imbolc and Candlemas. Early Christians believed that clear skies on Candlemas Day, which falls on Feb. 2, meant a longer winter was ahead, according to the National Weather Service. They believed a cloudy day foreshadowed the end of winter.
European weather lore details using a badger to predict the weather during the mid-winter holidays. When Germans came to America and settled in Pennsylvania, they brought along the tradition, but not the badger, the NWS said. They began using a groundhog as a replacement.
The tradition was formalized as Groundhog Day thanks to Clymer H. Freas, the editor of the Punxsutawney Spirit Newspaper, according to the NWS. Freas proclaimed Punxsutawney Phil, the local groundhog, as the official weather forecasting groundhog.
He now makes his prediction each year from Gobbler’s Knob and shares it with what the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club describes as his “Inner Circle.”
“After Phil emerges from his burrow on February 2, he speaks to the Groundhog Club president in ‘Groundhogese’ (a language only understood by the current president of the Inner Circle). His proclamation is then translated for the world,” according to the club.
Another winter storm may be headed toward the East Coast this weekend, on the heels of the powerful and deadly system that blanketed huge swaths of the country in snow and ice and killed dozens. The effects of that storm have lingered for many areas in its path and will likely remain as repeated bouts of Arctic air plunge downward from Canada and keep temperatures below freezing.
This could ultimately mark the longest stretch of cold the Eastern and Southeastern U.S. have experienced in decades, according to the National Weather Service.
Alongside the next wave of frigid air is a potential storm brewing off the coast of the Carolinas. Its forecast remained somewhat uncertain, although meteorologists anticipated it would at least affect stretches of the coastline and sections of surrounding mid-Atlantic states. Maps created by CBS News meteorologist Nikki Nolan illustrate possible forecast outcomes based on the latest weather modeling.
Maps show potential storm track
A coastal low-pressure storm system seemed poised to form off the Carolina coast on Friday, potentially laying the foundation for another winter storm this weekend, the National Weather Service said.
Different forecast models plotted diverging paths for the storm after its expected turn northward, at which point some indicate that the system will veer slightly toward the east, while others suggest its track will tilt westward instead. In the first scenario, the storm — and the snowfall that could accompany it — would largely avoid land. In the second, its westward lean could bring wintry weather, including more snow, to parts of the Northeast.
The low-pressure system expected to develop of the coast of the Carolinas could veer northeastward or northwestward this weekend, with the direction it takes dictating how its effects will be felt farther up the East Coast. The turquoise line in the graphic above represents the European forecast model, while the yellow line represents the U.S. model.
Nikki Nolan/CBS News
Meteorologists have become fairly confident that snowfall will affect southern Mid-Atlantic states, the Carolinas and Southern Appalachia, but the forecast was still variable for places farther up the coast.
“There does remain some uncertainty as to where this storm will track,” said Allison Santorelli, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center. “At this point, though, we have high confidence in a significant winter storm for the Southern Appalachians and southern Mid-Atlantic. Confidence is lower farther up the coast towards New England and is more dependent on the exact storm track.”
Regardless of the track, Santorelli said meteorologists expected “significant” impacts” for a solid portion of the East Coast this weekend, including high winds. That echoed a warning from the National Weather Service in a bulletin Thursday morning, cautioning that the storm “will produce powerful onshore winds along the Mid-Atlantic Coast from the North Carolina Outer Banks northward,” with some gusts strong enough to produce coastal flooding.
The potential track of the storm, based on the European forecating model.
Nikki Nolan/CBS News
Winter storm warnings and watches have been issued for parts of the Carolinas, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. Most are set to remain in place until Sunday, although some will be more brief.
In Virginia and the Carolinas, which are expected to feel the brunt of the storm, meteorologists have forecast blizzard conditions bringing “sharply reduced visibilities” and “making travel extremely treacherous. They also predict heavy snowfall in those states, possibly as much as 16 inches in some areas.
Dangerous wind gusts could materialize as well, some of which may approach hurricane force. The National Weather Service forecast office in Newport, North Carolina, warned people in the area to brace for gusts of up to 65 mph.
Coastal parts of the Carolinas, especially North Carolina, are forecast to see the heaviest snowfall.
Nikki Nolan/CBS News
Another Arctic blast
An upcoming surge of Arctic air will keep temperatures below freezing, likely creating a prime environment for snow to stick and potentially pile up on roads and other surfaces.
Temperatures on Friday morning could drop to record lows in a number of eastern cities, including Baltimore, Buffalo, New York City, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
While the western half of the U.S. experiences relative warmth, temperatures across eastern states are set to remain well below average for this time of year. Meteorologists have warned that extreme cold in many areas will persist until early February.
Nikki Nolan/CBS News
At New York’s LaGuardia Airport, forecasts indicated the temperature could sink to 4 degrees Fahrenheit, tying a record set nearly 80 years ago — in 1948. A similar freeze was expected in New Jersey, where the temperature around Newark Airport could fall to 3 degrees, tying an even older record set in 1935. The coldest conditions would likely materialize farther inland, with forecasts showing temperatures dropping to -8 degrees in Pittsburgh and -5 degrees in Buffalo. Each would break record lows for those cities set in 2019.
The addition of the developing storm off the Carolina coast will create severe wind chills well below zero degrees across the eastern U.S. and parts of the South, including areas experiencing ongoing power outages since last weekend.
Severe wind chills are expected to rip through large sections of the country this weekend.
Nikki Nolan/CBS News
A possible “bomb cyclone”
Despite variations in the storm forecasts, meteorologists have been discussing the possibility that a “bomb cyclone” could form if the storm escalates quickly. Nolan said the conditions forecast for this weekend potentially lend themselves to this phenomenon, which is also called “bombogenesis” and involves a winter storm undergoing rapid intensification, but she also emphasized that its development is not guaranteed.
Santorelli said a storm classified as a “bomb cyclone” while traveling up the coast was becoming increasingly plausible, based on the latest forecast models. She added that the storm would be more likely to go through the rapid intensification process if it tracks farther away from the coast “with less interaction with land masses” as it moves northward.
CHICAGO (WLS) — A massive winter storm sweeping across the U.S. brought several inches of snow to the Chicago area on Sunday.
The winter weather has caused hundreds of flight cancellations and delays at Chicago airports and led to school districts across the area announcing closures for Monday.
Sunday has the highest number of flight cancellations nationwide in a single day since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. While all major airlines are offering travel waivers, the disruption across the board is huge.
A Winter Storm Warning is in effect for Cook County until 6 p.m. Sunday, Lake County, Indiana until 8 p.m. Sunday, Porter County, Indiana until midnight Monday and LaPorte County, Indiana until 9 a.m. Monday.
A Winter Weather Advisory went into effect for much of the area on Saturday night. DuPage, Will, Grundy, Kankakee, Kendall, LaSalle, Lake (Ill.) and Livingston counties will be under the advisory until 6 p.m. Sunday. Newton and Jasper counties will be under the advisory until 9 p.m. Sunday. Lake (Ind.) and Porter counties will be under the advisory until midnight Monday.
The Chicago weather forecast Sunday had a Winter Storm Warning and over 10 inches of snow in some areas. Many O’Hare and Midway flights were canceled.
The lake effect will not start to ramp up in northwest Indiana until around 8 p.m., so there will be a bit of a lull as the spray of snowfall migrates there.
Cook County was expected to get another inch or so of snow between 12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m., with Porter County looking at another 2 to 3 inches between about 8 p.m. Sunday and midnight Monday.
Chicago airport flight cancellations and delays as of 3 p.m. Sunday: – O’Hare: 626 cancellations, delays averaging 21 minutes – Midway: 111 cancellations, delays averaging less than 15 minutes
The inside of O’Hare Terminal 1 sat nearly empty Sunday, with more than 600 flights canceled leading some stranded passengers to give up on flying altogether as a means to get home.
“My flight has been canceled twice so far, but I made it here from international, so I’m probably driving to Columbus,” traveler Abel Girma said. “I don’t want to wait another two days.”
Several inches of snow hit the Chicago area Sunday, causing hundreds of flight delays and cancellations at airports.
Charlotte, Atlanta and New York were among the cities with the hardest hit airports nationwide. La Guardia canceled 91% of their scheduled flights. Some major hubs were spending more than $30,000 an hour to keep runways plowed.
“Flight was fine. It wasn’t delayed until we go here,” Chicago traveler Miranda Vordermark said. “Then we sat on the tarmac for about an hour, I think because the snow.”
“We were supposed to leave Hartford on Monday, but supposedly they’re getting 10-15 inches, so we said we said we have to get out of here,” said Rich Smith, who was traveling to Denver.
On Saturday, a one-hour, non weather-related delay led Rich and Jill Smith to miss their connecting flight to Denver. So, they tried again Sunday.
“We were lucky we ended up on the same flight as my sister and brother-in-law and we just said, ‘Okay we’ll go over to your house,’” Smith said. “We had pizza last night and a beer.”
Fortunately for them and others heading west, most of those flights were still at least getting out if not on schedule. That was good new for one happy couple.
“We going to Vegas to get married,” traveler Tyler Powers said. “Finally tying the knot after a couple of years. I’m really happy and excited, and excited to get away from this storm.”
And it doesn’t end Sunday. Already nearly 2,000 flights have been canceled for Monday, and airlines haved moved to reposition aircraft and crews.
The Federal Aviation Administration has also warned about airport closures. The agency says they will be working with airlines and airports on recovery efforts including snow removal and deicing planes.
Video shows a semi jackknifed on the Dan Ryan near Calumet City on early Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026.
Saturday night and early Sunday morning, slick roads covered the area as snow plows worked to keep up with the accumulating snow.
Chicago Public Schools confirmed it would be open with regular hours on Monday, will many other school districts will be cancelling classes or moving to remote learning.
Monday will mark 59 years since the record-breaking 1967 Chicago blizzard, which brought 23 inches of snow. ABC7 AccuWeather meteorologists say just days before the storm, it was about 60 degrees in the area.
Nearly 60 years ago Chicago saw the most snow fall ever.
Click here for tips about keeping yourself, others and your pets safe, as well as how to protect your homes and vehicles, in the extreme cold.
IDOT spokesperson Maria Castaneda joined ABC7 on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026.
Hundreds of thousands of power outages are being reported across the South as a monster storm continues to hit huge sections of the country, snarling roadways with dangerous ice and forcing mass flight cancellations.
More than 600,000 power outages were reported in the path of the winter storm by Sunday morning, up from about 140,000 the previous day, according to the tracking website poweroutage.us. That includes more than 220,000 outages reported in Tennessee and over 125,000 reported in Texas, as well as another 115,000 in Louisiana and 120,000 in Mississippi.
About 38,000 more customers were without power in Kentucky and 12,000 were without power in Georgia, according to the tracker.
Widespread heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain threatened nearly 180 million people — more than half the U.S. population — in a path stretching from the southern Rocky Mountains to New England, the National Weather Service said. It warned people to brace for a string of frigid days.
“The snow and the ice will be very, very slow to melt and won’t be going away anytime soon, and that’s going to hinder any recovery efforts,” said Allison Santorelli, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
President Trump approved emergency declarations for at least a dozen states by Saturday, with more expected to come. The Federal Emergency Management Agency pre-positioned commodities, staff and search and rescue teams in numerous states, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said.
“We just ask that everyone would be smart – stay home if possible,” Noem said.
The Midwest saw windchills as low as minus 40 Fahrenheit, meaning that frostbite could set in within 10 minutes. The minus 36 Fahrenheit reading in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, on Saturday morning was the coldest in almost 30 years.
Storm hits the South
In Shelby County, Texas, near the Louisiana border, ice weighed down on pine trees and caused branches to snap, downing power lines. About a third of the county’s 16,000 electric customers lost power on Saturday.
“We have hundreds of trees down and a lot of limbs in the road,” Shelby County Commissioner Stevie Smith said from his pickup truck. “I’ve got my crew out clearing roads as fast as we can. It’s a lot to deal with right now.”
There were reports of vehicles hitting fallen trees and trees falling onto houses in DeSoto Parish, Louisiana, where more than half of all electric customers lost power.
“We got limbs that are dragging the ground,” said Mark Pierce, a spokesperson for the local sheriff’s office. “These trees are just completely saturated with ice.”
In Louisville, Kentucky, emergency services on Saturday handled more than 850 calls regarding collisions, stranded motorists and other emergencies related to exposure to cold, officials said, noting that the actual number could be even higher. Closer to the East Coast, Virginia State Police said early Sunday that the agency had thus far responded to 177 crashes since the storm began, with 14 of those incidents involving injuries.
Traffic moves west in the snow on I244 east of Yale Ave. Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Mike Simons /Tulsa World via AP
Officials in Georgia advised people in the state’s northern regions to get off the roads by sundown Saturday and be prepared to stay put for at least 48 hours.
Will Lanxton, the senior state meteorologist, said Georgia could get “perhaps the biggest ice storm we have expected in more than a decade” followed by unusually cold temperatures.
“Ice is a whole different ballgame than snow,” Lanxton said. “Ice, you can’t do anything with. You can’t drive on it. It’s much more likely to bring down power lines and trees.”
Crews began treating highways with brine after midnight Saturday, with 1,800 workers on 12-hour shifts, Georgia Department of Transportation Commissioner Russell McMurry said.
“We’re going to do what we can to keep the ice from sticking to the roads,” McMurry said. “This is going to be a challenge.”
After earlier putting 500 National Guard members on standby, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced Saturday that he was deploying 120 of them to northeast Georgia “to further strengthen our response in the hardest hit areas.”
Churches moved Sunday services online, and the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee, decided to hold its Saturday night radio performance without fans. Mardi Gras parades in Louisiana were canceled or rescheduled.
School closings were already announced for Monday in numerous cities, including Dallas, Houston and Memphis.
Some universities in the South canceled classes for Monday, including the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Mississippi’s main campus in Oxford.
Warnings for the Northeast
As crews in some southern states began working to restore downed power lines Saturday, officials in some eastern states issued final warnings to residents.
“We are expecting a storm the likes of which we haven’t seen in years,” New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill said Saturday while announcing restrictions on commercial vehicle travel and a 35 mph speed limit on highways. She added: “It’s a good weekend to stay indoors.”
After sweeping through the South, the storm was expected to dump snow exceeding 1 foot in the Northeast, according to forecasters.
“Please, if you can avoid it, do not drive, do not travel, do not do anything that can potentially place you or your loved ones in danger,” New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Saturday. “Instead, I urge every New Yorker who can to put a warm sweater on, turn on the TV, watch ‘Mission Impossible’ for the 10th time, above all to stay inside.”
Forecasters say the damage, especially in areas pounded by ice, could rival that of a hurricane. Weather forecasters also said the winter storm was unusual.
“I think there are two parts of this storm that make it unique. One is just a broad expanse of spatial coverage of this event … You’ve got 2,000 miles of country that’s being impacted by the storm with snow, sleet, and freezing rain,” said Josh Weiss, a meteorologist at NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center. “The other part of this storm that’s really impressive is what’s going to happen right afterward. We’re looking at extreme cold, record cold.”
Flight cancellations are continuing to mount today as the U.S. is being hit with dangerous winter weather from a storm moving across the country.
Airlines have canceled more than 9,900 U.S. flights for Sunday, according to the flight-tracking site FlightAware. That’s the most for a single day since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and more the double the number of U.S. flights that were canceled for Saturday.
The National Weather Service says the storm is bringing widespread heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain from the Southern Rockies to New England through Monday.
“Extremely cold air will follow, prolonging dangerous travel and infrastructure impacts into next week,” it said on Sunday. “Severe thunderstorms may produce damaging gusts and tornadoes across the eastern Gulf Coast states Sunday morning and afternoon.”
More than 1,800 U.S. flights have already been canceled for Monday.
A snow removal machine is seen working on the tarmac of LaGuardia airport in New York on Jan. 25, 2026.
CHARLY TRIBALLEAU /AFP via Getty Images
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport advised travelers that snow began at midnight and said no flights can come or go while its team clears snow from the airfield. It warned of widespread cancellations Sunday.
Even before the winter storm arrived in North Texas, flight cancellations at both major airports there piled up. Dallas Fort Worth international Airport said airlines were expected to operate a reduced number of flights Sunday and encouraged passengers to check their flight status with their airline as schedules could change.
“DFW’s teams are actively treating roads, bridges and airfield surfaces to maintain safe operations,” it said in a statement.
LaGuardia Airport in New York said on its website that “significant travel impacts” from the storm were expected.
Airports in Atlanta, Charlotte and Philadelphia were also expecting disruptions.
Flight tracking service Flightradar24 said American was the most impacted airline this weekend, followed by United and Delta.
Major U.S. airlines were issuing travel waivers, allowing customers to change their plans without penalty.
As millions of Americans hunker down for a massive winter storm sweeping the country, new maps are offering updated forecasts of snow and ice accumulations.
More than 200 million people are under winter storm threats. The storm is predicted to travel over 2,300 miles across 35 states. Eighteen states and Washington, D.C., have declared states of emergency, and at least nine states have activated their National Guards. The sprawling weather system resulted in the most flight cancellations in a day since the start of the COVID pandemic in March 2020.
“A significant, long-duration winter storm will bring widespread heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain from the Southern Rockies to New England through Monday,” the National Weather Service says. “Widespread travel disruptions, prolonged power outages, and vast tree damage is likely.”
States impacted by winter weather alerts.
Nikki Nolan/CBS News
Forecasters also warned of frigid temperatures, gusty winds and dangerous wind chills. More than 93 million people are under cold weather alerts.
Areas at the center of the storm, including parts of Kentucky and Virginia, could see as much as two feet of snow between Saturday and Monday. Major cities including New York City, Boston and Oklahoma City could see between 12 and 18 inches of snow. The outer bands of the storm could bring between 1 and 6 inches to large swaths of the country.
Maps show winter storm forecast
This map shows the storm system spanning from New Mexico and Texas to the Northeast, with parts of many states forecast to see 12 inches of snow or more.
A forecast of snow totals during the winter storm.
Nikki Nolan/CBS News
The southern part of the country will see accumulations of both ice and snow. Ice accumulations can be more dangerous than snow, officials warned. The weight of ice on power lines is more likely to cause outages. It is also harder to clear than snow and can make for dangerous driving conditions.
Ice accumulations of up to 1 inch are forecast for spots of the South. Parts of Texas, Georgia, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee might see up to .75 of an inch of ice. Areas along the outer bands of the storm are expected to see up to a half inch.
On Saturday evening, icy conditions began accumulating in Tupelo, Miss., with a layer of ice blanketing the city.
“Catastrophic impacts are expected where freezing rain amounts exceed a half inch, with over one inch totals possible in parts of northern Louisiana, central and northern Mississippi, southern Tennessee, and the southern Appalachians,” the National Weather Service says.
A forecast of ice totals during the winter storm.
Nikki Nolan/CBS News
Freezing temperatures are compounding the storm’s effects. Snow that melts can quickly turn to ice. Wind chills are quickly bringing the mercury into the negatives.
“If it gets out ahead of us and it becomes snow packed, solid sheets of ice, we get down into single digits — not a lot you can do,” Justin Pierce, a plow driver with the Nashville Department of Transportation, told “CBS Saturday Morning.”
Over 43 million people are under an extreme cold warning, which means temperatures or wind chills are forecast to fall below 5 degrees Fahrenheit over the next 12 to 24 hours, according to the National Weather Service. Over 22 million people are under an extreme cold watch, which means those conditions are expected in the next 24 to 48 hours.
More than 146 million people are under a cold weather advisory, which the weather service said is issued when either temperatures or wind chills are expected to fall to or below 15 degrees but remain about 5 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cold weather alerts in the U.S.
Nikki Nolan for CBS News
“In the wake of the storm, communities from the Southern Plains to the Northeast will contend with bitterly cold temperatures and dangerously cold wind chills,” the weather service says. “This will cause prolonged hazardous travel and infrastructure impacts.”
More than 11,000 U.S. flights have been canceled for Saturday and Sunday as a massive storm moves across the United States. It is forecast to bring dangerous winter weather, including snow, ice and frigid temperatures throughout the weekend into Monday.
Forecasters have warned of heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain from the Southern Rockies to New England, along with dangerous wind chills. Over 200 million people are under winter storm threats.
States of emergency declared, National Guards activated
At least 17 states and Washington, D.C., have declared states of emergency, which allow for the activation of emergency response programs and state assistance for operations.
Nine states have activated their National Guards.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem issued a statement urging Americans to stay off the roads over the next two days. Some federal offices have already announced closures for Monday.
On Saturday, the Texas Department of Transportation posted images of highways covered in snow in the suburbs north of Dallas, after ice and sleet hit northern Texas overnight. Ice was also covering roads and bridges in parts of Mississippi, according to Scott Simmons, a spokesman for Mississippi’s emergency management agency.
In Arkansas, Little Rock was covered with snow and sleet on Saturday.
A person walks in the snow on Jan. 24, 2026 in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Will Newton/Getty Images
Pictures also showed snow covering Nashville.
Snow falls downtown in the lower Broadway area on Jan. 24, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Brett Carlsen/Getty Images
Flight delays and cancellations
Flight tracking site FlightAware reported over 3,600 cancellations affecting flights in or out of the U.S. for Saturday. More than 1,900 delays have been recorded.
Dallas Fort-Worth International Airport has canceled most of its scheduled flights. Nashville International Airport has canceled more than half.
Cancellations for Sunday soared to more than 7,900 — the most cancellations in a single day since the start of the COVID pandemic in March 2020.
Southwest Airlines dispatcher Emily Estapa told “CBS Saturday Morning” that airlines are working to prevent any unnecessary travel to airports. Many airlines have put travel waiver programs in place that allow fliers to reschedule their trips at no cost.
“We have to take into consideration not only our passengers, but our crews, our folks that are out at the station,” Estapa said.
The effects of the storm may last for days. Frigid temperatures are expected to follow the ice and snow. Gus Hudson, the senior deputy general manager for operations at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the busiest airport in the world, said the facility’s winter storm team is already treating runways and taxiways.
“Things may be slower, but we think we will still be able to maintain our operations,” Hudson said. “They will just be at a slower pace.”
Power outages
As midday Saturday, outage tracking site PowerOutage.com reported more than 54,000 outages in Texas. More than 11,000 were reported in both New Mexico and Louisiana.
Officials are particularly concerned about power outages. Ice is heavier than snow, and its weight on power lines may lead to widespread outages. In at least 11 Southern states, the majority of homes are heated by electricity, raising the possibility of dangerously cold conditions during an outage.
Chris Johnson, the assistant director of operations and field services at Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, told CBS News that his “biggest concern” is power outages followed by frigid temperatures. More than 200 people died when a 2021 ice storm in Texas knocked out power for days.
“When you have that extreme cold following power outages, you know, there’s vulnerable populations,” Johnson said. “The impacts that that creates is the concern.”
If an outage occurs, propane heaters or generators should not be used inside the home because of their dangerous fumes. Texas officials said some of the deaths in the 2021 ice storm were due to carbon monoxide poisoning as people sought warmth from cars and outdoor grills.
Latest forecast for winter storm set to hit 2,000-mile expanse of U.S. – CBS News
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A large winter storm is expected to bring frigid and dangerous conditions to more than 200 million Americans. CBS News New York meteorologist Scott Padgett has the latest forecast.
More than half the country’s population is in the path of a major winter storm, with some regions forecast to see more than a foot of snow — but accumulating ice may cause even bigger problems.
Ice will be a serious hazard for some parts of the country, with the National Weather Service warning of potentially “catastrophic accumulation.” In areas that see freezing rain, sleet and snow, frigid temperatures in the days after the storm will keep things frozen.
Hot Springs, Arkansas Mayor Pat McCabe told CBS News that he expects ice to be “a real problem” for residents and utility services in the area.
“Ice is really problematic. We’ll deal with a little bit of snow. We’ve had major snow events,” McCabe said. “Then it warms up and then it gets cold again, and so the melting snow turns to ice and we still end up with ice even if we had snow.”
Ice can weigh down power lines, causing widespread outages, and the frigid conditions and high demand can strain the power grid. That’s a big concern as far south as Texas. In the Lone Star State, a paralyzing ice storm in 2021 led to the deaths of more than 200 people.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has issued a disaster declaration for 134 counties. He said Thursday that the state’s power grid “has never been stronger, never been more prepared, and is fully capable of handling this winter storm.”
A map shows where ice and snow are forecast to fall during a winter storm starting on Jan. 23, 2026.
If an outage occurs, propane heaters or generators should not be used inside the home because of their dangerous fumes. Texas officials said some of the deaths in the 2021 ice storm were due to carbon monoxide poisoning as people sought warmth from cars and outdoor grills.
Ice accumulations can also cause slick roads and slippery surfaces, leading to collisions or falls. In Nashville and other cities, crews are pouring a chemical mixture called brine on streets to warm the asphalt so less ice forms.
Officials are recommending people stay off the roads as much as possible, and drivers should be particularly cautious on bridges and overpasses, which may freeze sooner than other surfaces.
A map shows forecast ice totals during a winter storm starting on Jan. 23, 2026.
CBS News
Ice can also weigh down tree branches, causing them to break and injure people or damage homes. The weight of ice on roofs can also cause damage.
Home inspector Lane Rockensock told CBS News he recommends clearing snow off the roof of a home to reduce weight, and making sure gutters are clear so melting ice drains away from the house.
He said that in parts of the country that do not typically see snowstorms, homes and buildings can be at higher risk.
“Especially in the South, we don’t build houses for 10 inches worth of snow,” Rockensock said. He recommended homeowners keep faucets dripping to prevent burst pipes, and keep outdoor pipes covered. People should also monitor for water damage in basements, he said.
A Chicago Bears fan before an wild-card playoff football game against the Green Bay Packers, Saturday, Jan.10, 2026, in Chicago.
AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps
Kickoff
Kickoff is set for 5:30 p.m. CT at Soldier Field, and the game will air on NBC.
Staying Warm
If you’re headed to Soldier Field to see the game, here’s what you need to know:
-Battery-operated clothing is permitted; however, you may be subject to additional security screening.
-Warming centers will be located at Loop Landing (behind Section 146), on the Service Level down the southwest tunnel near the Dr Pepper Patio, NW colonnade (situated on the tiled landing at the top of the stairs by Gate 31) and on the south side of the colonnades.
-Fans may not take cardboard to sit or stand on.
-Blankets are allowed at Soldier Field. The stadium says fans may carry them in hand or in an approved clear bag.
The winner of Sunday’s game will go on to the NFC Championship to face the Seahawks in Seattle.
Chicago Bears flag after touchdown during NFL Game between Chicago Bears and Jacksonville Jaguars at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium Sunday ,Oct. 13, 2024 in London.
Minnesota’s relatively mild run of weather will be briefly interrupted by some snow showers, gusty winds and frigid wind chills over the weekend.
The NEXT Weather team reports that a weak wave of energy will spawn a few isolated snow showers through Saturday. Accumulations are expected to be minor at less than an inch.
WCCO
The system will bring gusty northwest winds up to 30 mph, which will hold temperatures near 20 degrees all day. Wind chills, however, will be in the single digits in the afternoon through Sunday morning.
Sunday is expected to be a bit calmer with a mix of sun and clouds, and seasonable highs in the 20s.
Another clipper may bring a few snow showers across far northern Minnesota Sunday evening. The Twin Cities will not be affected.
WCCO
High temperatures will rebound back into the upper 30s and lower 40s by Monday and Tuesday.
Rain showers are expected on Tuesday, with more weak and minor systems possible toward the end of the week. No major weather events are expected in the near future.
It stays mild into Monday night in the Twin Cities, which means rain could turn to freezing rain and drizzle overnight.
The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory from 9 p.m. Monday until noon on Tuesday for much of central Minnesota due to possible hazardous road conditions.
WCCO
A dense fog advisory will also be in effect overnight Tuesday.
It stays mild through the rest of the week with highs in the 30s.
The next large winter system is building up and could bring snow to eastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin over the weekend.
Americans in many parts of the country will begin 2026 amid frosty temperatures, heavy snow or potentially intense rainfall, depending on where they live.
Weather forecasts for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day show another bout of lake effect snowfall hitting the Great Lakes and parts of the Northeast, after a powerful winter storm system brought heaps of snow and high winds to both regions, as well as parts of the Midwest, in the days since Christmas. Meanwhile, wet weather is moving into California to mark the New Year and will head toward the Northwest later this week.
It will be frigid across the North and the East, meteorologists say, with temperatures expected to be 10 or 20 degrees below the average for this time of year in those regions. In the West, things will be warmer than average, with temperatures between 15 and 25 higher than average.
Lake effect snow
Lake effect snowfall continues to pile up Wednesday in areas downwind of the Great Lakes, with parts of western New York and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula seeing the highest totals. And more is on its way: Some locations could receive between 1 and 3 feet of snow by New Year’s Day, including places that have already been pummeled by recent winter storms that brought as much as 2 feet of snow in the last 48 hours.
CBS News/Nikki Nolan
The National Weather Service has issued lake effect snow warnings for a number of towns and cities in northern Ohio, upstate New York and western Pennsylvania, which are set to remain in effect through Thursday. The agency’s weather forecast office in Albany warned that conditions could impede travel, especially because they may change unexpectedly.
“During lake effect snow, the weather can vary from bands of locally heavy snow to dry weather just a few miles away. Visibilities can also vary greatly,” the NWS Albany office wrote in a message accompanying its latest warning. “Be prepared for rapid changes in weather, visibility, and road conditions.”
Cold front approaches East Coast
Colder air is settling in across the East Coast, as the area braces for yet another cold front that is expected to move through in the coming days, CBS News meteorologist Nikki Nolan said.
In New York City, revelers who are expected to gather in droves to watch the annual ball drop in Times Square will likely experience the chilliest event in eight years, said CBS New York meteorologist Matthew DeLucia. Temperatures are forecast to hover just above freezing, with cooler wind chills, and flurries or a snow shower could materialize close to midnight.
CBS News/Nikki Nolan
Other cities along the I-95 corridor, like Boston, could see similar conditions as they ring in 2026. As New Year’s Day arrives, a burst of heavier snow is possible in the Boston area and across southeastern Massachusetts, CBS News Boston reported.
Western storms
The southwestern United States is currently experiencing a spell of rain, which will move northward over the next couple of days and bring snowfall to the Sierra Nevada, said Nolan.
Much of Southern California will get heavy rain starting on the morning of New Year’s Day, according to the National Weather Service, which said there is a “slight risk of excessive rainfall” for portions of that region.
Major cities like Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco and Sacramento could be affected, as well as Phoenix, Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada.
CBS News/Nikki Nolan
The weather service has also issued flood watches for parts of Southern California, which will remain effective through the evening on New Year’s Day.
In the Los Angeles area, this storm is expected to bring as much as 1 inch of rainfall per hour at its peak, which should begin at around 10 p.m. PT on New Year’s Eve, CBS News Los Angeles reported. Most inland and coastal places in that area could see up to 2 inches of rainfall accumulate between Wednesday morning and Thursday night, with more expected in the mountains, according to the station.
A powerful storm system currently producing heavy snow, rain and strong winds across parts of the northern United States could become a “bomb cyclone” over the Great Lakes and Northeast regions, forecasters said.
Bomb cyclones can occur when major storms intensify quickly, usually over 24 hours, and a mass of cold air collides with a hotter one, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
In this case, meteorologists warned that a frigid Arctic front plunging downward into the middle of the country could clash with warm air in the South and potentially cause a range of hazardous conditions, from snowstorms to thunderstorms, along with unusually cold temperatures.
Maps show the winter storm forecast
The winter storm on Monday is sweeping across the Great Lakes and moving into the Northeast, bringing blizzard conditions, lake-enhanced snow, high winds and an icy concoction of freezing rain, CBS News meteorologist Nikki Nolan said. That will be followed by a spell of light rainfall through Tuesday morning.
Map shows the winter storm forecast for parts of the Midwest, Great Lakes and Northeast on Monday, Dec. 29, 2025.
Nikki Nolan/CBS News
Map shows the winter storm forecast for parts of the Midwest, Great Lakes and Northeast on Monday, Dec. 29, 2025.
Nikki Nolan/CBS News
Several metropolitan areas are in the path of the storm, including Green Bay, Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New York City and Boston. Some areas could see upwards of 6 to 10 inches of snow by Tuesday as a result of the wintry system.
Along with snow, interior spots in New England should prepare for ice to accumulate, with close to one inch possible in certain places, forecasters said. Others could receive up to 2 inches of rainfall, while wind gusts could also reach 65 or 75 mph as the storm rolls through.
Map shows powerful wind gusts in the forecast for the Great Lakes and Northeast.
Nikki Nolan/CBS News
A surge of cold air is due to arrive behind the cold front, which will allow lake effect snowfall to pile up, potentially reaching 1 to 2 feet in pockets of Michigan and upstate New York.
Farther out from the Great Lakes themselves, a wider strip of the Upper Midwest and Northeast is expected to see between 1 and 6 inches of snow, with lower snowfall totals forecast for places as far south as Kentucky and West Virginia.
Map shows snow in the forecast for the Great Lakes and parts of the Northeast through the middle of the week.
Nikki Nolan/CBS News
Map shows winter weather alerts and warnings
Millions remained under various winter weather alerts and warnings as the storm traveled eastward on Monday, including blizzard warnings in effect for sections of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and ice storm warnings in place for parts of upstate New York and Vermont, according to the National Weather Service.
Map shows winter weather alerts for parts of the Upper Midwest and Northeast.
Nikki Nolan/CBS News
A flurry of winter storm warnings also remained active through Tuesday in many of those same areas, in addition to broader sections of the Midwest and Northeast, from Wisconsin up to Maine.
High wind alerts were issued for more than 114 million people across the eastern U.S. as the cold front moves in.
A winter storm packing ice and snow arrives Friday across the Great Lakes and the Northeast and is forecast to linger into Saturday.
Ice, sleet and freezing rain will make for slick roads in parts of the Upper Midwest and the Mid-Atlantic, while significant amounts of snow will accumulate across parts of New York — potentially the most snowfall New York City has seen in years.
Map shows winter storm warnings
Millions of Americans live in areas under winter weather advisories stretching from northern Minnesota to the Eastern Seaboard.
Map shows areas under winter weather advisories and winter storm watches and warnings through Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025.
CBS News
Winter storm warnings are in effect from Friday afternoon through midday Saturday for New York City and surrounding areas, including northern New Jersey, most of Long Island, the Hudson Valley and western Connecticut.
An ice storm warning is in effect through Saturday morning in the central Pennsylvania counties of Somerset, Westmoreland (ridges), Indiana, Armstrong, Clarion, Jefferson, Forest and Venango.
Map shows forecast for ice conditions
Ice is the biggest concern for an area stretching from central Michigan through southwestern New York and central Pennsylvania.
Map shows areas that could see icy conditions on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 26-27, 2025.
CBS News
CBS News Detroit reports freezing rain and sleet could make roads extremely treacherous. A winter weather advisory has been issued for Lapeer, Lenawee, Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, Washtenaw and Wayne counties.
CBS News Pittsburgh reports most of the the Pittsburgh metro area will only have a brief window for freezing rain before switching over to rain, but portions of central Pennsylvania will get ice accumulation of a quarter-inch or more.
The storm approaches the Philadelphia area Friday afternoon, with CBS News Philadelphia meteorologists advising residents to “Be where you need to be by 3 p.m. on Friday if you can,” and stay off the roads Friday evening and overnight into Saturday.
CBS News Baltimore warns a slick wintry mix of freezing rain and sleet will develop Friday afternoon for parts of central and northern Maryland.
Map shows snow forecast for New York City area
The storm becomes a major snow event for the New York City area from Friday afternoon into Saturday.
Map shows areas that could see significant snowfall on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 26-27, 2025.
CBS News
CBS News New York reports snowfall amounts of 4 to 8 inches are forecast for the metro area, while some northern communities could see up to 10 inches, with locally higher amounts possible in the Catskills and Pocono mountains.
“Get ready for moderate to heavy snow that could accumulate pretty quickly — inch or two an hour snowfall rates will mean treacherous conditions on the road, poor visibility, slick conditions right through the overnight hours,” said CBS News New York meteorologist Tony Sadiku.
“This will be a lot to shovel, so pace yourself,” he added.
It’s expected to be the biggest snowfall the city has seen in nearly four years. The last time NYC got more than 4 inches of snow was Jan. 28-29, 2022, when a strong coastal storm dumped 8.5 inches in Central Park.
Snowfall totals are expected to be slightly lower, 3 to 5 inches, for the Jersey Shore and central New Jersey because of a mix of freezing rain and sleet.
CBS News weather producer Elie Morrison contributed to this report.
