A massive winter storm has gripped the eastern two-thirds of the United States, unleashing heavy snow, freezing rain, ice accumulation and life-threatening cold across a staggering 2,000-mile swath from New Mexico to New England. Affecting nearly 213 million people, the storm has knocked out power for over 8,50,000 customers, cancelled more than 14,000 flights, and prompted emergency declarations in nearly 20 states. Dubbed historic by officials, it threatens prolonged blackouts, impassable roads, and extreme hypothermia risks as sub-zero temperatures persist.
Storm's vast reach and warnings
The National Weather Service (NWS) issued urgent alerts for a "unique" storm spanning over 2,000 miles (3,220 km), delivering heavy snow from the Ohio Valley to the Northeast and "catastrophic ice accumulation" from the Lower Mississippi Valley to the Southeast. NWS meteorologist Allison Santorelli highlighted its unprecedented spread, impacting areas unaccustomed to such ferocity.
Sub-freezing temperatures, sleet, and freezing rain could linger for days, with wind chills plunging below zero across more than half the country- even as far south as the Gulf Coast. Officials warned of "dangerous travel and infrastructure impacts," including extensive tree damage, long-duration outages, and thunder-snow in icy zones.
Widespread power outages grip the South and beyond
PowerOutage.us reported over 850,000 customers without electricity, concentrated in the South-
- Tennessee: Around 2,90,000 affected
- Mississippi, Texas, Louisiana: Over 1,00,000 each
- Additional hits in Kentucky, Georgia, Virginia and Alabama
Ice buildup has toppled power lines and trees, locking snow in place and exacerbating outages that could last days, leaving residents vulnerable to the cold.
Aviation chaos: Record flight disruptions
Flight cancellations soared past 14,800 from Saturday through Monday, as per FlightAware-
- Saturday: Over 4,000, mainly Dallas and Charlotte
- Sunday: More than 10,000
- Monday: Already 1,600+, focused on New York and Boston
Major carriers grounded schedules- 43 per cent of American Airlines flights and 35% of Delta's- while thousands more faced delays. Airlines urged passengers to brace for changes amid closed runways and de-icing challenges.
Interstate shutdowns and travel nightmares
Stretches of interstates shut down due to black ice and snow, rendering roads "extremely dangerous or impassable." The NWS expanded warnings into the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, advising against all non-essential travel as hypothermia and frostbite risks mount from prolonged exposure.
Federal and state emergency response
President Donald Trump approved federal disaster declarations for at least 10 states, including Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, Maryland, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Indiana, and West Virginia- totalling nearly 20 states plus the District of Columbia under emergency status. In a Truth Social post, Trump pledged close coordination: "We will continue to monitor and stay in touch with all States in the path of this storm. Stay Safe, and Stay Warm."
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) pre-positioned supplies and search-and-rescue teams. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem urged stocking fuel and food: "It's going to be very, very cold. So we would encourage everybody to stock up... and we will get through this together." Governors and state teams activated full resources.