Major Winter Storm Causes Over 110 Fatalities, Widespread Power Outages, and Travel Disruptions Across U.S. and Canada

A severe and prolonged winter storm system, which included a "bomb cyclone," affected over 245 million people across approximately 40 U.S. states and parts of Canada. Beginning on a Friday and continuing for over a week, the storm brought heavy snow, sleet, freezing rain, and dangerously low temperatures from New Mexico to New England, and across the Southern and Eastern regions. The widespread weather event resulted in significant infrastructure damage, widespread power outages affecting over a million customers, thousands of flight and road travel disruptions, and led to at least 110 storm-related fatalities across multiple states.

Storm Progression and Scope

The winter storm system was initially anticipated to begin in western states on Friday, moving eastward through Monday. It developed from the collision of a cold air mass from the north with a plume of moisture from the southwest, and a low-pressure system in the Southwest interacting with Gulf moisture and Arctic cold air. This system expanded across a 2,000-mile expanse, impacting regions from eastern New Mexico through Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, the Ohio River Valley, and extending into the Northeast and parts of Canada.

Forecasters described it as potentially one of the most significant winter storms of the season, affecting a broad area from east of the Rockies to the Mid-Atlantic.

An intense low-pressure system, referred to as a "bomb cyclone" due to its rapid intensification, developed off the Carolina coast and moved north during the weekend. This system extended extremely cold air into the Southeast region and contributed to further snowfall and high winds, particularly along the East Coast.

Weather Conditions

The severe weather delivered a range of wintry precipitation and extreme temperatures across affected regions.

Precipitation

• Snowfall: Heavy snow was forecast for the Northeast, with potential for snow squalls in New England. Over a foot of snow was projected for areas from Colorado to West Virginia to Boston. The Texas Panhandle and the Ozarks expected a foot or more, while parts of the Central Appalachians and Northeast could see up to two feet. Major cities like New York City, Boston, and Oklahoma City were projected to receive 12 to 18 inches. Parts of North Carolina, including Charlotte, recorded a foot or more of snow, with some areas seeing up to 18 inches. In the Northeast, areas along the I-90 corridor such as Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo could receive 2 to 5 inches, while Boston typically saw 1 to 2 inches. Southeastern U.S. regions, including the Carolinas, western Tennessee, and southeastern Virginia, experienced widespread snow totals of 6 to 12 inches, with Atlanta receiving 1 to 3 inches.

• Ice and Freezing Rain: Ice and sleet were identified as primary risks in the Southern U.S., with the highest potential for freezing rain in northern Louisiana, southeast Arkansas, northern Mississippi, and southern middle Tennessee. Accumulations exceeding half an inch were identified as a risk for power line breakage. Ice accumulation of 0.2 to 0.5 inches was expected along the storm's southern track, with northeastern Texas, northern Mississippi, southwestern Tennessee, northern Georgia, and the Carolinas anticipating substantial icy impacts. Portions of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee experienced ice up to 2.5 centimeters thick.

The National Weather Service (NWS) warned of "crippling ice and sleet" for the Southern Plains and Lower Mississippi Valley, and "potentially catastrophic ice accumulations" from the Southern Plains to the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic.

Temperatures and Wind Chill

Dangerously frigid temperatures and wind chills characterized the storm, following and accompanying the precipitation. A polar vortex contributed to these conditions, with temperatures dropping to record lows in parts of the southern Plains and mid-Atlantic regions.

• Record Lows: Washington D.C. and Raleigh, North Carolina, were projected to experience their coldest periods since 2018. New record low temperatures were expected across affected regions. Florida recorded its coldest air mass since December 1989, with snow flurries observed in the Tampa-St. Petersburg area and temperatures dropping to 20s in the Panhandle and 30s in South Florida.

• Wind Chill: Wind chill temperatures possibly reached 40 to 50 degrees below zero in northern U.S. areas, where frostbite could occur within minutes. Wind-chill readings dropped below -45°C in the Dakotas and Minnesota. Sub-zero wind chills were also reported as far south as the Southern Plains, Lower Mississippi Valley, Ohio Valley, and Mid-Atlantic. New York City experienced wind chills as low as -20 degrees, and upstate New York around Saranac Lake saw wind chills potentially reaching -40 degrees. New Orleans recorded wind chills as low as -14.

Impacts and Disruptions

The severe weather led to widespread and prolonged disruptions across the affected areas.

Fatalities

At least 110 storm-related deaths were reported across the U.S. since late January. Causes included hypothermia, suspected carbon monoxide poisoning, and accidents involving vehicles, sledding, and snowplows.

• New York City officials reported 10 cold-related deaths.
• Tennessee confirmed 13 weather-related deaths, and Mississippi 23 deaths.
• Louisiana reported 9 deaths, including two from hypothermia and one from carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Texas confirmed 3 deaths, including 3 brothers who fell through ice and 2 teenage girls in a sledding accident. An additional "exposure-related" death was reported in Austin.
• Pennsylvania reported 3 deaths linked to snow shoveling.
• Massachusetts and Ohio each reported one death involving a snowplow.
• An unrelated private jet crash during takeoff in Bangor, Maine, resulted in 7 fatalities amidst snowfall, though weather was not immediately identified as a factor.

Power Outages

Over 1 million customers experienced power outages across the affected states, particularly in the Southern and Mid-Atlantic regions. Freezing rain accumulation on power lines and tree limbs was identified as a primary cause.

• Tennessee saw over 316,000 customers lose power, with more than 110,000 outages persisting in Nashville for over a week, requiring extensive restoration efforts.
• Louisiana reported over 140,000 outages, and Mississippi experienced over 150,000, described as the state's worst winter storm since 1994.
• Kentucky had over 75,000 outages.
• Some power restoration efforts were projected to last for a week or longer in severely impacted areas.

Travel Disruptions

Widespread travel disruptions affected both air and road transport.

• Air Travel: More than 19,000 flights into and out of the U.S. were canceled. Major airports in Dallas, Atlanta, Charlotte, Philadelphia, Boston, New York, Washington, and Memphis experienced significant delays and cancellations. LaGuardia Airport in New York closed and grounded all flights on a Sunday afternoon. Airlines issued travel advisories and waived rebooking fees.

• Road Travel: Roads became hazardous or impassable due to ice, snow, and falling trees. Key interstates, including I-10, I-20, I-30, I-35, I-40, I-44, I-49, and I-55, experienced difficult or impossible navigation. Mississippi faced hours-long highway gridlock on Interstates 55 and 22. North Carolina reported over 1,000 traffic accidents and two road deaths. Authorities in multiple states advised against non-essential travel. Commercial vehicle restrictions were implemented on highways in Connecticut, Delaware, and New Jersey.

Other Disruptions

• Schools and Businesses: School systems in major cities, including Chicago, Des Moines, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, and New York City, canceled classes or shifted to remote learning. Universities, such as the University of Georgia, also closed campuses. Some businesses, including a Waffle House in north Georgia, temporarily closed.
• Infrastructure: The storm caused widespread tree damage, with ice accumulation increasing the weight of tree branches and power lines substantially. In Buxton, North Carolina, an unoccupied beachfront house collapsed due to heavy surf.
• Health Concerns: Medical centers prepared for an increase in cold-related trauma, including exposure, frostnip, frostbite, and hypothermia. Health officials advised against using gas stoves for heating due to carbon monoxide poisoning risks.
• Resource Shortages: In some isolated communities, residents reported running low on food, water, medication, propane, wood, and kerosene.
• Wildlife: In Florida, cold-stunned iguanas were observed falling from trees, prompting an executive order for their removal. Ice also formed on strawberry and orange crops.

Government Response and Preparations

Federal, state, and local authorities activated emergency responses and advised residents to take precautions.

• Emergency Declarations: At least 24 U.S. states and Washington, D.C., declared states of emergency, enabling measures such as pre-treating highways, staging supplies and equipment, and deploying National Guard troops.

• Federal Aid: President Donald Trump approved federal emergency disaster declarations for 12 states. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) pre-positioned resources including over 7 million meals, 3 million liters of water, and 650,000 blankets in distribution centers.

• National Guard Deployment: National Guard troops were deployed in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, New York, and North Carolina to assist with response efforts, including road clearance and supply delivery.

• Public Safety Advisories: Officials urged residents to monitor local weather, prepare for potential extended power outages, avoid non-essential travel, and assemble emergency kits for vehicles and homes. Specific advice included protecting homes by covering exterior faucets, allowing indoor faucets to drip, and knowing the main water shut-off valve. Communities opened inclement-weather shelters and warming stations, providing resources for those in need.

Lingering Conditions and Future Outlook

Even after the main storm systems passed, dangerously cold temperatures were expected to persist for several days across broad areas, including the Upper Midwest, Deep South, and East, potentially extending into February. This prolonged cold hindered recovery efforts, including ice melting and power restoration.

Forecasters indicated the potential for another winter storm to affect the East Coast in the subsequent weekend, bringing heavy snowfall, powerful winds, and coastal flooding to the Carolinas, Virginia, and parts of New England.

The NWS warned of increasing likelihood of blizzard conditions and significant coastal impacts, including destructive beach erosion and flooding. While a warming trend was anticipated in the East later in the following week, the persistent cold was characterized as potentially the coldest and longest-duration cold spell in several decades for some regions.