A powerful winter storm has begun slowly carving its way across the eastern two-thirds of the U.S., potentially bringing a mix of heavy snow, dangerous ice and bitterly cold temperatures from New Mexico to New England.
More than 30 states were under a National Weather Service watch, warning or advisory as of Saturday morning. NWS forecasters were particularly concerned about freezing rain and ice, warning that “catastrophic ice accumulations are expected from the Southern Plains to the Southeast/Mid-Atlantic.”
“Whenever we see these big ice events, we’ll see various hazards; obviously bridges and overpasses being frozen over, and with trees and various different things that could fall into the roadways or potentially fall on houses,” said Nicholas Price, an NWS meteorologist in Texas.
Travel will also be severely affected with over 8,000 flights cancelled across the U.S. this weekend.
Reporters from across the NPR Network are covering the storm in each state — the impact and how officials are responding. We’ve also got tips for interpreting different weather notices, protecting your home or vehicle ahead of time, and for staying safe once the storm hits.
First, some advice from past cold blasts:
- The kind of cold the U.S. is experiencing this weekend can be dangerous and even deadly. Here are some precautions to take if you have to go outside.
- Animals also are at risk when out in the cold for prolonged periods. Take extra care to keep them warm in the cold weather.
Alabama
- Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey issued a state of emergency for 19 northern counties ahead of the storm.
- “In Alabama, we are no stranger to Mother Nature,” Ivey said. “However, when it comes to winter weather, we are not as familiar. So, as we head into this weekend, I am urging my fellow Alabamians, especially in the northern part of our state, to stay weather aware.”
Arkansas
- Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders declared a state of emergency Thursday.
- Arkansas Department of Transportation spokesperson Dave Parker warned that this system is unlike winter storms that typically blow through the region and will make it “a very difficult battle” to clear roads.
Connecticut
- Gov. Ned Lamont activated the state’s Severe Cold Weather Protocol, which helps people find shelter space and provide transportation to shelters.
- Parts of the state could get more than a foot of snow. “This is the real McCoy,” Lamont said. He added that some 650 plows and 900 drivers as well as 250 utility crews are ready to respond.
Georgia
- Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency on Thursday. His emergency order allows for 500 Georgia National Guard troops to be deployed as needed. It also “prohibits price gouging; suspends hours-of-service limitations for commercial vehicle operators involved in response activities; and temporarily increases weight, height, and length limits for commercial vehicles transporting essential supplies.”
- The University of Georgia urged students to return home after their classes Friday.
Indiana
- Gov. Mike Braun activated the Indiana National Guard and the Indiana State Police on Friday.The National Weather Service warned of frostbite and said temperatures could fall to -25 degrees in some places.
Kentucky
- The National Weather Service says central and eastern Kentucky could get the most snow they’ve seen in 10 years.
- In the city of Lexington, the storm “will more than likely take its place among the top ten” since 1887, says Emergency Management Director Rob Larkin.
- Periods of heavy sleet are predicted to hit western Kentucky with freezing rain mixed in, including some sleet accumulation and up to a light glaze of freezing rain.
- Gov. Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency.
- The head of the Kentucky Emergency Management agency said the National Guard and other personnel stand ready to clear roads and help provide shelter to those who need it.
- Kentucky Utilities has an instant text and call alert service to inform customers about outages.
- In Fayette County, the nonprofit group Camp Hero is offering free rides for healthcare workers from Saturday afternoon through Monday.
Louisiana
- Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry on Thursday declared a state of emergency, which his office says “activates the State’s emergency response and recovery program, allowing for direct state assistance to support operational measures at the parish level.”
- In the northern city of Monroe, Mayor Friday Ellis declared a state of emergency.
Maine
- Temperatures in parts of the state could drop as low as -20 degrees.
- “Probably the coldest temperatures are going to be seen up north and across the Western Maine mountains,” said Steven Baron, a meteorologist in Gray.
Maryland
- Gov. Wes Moore has declared a state of preparedness.
- The Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter is looking for people to foster dogs.
Massachusetts
- In Boston, the storm will be “both intense and long-lasting.” The heaviest snowfall is expected on Sunday night with 2-4 inches per hour possible.
- South of the city, the snow may get quite sticky for a little while.
- Expect slick roads, travel delays and flight cancellations into Monday.
Missouri
- The Kansas City metro is under a winter storm warning.
- The St. Louis region, is under a winter storm watch until noon Sunday. Gov. Mike Kehoe has declared a state of emergency.
- The storm comes amid an already very chaotic climate year for St. Louis.
- St. Louis is piloting a new plowing protocol and adding emergency beds ahead of severe weather. Streets Department Director James Jackson said the city aims to have all main roadways open in 48 to 72 hours.
- As precipitation starts to fall, the Missouri Department of Transportation’s team will be fully deployed across the state, “3,000 folks working two shifts a day until this is back to near normal conditions.” Additional Crisis Cold Weather Shelters will be open this weekend.
- Bonus: St. Louis Public Radio has a recipe recommendation to help you warm up in the cold.
Nebraska
- Dozens of school districts across the state heeded the warnings and canceled Friday classes, including Ainsworth in the Panhandle to Ord in central Nebraska and Lincoln Public Schools and Omaha Public Schools.
- Several cities, including Lincoln and Omaha, are activating warming centers for people seeking a reprieve from the frigid temperatures.
New Hampshire
- New Hampshire Public Radio has resources for finding shelters and staying safe as the state braces for extreme cold.
New York
- New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has declared a state of emergency as the entire state prepares.
- In addition to heavy snowfall in some spots, it will be dangerously cold. Parts of the North Country will have wind chills as low as 50 below zero. Much of Central New York is preparing for a week-long winter cold snap.
- On Long Island, where open farm fields can expose roads to snowdrifts, highway superintendents are preparing by checking snow fences, which help trap windblown snow, and readying large snow-blowing trucks.
- NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani is already fielding a barrage of questions about whether he’ll close schools for part of next week. While children may have been hopeful, he announced that New York City public school students will be open Monday despite the forecast; no snow day.
North Carolina
- Ahead of a winter storm, Gov. Josh Stein is warning North Carolinians to stay off the roads over the weekend. They should also prepare to go without power for a few days as ice-laden tree limbs threaten to drag down power lines.
- NCDOT crews are currently brining roads, but officials said travel will become extremely hazardous Saturday night through early next week.
- National Weather Service Meteorologist Tom Green says the precipitation moving into the Piedmont on Saturday may begin as snow, but that might change: “As things end up evolving Saturday evening and Saturday night, we’re expecting that that will likely transition to a period of sleet and freezing rain.”
For more tips and resources in North Carolina, head to WNCW.
Ohio
- The National Weather Service predicts eight inches to a foot of snow in central Ohio this weekend. Forecasters urge people to run errands and stock up on supplies before Saturday afternoon, when the snow is expected to begin.
- As extremely cold temperatures grip Northeast Ohio, emergency doctors are warning that frostbite can develop faster than many parents realize, especially in children.
- “Thirty minutes or less typically is all the time that’s required to develop frostbite in exposed individuals when the windchill is near zero,” said MetroHealth emergency physician Dr. Jeremiah Escajeda. She advises dressing children in layers, keeping extremities covered and changing out of wet clothing.
Oklahoma
- Oklahoma State climatologist Gary McManus said the next few days resemble a record-setting winter storm in 2011. That time, the wind chill reached -25 degrees and total snowfall reached a foot in parts of the state.
- Temperatures are forecast to drop as low as -15 over the weekend.
Pennsylvania
- Philadelphia schools will be closed on Monday as Mayor Cherelle Parker announced the city will be under a snow emergency beginning 9 p.m. Saturday.
- Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O’Connor said he’s “expecting the worst” from the storm, which is projected to drop between 9-14 inches of snow on the area. He’s prepared to call in additional contractors and haulers to deal with the snow. The weekend storm is on track to be the most significant winter storm in Pittsburgh in five years, and possibly as many as 15.
- “We’ll be on the northwest fringe of this storm track where the heavy snow will be occurring,” NWS meteorologist Chris Leonardi said of Pittsburgh.
- Central Pennsylvania will also see double-digit snowfall and cold temperatures.
Tennessee
- The City of Memphis told residents to plan for dangerous travel, potential power outages, and disruptions to water service.
- Weather forecasters are currently monitoring the potential for ice accumulation, which poses a greater danger than snow and cannot be effectively cleared by snow plows.
Texas
- Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued disaster declarations Thursday for more than 130 counties ahead of a winter freeze expected to sweep into the state, bringing days of subfreezing temperatures and the chance of ice or snow. Local officials in the Austin area have also provided specific updates.
- Emergency operations are activated and alerts have gone out for areas like the Hill Country and Boerne.
- Electricity providers are preparing for outages.
- KUT has tips on what to stock up on in your home, how to prep your car for extreme weather, and links for where to get up-to-date Texas weather information.
- Ahead of the winter freeze, volunteers documented Tarrant County’s homeless population. The census is always taken during the last 10 days of January, but this year, weather was a bigger focus than usual.
- Grocery stores in the Houston area are bracing for a spike in demand due to panic buying. “Our phones are ringing off the hook,” said Jim Stratton, a store owner in Houston Heights.
- Winter weather could affect turnout for the special election runoff in the 18th Congressional District.
For more resources in Texas, head to Houston Public Media or Texas Public Radio or KERA News.
Vermont
- In some parts of Vermont, the National Weather Service forecasts wind chills as low as -40 degrees. Much of the state is under an extreme cold watch.
- Seven extreme cold weather shelter locations will be open over the weekend. Most are part of a state-funded network of overflow shelters that activate when temperatures fall into the negatives.
Virginia
- Gov. Abigail Spanberger issued an emergency declaration and said the Commonwealth has already mobilized resources and response efforts. But she said it will take time for state agencies to clear roads in the coming days and asked people to stay home.
- Central Virginia, specifically Richmond and Charlottesville, has upped its resources to prepare.
West Virginia
- Gov. Patrick Morrisey has declared a state of preparedness for every county, a move that allows the state’s Emergency Management Division to get staff and equipment ready.