Arctic blast and sprawling winter storm set to sweep U.S., threatening crippling ice, travel chaos and power outages
Snow has begun falling across parts of Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas in a frosty prelude to a major winter storm expected to merge with bitter Arctic air and engulf much of the United States this weekend from the Rockies to the Eastern Seaboard. Forecasts warn of heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain coupled with dangerously low temperatures that could upend travel and trigger widespread power failures.
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At least 14 states and the District of Columbia have declared weather emergencies, and major U.S. airlines urged travelers to watch for schedule changes and cancellations.
“This is a mean storm,” said Jacob Asherman, a meteorologist at the U.S. Weather Prediction Center in Maryland, calling it the biggest so far this season in both intensity and scope.
The National Weather Service said snowfall totals could exceed a foot (30 centimeters) across the hardest-hit areas of the Rockies, the Plains, the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast. Along the storm’s southern edge, sleet and freezing rain are forecast to glaze the southern Plains, lower Mississippi Valley, Tennessee Valley and parts of the Southeast with “catastrophic” ice accumulations. The worst icing is expected in portions of Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee, where Asherman said up to 2.5 centimeters (about 1 inch) of ice could coat trees, power lines and roads.
Driven by two streams of moisture — one from the Pacific and another from the Gulf of Mexico — the storm is expanding eastward, even as a zone of near-record high pressure sliding out of the Rockies drags an Arctic air mass across the country. Wind chills plunged below -45 C (-49 F) in the Dakotas and Minnesota, Asherman said, warning exposure without proper clothing “can lead to hypothermia very, very quickly.” Sub-zero conditions are expected to push as far south as the southern Plains, the lower Mississippi Valley, the Ohio Valley and the Mid-Atlantic into early next week, with some record lows possible.
Officials cautioned that ice and cold could cause significant travel and power disruptions, especially in regions unaccustomed to severe winter weather. “Dallas could see a half-inch of ice,” said Brandon Buckingham, a meteorologist with AccuWeather. “This is going to become treacherous very quickly.” He urged residents in ice-prone areas to prepare for power outages “lasting at least several days,” even though the storm should weaken by early Monday.
Local preparations were underway across the storm’s path. Volunteers readied cots in Dallas ahead of the cold snap. In Oklahoma City — which could see up to 31 centimeters (12 inches) of snow — coffee shop manager Morgan Mayo said customers packed in to escape the frigid air after temperatures fell to -13 C (9 F). “We’re going to do our darndest to stay open,” he said, adding that several employees live within walking distance and “are willing to brave the storm,” even as the high was expected to reach only 10 C (50 F). In New York City, supermarket shelves were stripped ahead of the system’s arrival.
The setup recalls Texas’ devastating 2021 ice storm, which cut power to nearly 40% of the state’s grid and left more than 2.7 million people without electricity for days. That disaster was blamed for more than 200 deaths, most linked to exposure. This time, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas said it expects “sufficient generation to meet demand this winter.”
In Washington, with 10 to 20 centimeters (4 to 8 inches) of snow forecast, Mayor Muriel Bowser asked the National Guard for high-clearance vehicles to ensure first responders can move around the District. In New York City, the storm represents the first major test for Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who said on NY1 that the city’s sanitation workforce would transform into “the nation’s largest snow-fighting operation” ahead of the expected heavy snowfall.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
