What we're covering
• Storm’s impact growing: Snow and dangerous ice spans 1,300 miles of the US and is still pushing east. It will soon impact more than 2,000 miles from Texas to New England through the weekend.
• Catastrophic ice: Power outages are increasing as damaging ice falls across the South. Hundreds of thousands could lose power, some for days, as crippling ice amounts weigh down and drop power lines and trees.
• Travel nightmare: Over 10,000 flights have been canceled because of the storm, a staggering amount. Stretches of interstate have been shut down from dangerous road conditions in the storm’s footprint.
• Record cold: More than half of all Americans will experience subzero wind chills in the next week. The extreme cold will lock snow and ice in place and leave those without power shivering for days.
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Storm chaser Maxwell Olsen captured these vehicles that slid off the road or were abandoned in ditches in Norman, Oklahoma, as road conditions deteriorated overnight.
Storm chaser Brian Emfinger captured snowplow crews battling risky conditions in Fayetteville, Arkansas, as heavy snow and thick ice made travel hazardous across the state.
This storm's snow will be "fluffy" and that will impact totals
This storm is promising some impressive snow totals, in large part because of how “fluffy” the snow will be. It has to do with the extreme cold.
A very cold column of air means snowflakes grow slowly and stay intact instead of clumping together or partially melting. That creates airier flakes with lots of space between them.
On average, 1 inch of liquid water will create about 10 inches of snow. However, in dry, cold conditions like these, the same amount of moisture can create 15 or even 20 inches of quickly accumulating snow.
This type of snow is lighter and easier to shovel, but it also blows around more easily and can reduce visibility quickly. It’s great for snowball fights but not ideal for driving.
Ohio governor declares state of emergency as winter storm approaches
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine issued a state of emergency Saturday due to incoming snow and frigid temperatures in parts of the state this weekend.
“I continue to encourage everyone to stay home this weekend unless it’s absolutely necessary to be out,” DeWine said in a statement. “We’re expecting the roads to be treacherous in some places, and if you crash, first responders may not be able to get to you quickly.”
At least 19 states including Ohio have declared a state of emergency, which help free up and mobilize resources to respond to and prepare for the storm.
The states that have declared emergencies are: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington, DC, also issued similar orders.
The storm now spans 1,300 miles of the US
Precipitation from the growing winter storm stretches from New Mexico to the Appalachians this afternoon.
By the time the storm moves off the East Coast later Monday, it will have impacted more than 2,000 miles of the country.
Northeast could see snow fall an inch per hour and thundersnow on Sunday
When snow arrives in the Northeast on Sunday, it could fall heavily for a period of time, possibly at rates of an inch or more per hour.
The computer model forecast above shows there is a 70% or better probability of that happening in the yellow, orange and red shadings. That includes New York City to Hartford, Connecticut, and Boston.
Snow will accumulate quickly on roads if it falls that hard, especially with frigid temperatures in place.
On top of that, sometimes a phenomenon called thundersnow can happen in these heavier bursts. “A few lightning strikes cannot be ruled out in the heaviest bands,” the National Service in New York City said.
Much of the Northeast is expected to see 8 to 12 inches of snow, but some could see more than a foot.
Photos: Monster winter storm slams the US
The impacts of this storm’s snow and ice are already being felt across the south and central US.
Images show treacherous road conditions in Tennessee and Arkansas, making travel in the region extremely difficult.
Farther east, people in the path of the storm continue to gather supplies and prepare.
Driving will be "rolling the dice with poor odds," North Carolina official warns
This winter storm will lead to particularly dangerous road conditions across North Carolina in the coming days, officials warned during a Saturday news conference while urging residents to finish preparations and hunker down.
Gov. Josh Stein also emphasized black ice will remain an issue into next week, especially on bridges, overpasses and shaded areas — but that travel isn’t the only concern.
“Please plan for the possibility that you’ll not only be stuck at home for a few days but that you may be without power,” he said. “This is a serious storm. We are taking it seriously and so should you.”
There are 51 local states of emergency and 21 local emergency operations centers active or monitoring the situation, North Carolina’s Emergency Management Director William Ray told reporters.
Hundreds of pallets of meals, drinking water, blankets and cots have been distributed and the transportation department is “fully stocked” with fuel and salt, officials said. The National Guard and highway patrol are also ready to assist with local response efforts.
Power outages mount as new highest ice amount is reported in Louisiana
Significant icing from freezing rain has now been reported in parts of at least four states: Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma.
More than 80,000 customers are now without electricity across Arkansas, New Mexico, Texas and Louisiana as the ice builds, according to poweroutage.us. Over 55,000 of those are in Texas, with Louisiana and New Mexico following behind with more than 10,000.
Ice three-quarters of an inch thick was reported in Hall Summit, Louisiana, according to the National Weather Service. The small town is about 30 miles southeast of Shreveport, Louisiana.
That’s highest amount of ice in the event so far, and three times the rule of thumb for when it can become damaging to trees and power lines.
Earlier today, up to a half-inch of ice was reported in southeast Oklahoma, causing large tree limbs to break and knocking out power in Idabel, Oklahoma. Eastern Texas has seen amounts up to a quarter-inch.
Trump approves emergency declarations for Carolinas, Virginia
President Donald Trump says he is closely tracking the winter weather barreling across the US this weekend and has preemptively approved emergency declarations for three states the path of the storm. The declarations will unlock additional federal resources — and are likely to be the first of many for impacted states.
Trump announced on social media Saturday morning he had approved the emergency declarations for South Carolina and Virginia, and about an hour later, North Carolina Governor Josh Stein posted his request had also been approved.
“With the help of FEMA and our State partners, we will keep everyone safe,” Trump wrote. “We will continue to monitor, and stay in touch with all States in the path of this storm. Stay Safe, and Stay Warm!”
It’s unclear how many states have requested federal emergency declarations to date. At least 19 states and Washington, DC have issued their own emergency declarations and two other states have issued disaster declarations.
CNN’s Gabe Cohen contributed reporting to this post.
Winter storm could spark severe thunderstorms Sunday
As if this massive winter storm wasn’t enough of a menace, it could also generate an another hazard tomorrow: severe thunderstorms.
While brutal Arctic air is freezing up a massive portion of the country, a surge of really warm air from the south will reach the Gulf Coast on Sunday. This same air could generate a few record-breaking temperatures in Florida Sunday.
Severe thunderstorms could ignite where those two very different masses of air meet. A Level 2 of 5 risk of severe thunderstorms is in place for parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida and Georgia.
Damaging wind gusts are the main threat with any powerful thunderstorms that develop in the area from Sunday morning through the afternoon, but a few tornadoes are possible as well.
City buildings closed Sunday in Boston as mayor urges residents to avoid driving
With whiteout conditions expected in the city once the winter storm arrives, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is urging residents to avoid driving.
Boston also declared a cold emergency on Thursday. It’s expected to continue into Sunday, Wu said at a Saturday news conference.
The city is currently forecast to pick up between 11 and 17 inches of snow, with the heaviest falling late Sunday afternoon into early Monday morning. Snowfall rates could hit 2 to 3 inches per hour for a few hours in this stretch.
Winds could gust up to 35 mph on Sunday night during the heaviest snow, leading to whiteout conditions.
On Sunday and Monday, city buildings including libraries and community centers will be closed, Wu said, with schools also closed on Monday. Overnight street sweeping will be canceled and a parking ban will take effect on certain streets, she added.
The city has 40,000 tons of salt for roads, Wu said, but urged residents not to drive unless absolutely necessary, saying: “We need your help to keep everyone safe.”
New York City preparing for winter storm with "largest snow-fighting operation in the country," mayor says
“Make no mistake, New Yorkers – the full power of this city’s enormous resources are prepared, poised and ready to be deployed,” mayor Zohran Mamdani said Saturday morning at a press conference inside a salt shed in lower Manhattan.
As soon as snow beings to fall, thousands of city sanitation employees will begin salting and plowing the roads with more than 700 salt spreaders and 2,300 snowplows, Mamdani said.
Teachers have ensured that their students have the resources necessary for virtual learning, fire departments have increased their staffing, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has activated its emergency operations center, according to the mayor.
City officials have also been reviewing previous 311 reports to see where residents reported inadequate attention during past snowstorms in order to better prepare for this storm.
“We are quite literally poring through 311 reports from previous snowstorms so that there is no New Yorker on Sunday who wonders whether because of their zip code or their neighborhood, they’re receiving a different level of service,” Mamdani said. “Every single New Yorker is going to receive the same level of service where we prepare this city, take care of this city, and then get this city back on its feet in time after the storm.”
Oklahoma National Guard, troopers assist dozens of motorists, a snow plow and stranded semis
A snow plow in Oklahoma slid off the highway this morning, according to the state National Guard, and a Stranded Motorist Assistance Recovery Team helped get it back in action.
The team also helped Oklahoma Highway Patrol clear two stranded semi trucks that were blocking an exit on the highway there, the state National Guard said on X.
From noon on Friday through 7 a.m. Saturday, the state highway patrol said it troopers have responded to 18 collisions with injuries, 108 collisions without injuries and assisted 61 motorists.
Here's what the blockbuster winter storm looks like from space
The already massive reach of the ongoing winter storm is set to grow considerably the rest of today and through Sunday.
The bulk of the storm’s precipitation is currently falling over the Plains and Mississippi Valley and is starting to enter the Midwest. But it’s stirring up cloudiness well beyond where it’s actively dropping snow, icy mix and rain.
Record Florida warmth creates huge US temperature range
A 100-plus degree temperature difference is forecast between highs in Florida and lows near the US-Canada border this weekend as Arctic air spreads across the US.
Several locations in Central Florida could approach record highs Sunday as temperatures rise into the middle 80s.
That sets up a big temperature difference across the country, especially when compared to Sunday morning lows near the US-Canada border.
International Falls, Minnesota, has a forecast low of minus 30 degrees on Sunday morning. That’s 116 degrees colder than the predicted high of 86 degrees in Orlando later in the day.
Florida’s warmth is from a surge of southerly winds ahead of the big winter storm. But Arctic Air will eventually invade there, too.
High temperatures in Central Florida on Tuesday won’t get out of the 50s and lows will drop off into the 30s.
First damaging ice reports in Oklahoma and Texas
Freezing rain caused ice to build up to a half-inch thick in Idabel, Oklahoma, a town of about 7,000 people in the southeast corner of the state.
The weight of the ice caused power outages and snapped large tree limbs, according to a National Weather Service report.
Nearly a quarter-inch of ice caused a large tree limb to fall on a power line just southeast of there in Texarkana, Texas, the NWS said.
The damage reports align with a rule of thumb when it comes to the type of impacts to expect from ice amounts: a quarter-inch can damage trees and power lines, but double that amount is when more serious problems start to develop.
Heavy sleet is pounding Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee, is in the thick of the storm’s nastiest impacts this morning.
Precipitation was falling as snow early this morning, then turned to freezing rain for a time before changing over to heavy sleet.
Sleet is a type of icy precipitation made up of frozen rain drops, aka ice pellets. A buildup of sleet can eventually look sort of like snow, but it’s much heavier and quite icy.
This ongoing heavy batch of sleet brought visibility in Memphis down to a mile or less in spots, worsening travel conditions that are already rather treacherous.
More than 10,000 flights canceled so far due to weather
More than 10,000 flights are canceled in the US between Saturday and Monday as the result of the winter storm, according to data from flight tracking website FlightAware, marking one of the worst stretches for air travel in recent years.
More than 3,400 flights are canceled Saturday as the storm slams northern Texas and Oklahoma. Nearly three quarters of the flights out of Dallas Forth Worth International Airport have been canceled, in addition to 64% of those out of neighboring Dallas Love Field Airport, FlightAware data shows. A staggering 90% of flights are also canceled out of Oklahoma City.
The number of cancellations nearly doubles on Sunday, with more than 6,400 flights grounded due to the weather. The impacts are seen further east, as the storm moves toward the coast. Ninety percent of the flights out of Reagan National Airport in Washington, DC, and 73% of the flights out of Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina are already canceled on Sunday.
More than 700 flights are also already canceled on Monday, as airlines will be working to get impacted passengers to their destinations after the storm passes.
In recent years, one of the worst individual days for flight cancellations was June 19, 2024, when cybersecurity software firm CrowdStrike had an outage that caused more than 3,000 cancellations in the US.
"Do not drive, do not travel," NYC mayor urges residents
New York City residents should be prepared for heavy snow and frigid temperatures, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said in a Saturday news conference.
The city is forecast to get 8 to 12 inches of snow early Sunday morning into Monday morning. Some sleet may mix in later Sunday, especially in portions of Staten Island, Brooklyn and Queens.
A combination of heavy snow and gusty winds of 25 to 35 mph will create whiteout conditions in the city at times, especially during the day Sunday.
Temperatures will also drop into the single digits overnight Monday and highs from Tuesday through at least Friday will struggle to reach the 20s. “Frankly, it will be colder than any sustained period that New York has experienced in about eight years,” the mayor said.
Mamdani also noted a hazardous travel advisory will be in effect on Sunday and Monday.
“Please, if you can avoid it, do not drive, do not travel, do not do anything that could potentially place you or your loved ones in danger,” Mamdani said. “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.”
Louisiana closes parts of interstates due to winter weather
Louisiana has closed portions of interstates 20, 49 and 220 due to winter weather, according to the state’s Department of Transportation and Development.
At least six stretches of interstate were closed in Caddo Parish, in the northwest corner of the state, according to state officials. Traffic cameras showed icy highway lanes untouched by traffic in Shreveport, the Caddo Parish seat, on Saturday morning.
Three other parishes in the state are also experiencing major road closures – Bossier, Ouachita and Rapides.
“Drivers should avoid being on the roadways if travel is not absolutely necessary during inclement weather events,” the department said in a news release.
CNN’s George Montgomery contributed to this report.
