What we're covering
• Widespread threat: Two-thirds of the US population is facing down a monster winter storm and extreme cold. The storm’s snow and ice will stretch over 2,000 miles from Texas to New England as it tracks east through the weekend.
• Catastrophic ice storm: Crippling ice accumulations will weigh down and drop power lines and trees in the most serious icing zones in the South. Hundreds of thousands could lose power, some for days.
• Travel nightmare: Thousands of flights have already been canceled ahead of the storm. Travel will be difficult to impossible on roads across 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.
Sunday is now worst day for flight cancellations in the past year
Sunday has become the worst day for US flight cancellations in the past year, overtaking a record previously set by Saturday’s numbers.
As it stands at 9 p.m. ET Friday, more than 4,200 flights originally scheduled for Sunday have been canceled, according to FlightAware. Cancellations continue to climb, with more than 1,000 added in the past hour and a half.
More than 2,900 Saturday flights have been canceled so far, the flight tracking site says.
FlightAware data shows that the previous worst day in the past year was November 9, when airlines canceled more than 1,900 flights during the peak of the US government shutdown.
Shoppers in Tulsa say many store shelves are empty
Video Credit: Reuters
Many groceries are sparse at a store in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where video captures shelves empty of eggs, produce and water.
“They’re out of eggs; there’s no bacon; there’s no butter,” Lem Williams said as he loaded groceries into his car.
Another shopper, Roger Miller, added: “This could last a week before you can get out of your house. You’d better stock up a little bit if you have any money.”
Dallas residents should plan to hunker down for days, official says
Dallas residents should have adequate food, medicine and supplies that can carry them through four or five days, said Kevin Oden, the city’s director of emergency management and crisis response.
Folks should be prepared to “hunker down, maybe until as late as Wednesday, and hold out while the weather goes through,” he told CNN.
The city has been in “response mode” since Friday afternoon, he said, working to treat roads, prepare shelters and implement other plans that have been months in the making.
“We definitely don’t believe that being on the roadways, particularly over these next 48 to 72 hours, is any place for folks to be,” Oden said.
And the risks will continue even after the precipitation has stopped. Once temperatures rise above freezing, there may be issues with pipes and water main breaks.
Oden encouraged residents to check on neighbors while emergency management crews work to keep the city safe.
“The biggest thing we’re watching is all of our critical infrastructure,” he said. “We want to make sure that the power is working, people can move freely on the streets, hospitals are operating, water is flowing, all of that. If we start to see impacts to any of those systems, we’ve got contingencies in place to hopefully get those systems back online and serve our residents.”
Oklahoma City could see record snowfall this weekend
Snow is beginning to move into the Oklahoma City area, and by the end of the weekend, the city could be looking at record totals.
The National Weather Service is forecasting 13 inches for the city. The biggest snowstorm Oklahoma City has ever seen dumped 13.5 inches on December 24, 2009.
Oklahoma City has had only three storms that brought a foot or more of snow in 133 years of record-keeping. The last instance was in February 2011.
Here's what makes freezing rain, sleet and snow different
Freezing rain will fuel a dangerous, widespread ice threat this weekend.
As the name suggests, freezing rain is simply rain that freezes on contact with cold ground to create ice. This happens when the air at ground level is below freezing — 32 degrees — but the air higher up is warmer.
It’s different from snow, which needs cold air all the way through the atmosphere to make it to the ground and accumulate.
Sleet is the icy midpoint of the other two winter precipitation types. It happens when the precipitation falls through a warm layer in the atmosphere and melts to rain droplets before hitting a layer of cold air close to the ground. The droplets freeze into ice pellets before they hit the ground, unlike freezing rain that freezes when it hits the ground.
Enough sleet still creates slippery conditions, but doesn’t create a sheet of ice like freezing rain.
Federal offices in DC closed Monday
The offices of the federal government in the DC region will be closed Monday due to the winter storm, said Scott Kupor, director of the Office of Personnel Management. “We hope that everyone stays safe (and warm) over the weekend,” Kupor said in a post on X.
The DC region could get as much as 10 inches of snow on Sunday, with the highest totals falling in the northern suburbs. Ice will also be a major problem for the area, and travel will probably be treacherous Monday morning — even after the storm departs — with a deep freeze settling in.
Cars line up at food donation center as Atlantans prepare for storm
Video Credit: Associated Press
Ahead of the winter storm, people in Atlanta are lining up for food and water donations at Hosea Helps, a local nonprofit.
“I’m here because the storm is coming and the access where I live is very difficult,” Atlanta resident Karen Thrash said. “It’s important that I pick up now, because we might not be able to get to the store.”
Afemo Omilami, COO of the nonprofit, described receiving calls from people who worried that they didn’t have what they needed to get through the storm.
“Our city is not a storm city,” Omilami said. “One snowflake can send people into a terror.”
Trump says he's been briefed on the winter storm, FEMA "fully prepared to respond"
President Trump said Friday that he has been briefed on the treacherous winter storm facing Americans this weekend, adding that his administration is coordinating with officials and that the Federal Emergency Management Agency is “fully prepared to respond.”
“I have been briefed on the Record Cold Wave and Historic Winter Storm that will be hitting much of the United States this weekend. The Trump Administration is coordinating with State and Local Officials. FEMA is fully prepared to respond. Stay Safe and Stay Warm!” Trump posted on Truth Social.
Earlier Friday, a White House official said Trump was being briefed throughout the day “and is in close contact with officials.”
“The entire Trump Administration is closely monitoring the anticipated weather and is undertaking a whole-of-government approach to respond as appropriate,” the official said.
While Trump often heads south to spend weekends at his private Florida club, Mar-a-Lago – sometimes referred to as the “winter White House” – the president is staying in Washington, DC, this weekend, on the heels of his trip to Davos.
As CNN’s Gabe Cohen reported, FEMA has halted ongoing terminations of hundreds of disaster aid workers. So far in January, 300 disaster workers have been fired.
North of the storm: Frigid temps and protests in the street
It was -10 degrees Fahrenheit in Minneapolis this afternoon — -25 with the windchill — cold enough to cause frostbite in 30 minutes or less. That frigid air, which is set to hover over the state through Saturday, is part of what’s feeding the winter storm now bearing down on much of the country.
But despite those risks, the streets of Minneapolis were filled with protesters, marching against nearly two months of an immigration enforcement crackdown led by ICE.
People played drums, sang and chanted as they walked a little less than a mile through downtown — a distance that, without a crowd like this, would take about 19 minutes to cover on foot.
The cold “is not going to hold us back, that’s for sure,” Katelyn, who did not give her last name, told CNN affiliate KARE. She said the turnout of protesters gave her hope. Other protesters handed out hand warmers.
Minneapolitans are likely to need those tomorrow, too. The high on Saturday is going to be just -2 degrees, and wind chills will be in the teens-below-zero for much of the day.
What to expect in the next few hours
Video Credit: Texas Department of Transportation Amarillo
Light snow is starting to fill in over Kansas and get into Oklahoma, and rain is getting steadier in Texas. The northern edge of that rain in Texas has started to turn into freezing rain where it’s cold enough.
Here’s what to expect tonight as the storm begins to intensify.
Through late Friday evening: Precipitation will expand over the Plains, with snow getting heavier in Kansas. Northern Texas into southern Oklahoma will see a wintry mix expand in scope and start to become more intense.
Overnight hours: The storm really kicks into gear. Freezing rain will probably start in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro around midnight. The storm will expand into the Mississippi Valley overnight while continuing to affect the Plains.
Early Saturday morning: By the early morning hours, the wintry mix will stretch from Texas and Oklahoma and east past the Mississippi River. Memphis could see a wintry mix start up closer to sunrise.
Saturday already the worst day for flight cancellations in the past year
Major airlines are posting mass cancellations for Saturday, already making it the worst day for U.S. flight cancellations in the past year.
As of 5:40 p.m. EST, FlightAware says U.S. airlines have canceled more than 2,700 flights. FlightAware data shows the previous worst day in the past year was November 9, during the peak of the U.S. government shutdown, when airlines canceled more than 1,900 flights.
Sunday’s numbers are trailing just behind Saturday’s, with more than 2,600 flights already canceled.
American Airlines has canceled the most flights, followed by Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta Air Lines.
Airline analytics firm Cirium says more than 84% of flights from Memphis, 71% from Dallas–Fort Worth, and 64% from Oklahoma City have been canceled for Saturday.
Schools across the country cancel classes ahead of the storm
Schools around the country are canceling classes ahead of the massive winter storm that’s forecast to affect multiple states.
See some colleges and universities that have announced closures:
- The University of Mississippi’s Oxford campus will be closed Monday, according to an alert from the school.
- Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania will be closed Sunday, and operations will be remote on Monday, the school announced on X.
- Dallas Baptist University’s campus will be closed Saturday through Monday, with classes operating virtually, the university announced.
- William & Mary University in Virginia will close at 5 p.m. local time Saturday and remain closed until Monday, the school said in a statement.
- The University of Houston will close Sunday and Monday, the school said.
- Louisiana Tech University’s campus will be closed Monday and Tuesday, the school said on X.
- The campus of South Carolina’s Presbyterian College will be closed Monday, the college said in a statement on X.
- Chesapeake College in Maryland will close at 5 p.m. local time Saturday and remain closed until Monday, the school said.
- The main campus of Springfield College in Massachusetts will be closed Monday, the school announced.
- Classes as well as programs and extracurricular activities will be canceled Monday at Hood College in Maryland, the school said.
- Also in Maryland, Coppin State University canceled campus activities and classes Sunday and Monday, the university announced on X.
American Airlines adds DFW flights to help travelers beat storm
American Airlines is adding more than a dozen flights into and out of its Dallas hub in order to help travelers stranded by the massive winter storm, according to a news release.
The additional flights add more than 3,200 seats “to help more customers reach their destinations before the storm’s impacts are felt and quickly get to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport after the storm passes,” the release says.
Two of the flights have already departed DFW and arrived at their destinations.
Both major Dallas airports are reporting normal operations despite the major storm incoming.
This winter storm's projected reach is record-breaking
Winter storm warnings now stretch uninterrupted from New Mexico to New England and cover more than 1,400 counties and over 97 million people.
It’s the most counties simultaneously under winter storm warnings since at least 2008, according to weather data expert and programmer Daryl Herzmann.
Herzmann runs the Iowa Environmental Mesonet, which houses an incredibly robust archive of National Weather Service data.
The previous record was just over 1,000 counties on February 15, 2021, during a deep freeze and storm that left millions in Texas without power.
States of emergency issued in 15 states and DC
At least 15 states have declared a state of emergency to help free up and mobilize resources to respond to and prepare for the storm as of Friday afternoon.
The list includes Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, New York, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey and Kansas.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced a disaster declaration covering 134 counties to similarly mobilize resources.
Washington, DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser also declared a state of emergency for the nation’s capital on Friday.
Dallas airports report normal operations despite heavy cancellations moving into weekend
Both major Dallas airports report normal operations despite the major storm bearing down on the area, prompting the cancellations of hundreds of flights in the city through the weekend.
Officials at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport are “coordinating closely” with airlines and the National Weather Service “to assess conditions and manage potential operational impacts,” according to a news release from the airport.
Crews are ready to treat runways, bridges and roads to keep the airport safe and operational as conditions deteriorate, another release says.
About 16 miles southeast, Dallas Love Field Airport is also still up and running.
“Dallas Love Field has no plans to close,” airport spokesperson Lauren Rounds told CNN. “FAA Air Traffic Control will determine if the skies and airfield are unsafe for operations.”
More than 800 flights have been canceled at the two airports so far between Friday and Sunday.
New Jersey governor declares state of emergency
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill declared a state of emergency Friday, joining more than a dozen other states with similar declarations ahead of the major winter storm.
In addition to urging motorists to stay off the road, Sherrill announced a commercial vehicle travel restriction on interstate highways as a safety precaution to keep roads clear for plows and emergency personnel.
Sherrill said she’s been in touch with the state’s electrical utilities, who “feel prepared” for the storm.
“It’s been a while since we have seen a storm like this,” Sherrill said. “We’re tough, but we need to be prepared. We have to be safe.”
FAA anticipates airport closures, ground stops as storm intensifies
The Federal Aviation Administration says it anticipates “airports will have to close” due to a winter storm expected to disrupt air travel from Texas through the Northeast.
In a new statement, the FAA says it is holding regular planning calls with airlines from its command center in Warrenton, Virginia, and expects to implement ground delays, reroutes, and ground stops as conditions deteriorate.
“The FAA is already working with airlines to help reposition aircraft ahead of the storm given the anticipated airport closures,” the agency said in a statement to CNN.
While airlines have already preemptively canceled flights, the FAA notes it does not close airports or cancel flights, but will work with airports to ensure runways and taxiways are cleared and aircraft are properly deiced.
South Carolina governor asks Trump for federal storm assistance
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster has submitted a request for a federal emergency disaster declaration to President Donald Trump in anticipation of the winter storm. McMaster is also one of over a dozen governors who have declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm.
According to a news release from the state, ice storm warnings have been issued for parts of northern and central South Carolina. Sleet and ice could lead to “hazardous road conditions and power outages that may last for days,” the release says.
When the blockbuster winter storm will arrive in your city
Dallas
Dallas will get mostly ice from this storm, though it will experience all types of precipitation over the next 48 hours, including rain, ice and sleet.
Sporadic rain Friday will turn to freezing rain and ice around midnight that will continue off and on until Sunday morning. An inch or two of snow could then fall on top of the ice Sunday morning.
When will precipitation fall?
• Rain: Friday 8 a.m. – Saturday 11 a.m.
• Freezing rain: Saturday 11 a.m. – Sunday 5 a.m.
• Snow: Sunday 6 a.m. – Sunday 11 p.m.
Peak impact timing:
• Freezing rain: Saturday 2 a.m. – Sunday 2 a.m.
• Snow: Sunday 5 a.m. - 9 a.m.
Storm totals:
• Ice: 0.25 - 0.50 inches
• Snow: 1 - 3 inches
Memphis
Cities like Memphis that are between the storm’s expansive footprint of snow and ice will likely switch back and forth between the two as temperatures change both at the ground level and higher up in the atmosphere.
Snow will likely begin early Saturday morning before changing over to sleet and freezing rain on Saturday afternoon. Freezing rain will continue and off until Sunday afternoon before a quick changeover back to snow as the colder air rushes in.
When will precipitation fall?
• Snow: Saturday 3 a.m. – Saturday 1 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
• Freezing rain: Saturday 3 p.m. – Sunday 11 a.m.
Peak impact timing:
• Freezing rain: Saturday 3 p.m. – Sunday 7 a.m.
• Snow: Saturday 5 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Storm totals:
• Ice: 0.25 – 0.75 inches
• Snow and sleet: 2 – 4 inches
For more cities read the full story here.
