Particle.news
Download on the App Store
153 ARTICLES
·
last wk.

Major Winter Storm Sweeps U.S., Forcing Emergencies and Mass Flight Cancellations

Forecasters warn of catastrophic icing with dangerous wind chills, prompting FEMA and utilities to pre‑position crews and supplies.

Image
Image
People brave the cold temperatures while walking on the Brooklyn Bridge in the Manhattan borough of New York City on January 21, 2026. Bringing icy temperatures, Winter Storm Fern will slam a massive stretch of the United States this week, with more than 175 million people facing the prospect of heavy snowfall, power outages and travel disruption. Forecasters warned it could be 2,000 miles (3,219 kilometers) long, well over half the length of the continental US. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP via Getty Images)
Snow in Prospect Park in Brooklyn on  Jan. 17, 2026. New York City is gearing up for its first major winter storm of 2026. 

Overview

  • More than 8,000 U.S. flights for the weekend were canceled, with thousands more delays reported, according to FlightAware.
  • At least 14 to 15 states and Washington, D.C., issued emergency declarations or actions to mobilize resources ahead of the storm.
  • The National Weather Service projects heavy snow from Oklahoma to New England and a freezing‑rain corridor from east Texas to North Carolina with potential for catastrophic ice.
  • Utilities prepared for multi‑day power outages as ice threatens lines and trees; Dominion Energy said it is staffing up and arranging mutual assistance.
  • FEMA pre‑positioned over 7 million meals, 600,000 blankets, about 300 generators, and nearly 30 search‑and‑rescue teams as an Arctic blast brings life‑threatening wind chills in the storm’s wake.