“The snow/sleet impacts will linger well into next week with rounds of re-freezing that keeps surfaces icy and dangerous to both drive and walk on for the foreseeable future,” the National Weather Service (NWS) said.
Snow was reported across central areas, including Kansas, Oklahoma and Missouri, where some places had already measured eight inches (20 centimetres) on the ground by Saturday night, the NWS said. Supermarket shelves were cleared by shoppers as forecasters warned of heavy snowfall in some regions and potentially “catastrophic” ice build-up.
Emergency declarations and travel disruption
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said up to 240 million Americans could be affected. At least 20 states and the US capital, Washington, declared states of emergency.
“Take this storm seriously, folks,” the NWS said on X, forecasting an “astonishingly long swath” of snowfall stretching from Colorado to Maine.
Around 14,000 flights into and out of the United States were cancelled over the weekend, with thousands more delayed, according to FlightAware.
Texas conditions and power concerns
In Dallas, usually mild in January, freezing rain struck the city and temperatures dropped to 21F (-6C). State officials said the Texas power grid was in stronger condition than five years ago, when it failed during a deadly winter storm that left millions without electricity.
More than 180,000 US customers were without power early on Sunday, according to poweroutage.us, including about 45,000 in Texas and around 67,000 in neighbouring Louisiana.
Speaking at the Washington headquarters of the US Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security chief Kristi Noem urged those affected to “be smart, stay home if possible, take care of your family members, check on your neighbors and continue to work with your local officials.”
US President Donald Trump, remaining at the White House during the storm, wrote on Truth Social: “We will continue to monitor, and stay in touch with all States in the path of this storm. Stay Safe, and Stay Warm!”
Polar vortex behind the cold blast
The storm developed from a stretched polar vortex, a region of cold, low-pressure Arctic air that typically forms a compact circular system but can shift into a more oval shape, allowing cold air to spill across North America.
Scientists say the growing frequency of such polar vortex disruptions may be linked to climate change, though the issue remains debated, and natural variability also plays a part.
Trump, who has questioned climate science and rolled back green energy policies, wrote on Truth Social: “WHATEVER HAPPENED TO GLOBAL WARMING???”
The NWS warned that heavy ice could lead to “long-duration power outages, extensive tree damage, and extremely dangerous or impassable travel conditions,” including in states less used to severe winter weather.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul told residents to remain indoors in the extreme cold: “Five or six minutes outside could literally be dangerous for your health.”
She advised taking steps such as protecting pipes, using heaters safely and checking on vulnerable neighbours.
Officials also warned that life-threatening cold could persist for a week after the storm, particularly in the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest, where wind chill values were forecast to plunge below -50F (-45C). Temperatures at that level can cause frostbite within minutes.
