A powerful and unusually widespread winter storm swept across the United States, stretching nearly 2,000 miles from New Mexico and Texas to New England. The system delivered a dangerous mix of sleet, freezing rain, heavy snow, and subzero temperatures, snapping trees and power lines and leaving hundreds of thousands without electricity—especially in Tennessee and Mississippi. The National Weather Service warned that the combination of ongoing precipitation and an incoming blast of bitter cold would create hazardous travel and infrastructure problems for days. President Donald Trump approved emergency declarations for multiple states as FEMA positioned rescue teams across the region.
Communities from the Deep South to the Northeast struggled to cope. Residents in Mississippi and Tennessee described trees exploding under the weight of ice, roads turning impassable, and entire neighborhoods effectively trapped. In New York, temperatures plunged to record lows near the Canadian border, while New York City officials urged people to stay indoors after several people were found dead outside during the freeze. Across the country, schools shifted to remote learning, businesses closed, and airports saw more than 11,000 flight cancellations as the storm disrupted nearly every form of travel.
The aftermath is expected to be slow and difficult. Utility crews in places like Oxford, Mississippi, were forced to halt repairs overnight because falling trees made conditions too dangerous. Emergency officials across the region pleaded with residents to stay off the roads so crews could work safely. Even iconic 24-hour institutions like Waffle House closed in parts of Georgia—a sign of just how severe the storm became. With temperatures staying far below freezing, officials warned that power restoration, road clearing, and basic recovery efforts could take significant time