Winter storm paralyzes the U.S.: flights canceled, supermarkets emptied

Sunday 25 January 2026 - 12:40

By: Sahili Aya

Winter storm paralyzes the U.S.: flights canceled, supermarkets emptied

A major winter storm swept across the northeastern United States on Sunday, following heavy snowfall in the central states and threatening millions with power outages, paralyzed transport, and freezing temperatures. Shoppers emptied supermarket shelves as national weather services warned of heavy snow and ice accumulation with potentially “catastrophic local” impacts stretching from the southern plains to the Atlantic coast.

A total of 20 states, including Washington, D.C., declared a state of emergency. Around 14,000 flights were canceled over the weekend, with thousands more delayed, according to FlightAware. The storm, described by the National Weather Service as “unusually large and long-lasting,” is driven by an Arctic air mass moving south from Canada.

In New York, where temperatures are expected to remain below zero and up to 30 centimeters of snow are forecasted in Central Park, Mayor Zohran Mamdani urged residents to avoid all non-essential travel. Decisions regarding Monday school closures will be made later, with remote classes as a backup.

Snowfall has already affected central states including Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri, where some areas recorded 20 centimeters of snow Saturday evening. In Dallas, temperatures dropped to -6°C, while Houston opened shelters for the homeless. More than 180,000 homes and businesses were without power Sunday morning, including 45,000 in Texas and 67,000 in neighboring Louisiana.

President Donald Trump approved emergency declarations for 12 states on Saturday, facilitating rapid deployment of FEMA resources. Authorities warned residents to stay safe and warm as extreme cold, potentially lethal, may linger for up to a week in the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest, with temperatures potentially falling below -45°C.

Scientists note that Arctic vortex disruptions, which send frigid polar air into North America, have become more frequent over the past 20 years. While some link this to rapid Arctic warming, more long-term data are needed to definitively connect such extreme winter storms to climate change.