National Guardsmen help motorists free their vehicles near Evansville, Indiana during the January 2026 Winter Storm.
Winter Storm January 2026
January 27, 2026
A major winter storm stretched over 2000 miles from the Four Corners region to the state of Maine from January 22 to January 26 forcing the cancellation of over 10,000 flights. It brought air temperatures as low as -43 °F and broke a daily snowfall record with six inches on the ground in Little Rock, Arkansas. The storm claimed over 50 lives, left over a million households without electricity, and resulted in 24 governors declaring a state of emergency. Winter storm alerts, advisories, and warnings affected 230 million people, about two-thirds of the population. It became a nor’easter as it moved into the Northeast.
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President Donald Trump began issuing emergency declarations on January 23 for twelve states. Emergency declarations authorize public assistance for non-federal governments and nonprofits. As of January 26, no governor or tribal chief had requested a major disaster declaration for Winter Storm Fern.
15 states deployed more than 5400 National Guardsmen to assist with emergency response efforts.
According to FEMA, at least six states opened additional warming centers amid power outages.
The Weather Channel named it Winter Storm Fern, an unofficial designation.
Effects included bitterly cold temperatures, heavy snowfall, and heavy accumulations of ice.
Fern began as a low-pressure system off the coast of California that came ashore on the Baja Peninsula on January 23 and spread moisture across Mexico and the southern USA.
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By January 25, most of the South found itself encased in up to an inch of ice.
Although many news organizations refer to the winter storm as “Fern” it did not have an official name. Only the National Weather Service can name a storm. In 2012, the Weather Channel began naming major winter storms, partly so social media users could find information and spread awareness. On Twitter (now X), and other social media platforms, hashtags with specific storm names help filter information. NWS says it has no plans to adopt the Weather Channel’s practice. “It’s critical that people understand how a storm will impact them, in their area or where they are going.” Social media tends to emphasize the dramatic without providing local or other specific information.
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Bitter Cold
Wind Chill is the combined effect of wind and air temperature. 40 degrees Fahrenheit combined with a 20 MPH wind has the same effect on exposed skin as 30 degrees Fahrenheit.
The January 2026 winter storm brought air temperatures as cold as -43 at Seagull Camp, Minnesota, -42 in St. Louis County, Minnesota, and 41 degrees below zero in Iron County, Wisconsin.
With light winds at 6-12 MPH, wind chill for these area ranged from -58 to -70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Did you know? Once the wind chill drops to -15 or below, frostbite occurs on exposed skin in 30 minutes or less. The colder it gets, the faster it happens. Avoid exposing bare skin to the wind. Cover your face and ears, wear a hat and insulated leather mittens or gloves.
Extreme temperatures such as these are more familiar in northern Canada or Alaska’s interior, or the South Pole, but it’s not the first time temperatures have plunged into Antarctic-cold territory. Throughout the path of the storm, extreme temperatures for any region brought warnings of dangerous cold and forced widespread school closures.
Across the path of the storm and the accompanying polar vortex, temperatures dropped far below normal with wind chills from 0 to -20 degrees Fahrenheit or colder.
Travel and Canceled Flights
On Sunday, January 25, there were more than 11,000 flight cancelations, the most in a single day since the COVID 19 pandemic shutdown. On Monday, FlightAware reported another 5000 cancelations and 5500 delays.
A plane at Bangor International Airport in Maine crashed shortly after takeoff with 6 people on board. There were no survivors, according to airport authorities. As of Monday afternoon, the airport was still closed.
The storm left stranded travelers in airports across the country, and thousands of vehicles in ditches or abandoned in lots or roadsides. Many vehicles could not start in the low temperatures or when batteries failed.
Ice Storm
Forecasts for significant accumulations of ice covered a region from west Texas east through Arkansas to Georgia, and up through the Carolinas and Virginia. Heavy accumulations of ice snapped tree branches and power lines, causing widespread outages along the path of the storm.
Gainsville, Georgia had over an inch of ice accumulation.
As of this post, half a million utility customers still do not have power with the most outages reported in Mississippi and Tennessee, followed by Louisiana, Texas, and Kentucky. Reports of heroic efforts by utility linemen to restore power have cut the number in half since reaching a peak of over 1 million customers. (1 million utility customers is up to 3 million people.)
Heavy Snow
Downwind of the Great Lakes always has the greatest potential for extreme lake-effect snow and Winter Storm Fern did not disappoint. However, other areas that usually receive moderate amounts of snow from a single system stole the spotlight.
Use Caution. Wet, heavy snow is frequently blamed for heart attacks. Buy a snowblower. Hire a kid with a shovel. Call a service. Don’t shovel wet heavy snow if you’re not used to strenuous work.
Bonito Lake, New Mexico, an area that receives an annual snowfall total of about 26 inches, received a stunning 34 inches from Fern.
Portions of Massachusetts and Connecticut received close to or over 20 inches. Central Park in New York City saw over 11 inches, but other parts of the city clocked over 17 inches.
Indianapolis had the most snow in a single storm in twelve years with 11 inches.
Kittery, Maine found itself buried under 28 inches of the white stuff, while down in Boston at Logan Airport they recorded a mere 23 inches, about the same as Bethlehem, Pensylvania.
The lakefront in Chicago picked up 10 inches, but just 4.4 at O’Hare Airport—the difference added by lake effect snow.
Heavy snow can do as much damage as a thick coating of ice, bringing down trees onto power lines.
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Making Sense of Forecast Information
When a storm like the one in January 2026 affects the United States, it’s important to get good information. Social media is useful for spreading information, but be careful how you use it. Get your forecast information from local news sources and the National Weather Service. The NOAA and NWS Storm Prediction Center is a great resource once you learn to navigate it.
Sharing information is important. It reaches people who don’t watch the news or haven’t had time to catch up. When you share, include information like “NWS St. Louis predicts sub zero wind chills down to -20 F.” Include a link to your source. This is helpful. But don’t get too specific. There’s no need to include your city or street address.
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Follow these tips to stay safe in any disaster from hurricanes to tornadoes to winter storms.
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When a disaster like a hurricane threatens, it’s easy to get caught up in the news and their messages of impending doom. While it’s important to stay informed, remember how to stay safe and prepared.
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There are right ways and wrong ways to use a portable generator when the power goes out. Never use one indoors, for example.
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Carbon Monoxide Poisoning. Electrocution. Fires. Shocks. Burns. Follow these safety rules when using a portable generator to keep your family alive, safe, and healthy.
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It just makes sense. When a disaster strikes, the power could be out for days or even weeks. Following Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy, some utility customers went more than a month without power.
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Electrical Power went from a convenience to a necessity in less than a century. A short power outage is no big deal, but a few hours without power makes life difficult and sometimes dangerous.
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Winter weather can turn dangerous in a hurry. It doesn’t even have to drop below freezing to become uncomfortable or deadly if you’re not prepared.
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Life is better when you’re prepared with a plan and the items you need to survive when bad weather hits. From blizzards to ice storms, how you prepare ahead makes all the difference between living in comfort or struggling to survive.
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