Winter Storm Fern Devastates Country with Frigid Temperatures, Snow, and Ice

From January 23-27, 2026, the unofficial Winter Storm Fern swept across the United States, creating ice, sleet, and freezing temperatures. The storm impacted southwestern states, such as New Mexico, first before moving across the South and the Midwest towards the Northeast. Some locations in the Northeast received 24+ inches of snow. The storm originated when the stratospheric polar vortex in the Northern Hemisphere overlapped with the jet stream above the United States in the troposphere, intensifying its north-south swings and creating the severe weather. 

Across the United States, flight cancellations reached 11,000 on January 26, the most in a day since the pandemic, shutting down multiple airports. Thousands lost power across the South for multiple days. Icy roads created severe car pileups, shutting down highways. Additionally, the bitter cold closed schools and opened warming centers.”I think there are two parts of this storm that make it unique. One is just a broad expanse of spatial coverage of this event. … You’ve got 2,000 miles of country that’s being impacted by the storm with snow, sleet, and freezing rain,” said Josh Weiss, a meteorologist at NOAA. 

In the Chicago area, wind chills ranged from -15 to -25 degrees Fahrenheit, and multiple Winter Storm Warnings and Watches were issued. The amount of snow greatly varied, with 8 inches near the lake compared to around 2 inches in the western suburbs. In Michigan, 100 cars piled up as a result of a chain reaction in low visibility.  The Southeast dealt with major ice storms and power outages. 190,000 lost power in Tennessee and 140,000 in Mississippi as ice covered power lines and downed trees. Several large universities, such as the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, cancelled classes. There isn’t as much snow removal equipment in the Southeast, resulting in icy, snow-covered roads. Nashville Electric Service warned that power could remain out for multiple days. Snow dominated the Northeast. New York City’s Central Park received 11.4 inches of snow, Boston had 18 inches, and some locations in Massachusetts had more than 20. All schools statewide shut down, and several deaths were reported, including a person hit by a plow truck and three who collapsed shoveling snow. More than a third of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania’s, plows stopped working, resulting in a state of emergency. 

In Texas, northeastern winds helped carry cold air southwest, resulting in single-digit temperatures in the North Texas Panhandle. Pacific moisture from the Southwest created freezing rain and sleet. Road conditions remained hazardous even after temperatures increased to above freezing on January 27, 2026. Some locations in Texas had 8 inches of snow total. Snow totals reached levels not seen for a while. Major Northeast cities, such as Philadelphia, haven’t seen 12 inches of snow or more since 2016. Louisville, Kentucky, hasn’t seen that much snow since 1998. 106 deaths resulted from the 2022 winter storm, which has been exceeded by the 2026 storm. 

Many states, such as Mississippi, requested FEMA federal assistance, which was approved by the US government. Many distribution sites opened to provide hot showers, food, water, blankets, and other essential items. State governments created many volunteer opportunities, encouraged donations to designated sites, and opened warming shelters for those affected. At least 111 deaths are confirmed, and some places in Mississippi still don’t have power as of February 7. SNAP recipients who lost power for 12+ hours are eligible for replacement benefits. Backup generators are still being distributed. On February 8, New York continued to experience cold weather, with lows at 3 degrees Fahrenheit. However, by February 11, temperatures will hit a high of 41 degrees, while in Oxford, Mississippi, temperatures in Oxford were in the 70s.