Northeast Faces Snow Deluge Amid Severe Winter Storm

Sun Feb 01 2026 12:01:24 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A massive winter storm wreaks havoc across the Northeast and Southern US, leading to school closures, flight cancellations, and freezing temperatures.

As a winter storm envelops much of the Northeast and Southern United States, the impacts are severe: icy roads, power outages, and deep snowfall. With forecasts predicting up to two feet of snow in certain areas, communities are bracing for disruptions, while residents share mixed feelings about the storm's beauty and havoc.

The U.S. work week opened with a significant winter storm dumping snow across the Northeast, bringing icy conditions, power outages, impassable roads, canceled flights, and dangerously low temperatures to large portions of the Southern and Eastern United States.

Over a foot of snow (30 centimeters) has blanketed an extensive area stretching 1,300 miles (2,100 kilometers) from Arkansas to New England, halting travel, causing widespread school cancellations, and leading to numerous flight disruptions on Monday.

In some of the most affected regions, snowfall is expected to reach a staggering two feet (60 centimeters).

Falmouth, Massachusetts, located roughly an hour south of Boston, witnessed heavy snow that effectively shut down local activities. Minister Nell Fields struggled to shovel her driveway just to let her dog outside, as seven inches (18 centimeters) of snow had already accumulated, with more on the way. I feel that the universe just put a big, huge pause on us with all the snow, Fields reflected.

In New York City’s Upper East Side, resident January Cotrel embraced the snow, enjoying a local block closed for residents to sled, throw snowballs, and construct snowmen. I pray for two feet every time we get a snowstorm. I want as much as we can get. Let the city just shut down for a day and it’s beautiful, and then we can get back to life, she shared.

Meanwhile, as the storm progressed, temperatures plunged sharply, with the Lower 48 states experiencing a forecasted average low of 9.8 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 12.3 degrees Celsius), marking the coldest average temperature since January 2014.

From Montana to the Florida Panhandle, weather advisories and warnings were issued, as temperatures dipped toward zero (minus-18 degrees Celsius) or lower still, further aggravated by winter winds that created an even harsher chill. Roads remained treacherous, leading authorities to issue travel warnings.

In Mississippi, where the storm hit particularly hard, Governor Tate Reeves cautioned that although precipitation had ceased, dangers remained. Freezing rain had previously caused dangerous conditions on the roads, resulting in the worst ice storm seen in the state since 1994. He emphasized the urgent need for residents to remain cautious.

With more than 213 million Americans under some sort of winter weather warning, there were hundreds of thousands without power, particularly in Tennessee and Mississippi. The storm also disrupted air travel, leading to the cancellation of about 12,000 flights and nearly 20,000 delays.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani reported that at least five individuals were discovered deceased outdoors amid the freezing temperatures, with investigations ongoing into the causes of their deaths.

In an interview, Minister Fields maintained a positive outlook, noting the storm's potential to foster community reflection. I'm sorry it’s disrupted things, but it’s given us some silence. Maybe we’re using this time to think about what’s really important: community and taking care of each other, she concluded.