Summary
Winter storm Fern began its journey across the country on Saturday morning, bringing record low temperatures and more snowfall than many cities have seen in over a century. More than 220 million people in the US are likely to be affected before the storm clears away after the weekend.
States of emergency have been announced in at least 18 states including Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. Emergency declarations were also made in Missouri, Tennessee, Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania.
Three people were found dead on New York City streets amid the freezing temperatures. A 67-year-old man was found on a sidewalk in Manhattan this morning, according to police. An additional two bodies – a man in his 30s and a woman in her 60s – were found separately in Brooklyn about two hours after the first discovery. All three died as a result of “weather-related circumstances”, according to sources who spoke with NBC News New York.
Over 10,000 flights across the US set to take off over the weekend were canceled amid the harsh conditions. Airlines had urged passengers traveling this weekend to reschedule their flights as the storm threatened to disrupt operations and force widespread cancellations.
The number of power outages had climbed to nearly 135,000 across the country. Most of the outages, as of Saturday afternoon, are in southern states, including Texas, Louisiana and New Mexico. Texas has by far the largest number, currently sitting at just over 50,000.
Public transit systems are continuing to be suspended due to the storm. New Jersey Transit bus, light rail and Access Link services will be temporarily shut down beginning in the early hours of Sunday morning. The Capital Metro of Austin, Texas, ended all service in the city beginning at 4pm CST on Saturday.
Hundreds of National Guard troops from 12 states have been activated for the monster storm currently sweeping the country, according to the National Guard Bureau chief general Steven Nordhaus.
Hundreds of national guard troops from 12 states have been activated for the monster storm currently sweeping the country, according to national guard bureau chief Gen Steven Nordhaus.
“Soldiers and Airmen from 12 states are activated with eight more states on alert for Winter Storm Fern – working tirelessly alongside interagency partners to clear roads, help stranded motorists and support communities in need,” Nordhaus wrote in a post on X.
“To everyone in the storm’s path: take all precautionary measures to stay safe,” he added.
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Here are some images of various towns across the US that are currently blanketed with snow.
More public transit systems continue to be suspended amid hazardous conditions. New Jersey Transit bus, light rail and Access Link services will be temporarily shut down beginning in the early hours of Sunday morning.
“Customers should avoid unnecessary travel tomorrow as roads need to remain clear for local, county and state forces to remove snow so service can resume as quickly as it is safe to do so,” the agency said in a press release. It added that train and rail cars may continue operating passenger-free as a way to keep overhead wires and tracks free of snow and ice.
NJ Transit is the third-largest transit system in the US, with 165 rail stations, 62 light rail stations and more than 19,000 bus stops linking points in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia.
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Three people found dead on New York City streets amid freezing temperatures
Winter Storm Fern has turned deadly with New York City reporting the first fatalities.
As of Saturday afternoon, the bodies of three people have been found on the streets of NYC as temperatures reach freezing lows.
A 67-year-old man was found on a sidewalk at about 7.45am on 3rd Avenue in Manhattan, according to police. An additional two bodies – a man in his 30s and a woman in her 60s – were found separately in Brooklyn about two hours after the first discovery.
All three died as a result of “weather-related circumstances”, according to sources who spoke with NBC News New York.
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Though the worst of Winter Storm Fern isn’t set to hit the north-east until Sunday, New York City is already bracing itself for several inches of snow.
NYC mayor Zohran Mamdani spoke about the city’s preparations today, warning that winter conditions will be harsher this weekend than they have been in eight years.
“By early Monday morning, the heaviest of the weather will have passed, although some precipitation could continue through the day,” Mamdani said. “We expect at least 8 to 9 inches of snow, and likely more. This will not just be snow. This storm will also bring with it intense cold, a prolonged period of frigid temperatures that will last through the next week.”
Teams from New York’s department of sanitation have already brined highways and roads, while the emergency management department has activated its winter weather plan, Mamdani said. The city previously activated a “code blue”, deploying teams to contact unhoused New Yorkers and connect them with shelter options.
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Austin, Texas, metro system to shut down at 4pm CST
With conditions continuing to get more extreme, the Capital Metro of Austin, Texas, will end all service in the city beginning at 4pm CST on Saturday.
All regular services will be suspended Sunday and conditions will be monitored for Monday.
The city was issued an ice storm warning until noon CST Sunday, with up to a half an inch of ice accumulation possible. An extreme cold warning is also in effect until noon CST Monday, with wind chills possibly sinking as low as -5F (-21C).
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Snowfall has just begun in Louisville, Kentucky. The National Weather Service of Louisville is predicting that the peak of the snowstorm will happen after midnight in the region.
Mayor Craig Greenberg said Louisville is preparing for “high extremes” at a press conference this afternoon, adding: “We hope that those numbers continue to come down in practice, but of course, we’re preparing for the worst conditions.”
Louisville metro public works wrote on X that the city’s “Snow Team began salting all 111 snow routes this morning and has about 70 trucks on the road. Crews are working around the clock. If you can stay home, please do. If you must travel, use caution and give crews room to work.”
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Here’s a look at some of the snow removal and de-icing efforts happening across the country. Methods include scattering salt and saltwater on roads and vehicles, operating heavy-duty snowplows and just plain old-fashioned shoveling.
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Power outages rise to nearly 135,000 across the US
The number of power outages has climbed to nearly 135,000 across the country, a significant leap from just a few hours ago when the figure was at barely above 80,000.
Most of the outages, as of Saturday afternoon, are in southern states, including Texas, Louisiana and New Mexico. Texas still has by far the largest number, currently sitting at just below 60,000.
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One of the most dangerous aspects of Winter Storm Fern is that it’s bringing record snowfall to areas that are unaccustomed to that kind of weather, leaving many residents ill-prepared to cope with conditions.
Little Rock, Arkansas, recorded 6in of snow this morning, significantly surpassing the previous daily record for snowfall of 4in set all the way back in 1899.
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Ohio has been added to the list of states declaring emergencies. Governor Mike DeWine cited “damaging and dangerous” weather conditions.
“I’m proactively declaring a state of emergency in Ohio due to the damaging and dangerous conditions Winter Storm Fern is expected to bring to our state this weekend,” he wrote on X. “I continue to encourage everyone to stay home unless it’s absolutely necessary to be out.”
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Oklahoma is currently in the middle of the first of two waves of the winter storm, as the second wave is set to move into the state later Saturday night. The winter storm warning that was issued for almost the entirety of Oklahoma will remain in effect until noon Sunday. Here are a few images of the snow-covered state:
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DC expects at least 9in of snow tonight, says mayor
Washington DC’s mayor, Muriel Bowser, wrote on X: “Snow is coming tonight” in the region.
“We’re expecting at least 9’ of snow, followed by extreme cold weather through the end of next week,” she added. “Our teams are working to keep residents safe, warm, and inside all weekend long – for neighbors in need of shelter, call: (202) 399-7093.”
Yesterday, the mayor declared a state of emergency in DC in anticipation of the storm.
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The severe cold weather has created unsafe driving conditions on many roads throughout the midwest and southern US today. Sheets of ice are currently coating several streets and highways, causing increasing risk to drivers.
Even after the ice has been cleared away, it often quickly comes back due to precipitation and freezing temperatures. Officials are urging people to stay off the roads. Sgt Ellis from the Tennessee highway patrol posted a video on social media demonstrating the dangerous conditions.
Ellis summed up his advice succinctly: “It’s not the problem of going on this – it’s stopping. Please stay at home.”
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Electric grid operators have stepped up precautions to avoid rotating blackouts as frigid weather hitting half of the country’s population stressed their operations.
The PJM Interconnection, the largest US regional grid that serves 67 million people in the east and mid-Atlantic, reported temporary spikes in spot wholesale electricity prices that soared above $3,000 per megawatt hour on Saturday morning from earlier levels of less than $200 per MWh.
Entergy, the power-production company that generates and distributes electricity to 3 million customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, says they have more than 9,400 restoration workers in place or mobilizing to restore service for customers as of Saturday morning.
Dominion Energy said it is preparing for widespread power outages in Virginia and North Carolina caused by heavy ice and snow, with restoration potentially taking days if outages occur.
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More than 11,000 flights cancelled
The number of flights canceled has been updated to more than 11,000 across the US as the monster storm has begun to wreak havoc and threaten to knock out power for days.
Roughly 140 million people, or more than 40% of the US population, are under a winter storm warning from New Mexico to New England. The National Weather Service forecast warned of widespread heavy snow and a band of catastrophic ice stretching from east Texas to North Carolina. By midday Saturday, a quarter of an inch (0.6cm) of ice was reported in parts of south-eastern Oklahoma, eastern Texas and portions of Louisiana.
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Winter Storm Fern triggered a buying frenzy across much of the US before its arrival.
Practically empty shelves were seen in grocery stores across the country on Thursday and Friday, mirroring images of shoppers mass-buying supplies at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic during the first few months of 2020.
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This storm has the potential to bring long-lasting power outages, with those blackouts likely to be politicized.
When the deadly winter storm Uri struck Texas in 2021, it left millions without power as the state’s grid collapsed under surging demand. Republican politicians and fossil fuel allies were quick to blame clean energy for the disaster. But though the storm wreaked havoc on all energy sources, widespread evidence (including a federal investigation) showed that the outages were primarily caused by failing gas infrastructure.
Experts have long warned that the climate crisis is already making power outages in the US more common as climate-fueled extreme weather pushes an already heavily burdened energy grid to its limit. It’s a problem sparking even more concern as fuel-guzzling data centers pop up across the US.
Wind and solar power, the quickest-to-deploy energy sources, could help ensure Americans have consistent power amid that increasing demand. But climate hawks may be quick to note during forthcoming blackouts that Trump has been blocking renewable energy projects, calling them a “scam”.
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Nearly 85,000 power outages reported
Power outages across the country have already surged to nearly 85,000, according to PowerOutage.us.
Texas is reporting by far the largest number of outages with more than 43,000 homes and businesses affected.
Outages in Louisiana have risen to more than 6,000. Arkansas just surpassed 5,000 outages.
All other affected states are still reporting fewer than 4,000 buildings without power.
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Nearly 10,000 flights cancelled across the US this weekend
So far, nearly 10,000 flights across the US set to take off over the weekend have been canceled.
Delta Air Lines urged passengers traveling this weekend to reschedule their flights as the storm threatened to disrupt operations and force widespread cancellations.
The airline said customers should expect flight cancellations across the Ohio and Tennessee valleys, including in Nashville and Raleigh-Durham, as the storm threatens to disrupt weekend travel. They added that they expect “additional schedule adjustments for Atlanta and the north-east regions” on Saturday morning.
On Thursday, Delta canceled flights at several airports in five states, warning that slow operations could trigger more delays and cancellations and complicate rebooking during one of the busiest winter travel periods.
Airlines are encouraging passengers to keep a close watch over their flight status and use mobile apps or airline websites for the quickest rebooking options as the storm advances.
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This morning, Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social platform: “I have approved Emergency Declarations for the Historic Winter Storms headed to the Great State of South Carolina and the Commonwealth of Virginia. With the help of FEMA and our State partners, we will keep everyone safe, and make sure both States have the support they need. We will continue to monitor, and stay in touch with all States in the path of this storm. Stay Safe, and Stay Warm!”
On Friday morning, Trump had posted: “Record Cold Wave expected to hit 40 States. Rarely seen anything like it before. Could the Environmental Insurrectionists please explain – WHATEVER HAPPENED TO GLOBAL WARMING???”
In reality, the climate crisis is causing more instability in weather systems and patterns, disrupting the polar vortex and bringing more extremes amid rapidly rising global temperatures. Arctic temperatures are more frequently and persistently sweeping across parts of the US not accustomed to prolonged severe cold weather.
Trump has long been a climate crisis skeptic and has been consistently pulling the US back from domestic climate action and international treaties to curb global heating driven by human-caused emissions, while spinning inaccurate information.
States of emergency announced in 16 states
States of emergency have been announced in 16 states including Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. Emergency declarations were also made in Missouri, Tennessee, Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania.
New York added itself to the list later on Friday, as did Arkansas, Kansas and Kentucky. Muriel Bowser, the mayor of Washington DC, has declared a state of emergency in the district.
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Hello, and welcome to our live blog coverage of the winter storm system currently moving across much of the midwest and southern US. My name is Marina Dunbar and I will be bringing you the latest news lines.
More than 220 million people are likely to be affected by the huge winter weather system as it forms in parts of the Rocky mountains and Great Plains and surges across southern and midwestern areas from Friday, blowing up the east coast on Saturday and reaching as far north as Maine by Sunday. The storm has been dubbed Winter Storm Fern by the Weather Channel.
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