Massive Storm Paralyzes U.S. Travel, Threatens Power Grid with Ice and Snow

Around 12,000 flights across the United States have been canceled this weekend as a massive winter storm began wreaking havoc across much of the country Saturday. The powerful system threatens to knock out power for days and create treacherous road conditions with dangerous ice accumulation.

Approximately 140 million people—more than 40% of the U.S. population—are currently under winter storm warnings stretching from New Mexico to New England. The National Weather Service has warned of widespread heavy snow and a potentially catastrophic band of ice extending from east Texas to North Carolina. By midday Saturday, a quarter-inch of ice had already been reported in parts of southeastern Oklahoma, eastern Texas, and portions of Louisiana.

“What really makes this storm unique is what follows—it’s just going to get so cold,” said Allison Santorelli, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. “The snow and ice will be very, very slow to melt and won’t be going away anytime soon, which will significantly hinder any recovery efforts.”

The travel disruption has been severe and widespread. All Saturday flights were canceled at Will Rogers International Airport in Oklahoma City, with Sunday morning flights also called off as officials aimed to restart service Sunday afternoon. The departures area of Oklahoma’s largest airport was nearly deserted Saturday morning, with only a few TSA agents and travelers remaining inside.

Nationwide, more than 4,000 flights had been canceled by early Saturday afternoon, with that number expected to rise. More than 8,000 flights have already been called off for Sunday, according to flight tracking website FlightAware. Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, Nashville International Airport, and Charlotte Douglas International Airport have been among the hardest hit by cancellations.

“If you live in the Midwest and travel in the winter, stuff can happen,” said Angela Exstrom, whose flight from Houston to Omaha was canceled, forcing her to reroute through Los Angeles.

Governors in more than a dozen states have declared emergencies or urged residents to stay home as the storm system moved through their regions. Power outages have already begun, with more than 112,000 customers without electricity Saturday morning, including approximately 55,000 in Texas, 13,700 in Louisiana, and nearly 11,800 in New Mexico, according to poweroutage.us.

“Please use these final hours to be prepared, to make sure that you have blankets and warmth and food to make it through this storm,” Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger said during a Saturday news conference. “Every Virginian should stay off the road as of this evening, all day Sunday, and at least into the morning on Monday.”

In Georgia, officials have warned residents in the northern regions to get off the roads by sundown Saturday and be prepared to stay put for at least 48 hours. Will Lanxton, the senior state meteorologist, said Georgia could experience “perhaps the biggest ice storm we have expected in more than a decade” followed by unusually cold temperatures.

“Ice is a whole different ballgame than snow,” Lanxton emphasized. “You can’t do anything with ice. You can’t drive on it. It’s much more likely to bring down power lines and trees.”

The Texas Department of Transportation posted images of snow-covered highways in the suburbs north of Dallas as ice and sleet that hit northern Texas overnight moved toward the central part of the state. By mid-morning Saturday, ice had formed on roads and bridges in a third of Mississippi’s counties.

After sweeping through the South, the storm is expected to move into the Northeast, dumping about a foot of snow from Washington through New York and Boston. Temperatures in parts of the Midwest have already plunged to dangerous levels, with wind chills as low as minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit, creating conditions where frostbite can set in within 10 minutes.

Utility companies across multiple states are bracing for extended power outages, as ice-coated trees and power lines can continue to fall long after a storm has passed. Forecasters say the damage, especially in areas pounded by ice, could rival that of a hurricane.

The storm has prompted widespread cancellations beyond air travel. Churches have moved Sunday services online, the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville decided to hold its Saturday night radio performance without fans, and Mardi Gras parades in Louisiana were canceled or rescheduled. Schools in Philadelphia and Houston announced Monday closures, and several universities in the South, including the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Mississippi, have canceled Monday classes.

President Donald Trump announced that his administration is coordinating with state and local officials, saying “FEMA is fully prepared to respond.” Nine states have requested emergency declarations, which can unlock federal emergency resources. Trump had approved emergency declarations for South Carolina and Virginia as of Saturday, with requests from seven other states still pending.