Extreme Cold as Massive Winter Storm Hits US

A powerful winter storm accompanied by bitterly cold temperatures is set to sweep across a vast portion of the United States this week, placing more than 175 million people at risk of travel chaos and potential power failures.

Named Winter Storm Fern, the system is expected to stretch from Texas and the Great Plains through to the mid-Atlantic and northeastern states. Meteorologists warn the storm could span nearly 2,000 miles, covering well over half of the continental United States.

The most severe conditions are forecast for Thursday and Friday, prompting Texas authorities to declare a state of emergency in advance. Heavy snowfall is expected in several regions, with parts of the mid-Atlantic likely to receive over a foot of snow. Virginia and Maryland are among the states predicted to face the harshest impact as arctic air settles in.

Weather agencies have cautioned that freezing rain and heavy snow could cripple infrastructure, down power lines and damage trees. Some forecasts have described the event as a potentially historic storm, with an extensive snow belt capable of producing record accumulations.

New York City may also be affected, with forecasts indicating snowfall totals of up to 12 inches, raising concerns over transportation disruptions in the nation’s most populous city.

According to the National Weather Service, an arctic cold front will drive frigid conditions across much of the eastern two-thirds of the country. Sub-zero temperatures and single-digit lows are expected to spread from the Northern Plains into the Ohio Valley and Northeast by the weekend. Strong winds are also predicted, creating dangerously low wind chill values that could plunge below minus 50 degrees Fahrenheit in some northern areas.

Extreme cold warnings and advisories have already been issued for parts of the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest as the cold air mass advances southward. Forecasters say the combination of this freezing air and an active frontal system will fuel a major winter storm stretching from the central and southern Plains to the East Coast through the weekend.

Several regions are preparing for severe disruptions. In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott has mobilized emergency services, including the National Guard and transportation crews, to support road safety and emergency response efforts.

Local officials in other states have also raised concerns. In Michigan, road authorities outside Detroit warned of dwindling salt supplies after repeated snow events earlier this winter. Travel conditions are expected to deteriorate rapidly in many areas as snow, sleet and freezing rain combine to make roads hazardous.

With the storm approaching, residents across affected states are being urged to limit travel, prepare for extended cold exposure, and remain alert to official weather advisories.