Major Winter Storm Disrupts Travel Across the U.S.

Thu Jan 29 2026 20:16:20 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

As a severe winter storm sweeps across the United States, more than 8,000 flights have been canceled, affecting millions of travelers and prompting emergency declarations from several states.

A major winter storm is wreaking havoc across the U.S., leading to the cancellation of over 8,000 flights and emergency declarations in more than a dozen states. The storm, which encompasses heavy snow and ice, threatens to cause widespread power outages and significant travel disruptions. States are urging residents to stay safe and avoid unnecessary travel as the storm is expected to create hazardous conditions.

DALLAS (AP) — More than 8,000 flights across the U.S. set to take off over the weekend have been canceled as a major storm expected to wreak havoc across much of the country bears down, threatening to knock out power for days and snarl major roadways.

Roughly 140 million people were under a winter storm warning from New Mexico to New England. The National Weather Service forewarns of widespread heavy snow and a band of catastrophic ice stretching from east Texas to North Carolina.

Forecasters say damage, especially in areas pounded by ice, could rival that of a hurricane.

By Friday night, the storm's leading edge was sending freezing rain and sleet into parts of Texas while snow was reported in Oklahoma. The storm is set to advance into the Northeast, with predictions of up to a foot of snow from Washington through New York and Boston.

As governors across a dozen states declared emergencies or advised people to remain indoors, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott warned residents via social media to stay home if possible, citing that the Department of Transportation is pre-treating roads.

Over the weekend, more than 3,400 flights were delayed or canceled on Saturday, with another 5,000 cancellations reported for Sunday.

Angela Exstrom, who was supposed to fly back to Omaha, Nebraska, from Mexico, found her flight canceled, forcing her to make alternative arrangements through Los Angeles.

Meanwhile, utility companies across the affected regions prepared for potential outages as heavy ice accumulation could bring down trees and power lines. In the Midwest, temperatures plunged to dangerously low wind chills of minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

Federal emergency teams remain on standby, with supplies of meals, blankets, and generators staged across the anticipated storm path. Officials, including President Biden, reaffirmed that FEMA is ready to engage and assist as conditions develop.

With classes canceled in several Southern universities and local events like church services being moved online, community responses to the storm are widespread. Church sermons are being streamed, and local parades are rescheduled as the storm looms.

This severe winter weather poses significant challenges as millions face travel disruptions and safety risks