A significant winter storm is set to blanket the southern U.S. starting Monday, bringing icy conditions and heavy snow to areas like Texas and northern Florida—regions not typically accustomed to such severe weather. Frigid temperatures have already gripped the South, prompting residents to take precautionary measures, such as insulating their pipes, inspecting heating systems, and gathering emergency supplies.
In Texas, officials at both airports in Houston announced a suspension of flight operations starting Tuesday in anticipation of dangerous weather conditions. The storm is expected to affect a large area of the South, including parts of the northern Gulf Coast. Meanwhile, the East Coast is facing a severe snowstorm, while temperatures in the Northern Plains and up to Maine have plummeted due to an Arctic air mass, leading to dangerously low wind chills on Monday.
According to a meteorologist from the National Weather Service in College Park, Maryland, around 40 million people—mostly in the southern U.S.—are under various weather alerts. This includes over 21 million under winter storm warnings. In total, approximately 170 million individuals from the Rockies to the East Coast are facing either extreme warnings or cold weather advisories.
Lakesha Reed, who runs a catering service in New Orleans, expressed her frustration over canceled flights that disrupted her plans to cook for a Mardi Gras-themed event in Washington, D.C. New Orleans, where winter temperatures rarely dip below the 30s, is now grappling with biting cold. She remarked, “Last year, we wore shorts for Mardi Gras.”
By Monday afternoon, the online flight tracking service FlightAware reported over 570 canceled flights in the U.S., along with more than 5,800 delays. Winter storm warnings were issued across several states, including Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, and the Florida panhandle, with expectations of heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain extending through Wednesday. In New York, a state of emergency was declared due to heavy lake-effect snow predictions around the Great Lakes.
In preparation for the severe weather, governors in states like Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama declared states of emergency, leading many school districts to cancel classes for Tuesday. Weather forecasts warned that the unaccustomed sub-freezing temperatures could pose risks to sensitive plants and exposed plumbing.
In Louisiana, officials are advising residents to stay indoors during the storm, warning that road conditions may become treacherous due to ice. Warming centers are being set up to assist homeless individuals, and there are concerns of potential power outages due to ice and snow accumulation.
Meanwhile, supermarkets have seen a surge of shoppers stocking up on supplies. “Things were really nuts with everyone shopping,” commented a local resident, indicating that many are looking for comforting dishes to prepare, such as gumbo, in anticipation of the cold weather.
As the Eastern Seaboard experiences some of the coldest temperatures this winter, the weather has created unusual challenges for local events and daily life. Notably, an incident involving Donald Trump’s presidential oath was marked by a shift to an indoor ceremony due to the extreme cold—something not seen since Reagan’s inauguration in 1985.
Further north, temperatures from the Rockies to the Northern Plains are set to drop drastically, with Monday predictions indicating lows between minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit to minus 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Wind chills are expected to reach alarming levels as far south as Oklahoma and the Tennessee Valley. The weather service has issued advisories across the Great Lakes region, forecasting highs in the single digits or teens, and lows plunging as low as minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit overnight.
This latest cold snap is linked to a disruption of the polar vortex—an event that traps cold air around the North Pole. In Houston, the plumbing industry is already seeing an increase in calls from homeowners concerned about frozen pipes, with one plumbing manager noting a palpable sense of panic among residents.
In Southern California, strong Santa Ana winds are anticipated to return, accompanied by gusts reaching up to 90 mph. However, there is some hope for a small amount of rain projected for the weekend, which may help alleviate the dire fire conditions affecting the region.
