Snow blanketed Tennessee highways, tens of thousands of customers lost power in Texas, and millions of Americans girded for freezing temperatures Saturday as a severe winter storm began what was expected to be a dangerously cold march across much of the United States.

The storm was expected to stretch through the weekend and into next week. In addition to the snowfall, which is forecast to reach from Arizona to Maine, the National Weather Service also warned of ice accumulation because of freezing rain. The treacherous rain could affect swaths of the South and mid-Atlantic, with forecasters warning of “catastrophic impacts,” including long power outages and roads rendered impassable in some places.

Before the storm, much of America made frenzied preparations for a weekend of intense winter weather. Government officials urged people to stay home over nearly half the nation. At least 18 states and the District of Columbia have declared states of emergency. Airlines canceled thousands of weekend flights.

The storm is forecast to plow east through the weekend, reaching New York, Washington and other major East Coast cities by Sunday. Its dangerous mix of ice, heavy snow and extreme cold could halt transit, knock out parts of the power grid and leave millions of Americans stuck inside for days.

Here’s What We’re Covering:

— Salt shortage: Cities in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio and elsewhere were having a hard time replenishing their diminished supplies of rock salt, which could make roads even more hazardous. Pittsburgh’s mayor suggested that unusually high demand from Southern cities was partially to blame.

— Varied forecast: The storm was expected to start with a mix of sleet, freezing rain and snow blanketing Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas on Saturday. Ice is predicted across much of the storm’s southern portion, with snow farther north. Extreme cold will continue into next week.

— New York region: Gov. Kathy Hochul said no corner of the state would be “immune from Mother Nature’s wrath.” In the Bronx, 150 households were displaced in freezing temperatures after a gas explosion at an apartment block that killed at least one person. Early voting for Feb. 3 special elections in New York City will be suspended Sunday.

— Prep in the South: People in Southern states, who are more accustomed to readying themselves for hurricanes, floods and tornadoes, were racing to collect supplies for a rare winter weather threat.

— Power concerns: Electricity providers along the storm’s path warned people to be prepared for long outages. In Texas, where power failed during a 2021 storm, state officials said they expected the grid to withstand the cold.

—

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

By J. David Goodman, Amy Graff, Judson Jones and Jonathan Wolfe/Sara Hylton
c. 2026 The New York Times Company