More than 230 million Americans are being warned to brace for a massive winter storm that forecasters say could turn catastrophic across a huge stretch of the U.S.
The sprawling system is expected to hammer at least 12 major U.S. cities with heavy snow, dangerous ice, and brutal cold as it sweeps from the Southwest to the Northeast through Monday.
The National Weather Service says the storm will stretch nearly 1,500 miles, dumping a foot or more of snow in some areas while coating roads with ice capable of turning highways into skating rinks.
“This is not a routine winter system,” forecasters warned, citing the potential for life-threatening travel conditions.
At least a dozen states have already issued disaster or emergency declarations ahead of the storm, which is expected to intensify rapidly as it moves east.
Texas and Oklahoma are expected to be among the first states hit, with forecasters warning that early ice accumulation could make roads deadly within hours.
The system arrives just one week after a powerful Arctic blast slammed New England, triggering massive pileups and widespread travel chaos.
Air travel is already being disrupted.
More than 800 flights within, into, or out of the U.S. were delayed or canceled Friday as airlines scrambled to get ahead of the storm, according to FlightAware.
The National Weather Service says the storm will arrive Friday, peak over the weekend and linger into Monday, bringing a brutal mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain.
As the system tracks east, forecasters say the most dangerous conditions may come from ice, not snow.
“Even small amounts of ice can cause catastrophic impacts,” weather officials cautioned.
Cities across the central and eastern U.S. are now preparing for major disruptions, including power outages, road closures, and emergency response strain.
The storm is expected to impact the following cities most severely, according to the Washington Post: Oklahoma City, Dallas–Fort Worth, Little Rock, Tupelo, Mississippi, Nashville, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Charlotte, Richmond, Washington, DC, New York, and Boston
In parts of the Northeast, forecasters say snowfall totals could approach or exceed one foot, with bitter cold following closely behind, per Trending Politics.
Officials are urging residents to avoid unnecessary travel, stock emergency supplies, and prepare for the possibility of extended power outages.
“This is the kind of storm that can overwhelm infrastructure very quickly,” emergency managers warned.
State and local agencies are positioning road crews, utility workers, and emergency responders ahead of the system, but officials stress that conditions could deteriorate faster than crews can respond.
The storm’s size and speed have raised concerns that even well-prepared cities could struggle.
Weather officials say the combination of heavy snow, ice, and plunging temperatures makes this system especially dangerous.
“This is not just about inconvenience,” one forecaster said. “This is about safety.”
With millions of Americans in the storm’s projected path, officials say the next 72 hours will be critical.
