A powerful winter storm swept across a large swath of the United States (US) on Sunday, bringing heavy snow, sleet, freezing rain and bitter Arctic cold to much of the country east of the Rocky Mountains, disrupting travel and straining power and energy systems.
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Winter storm warnings were issued across most of the eastern third of the US, affecting an estimated 118 million people, according to the National Weather Service. In total, around 157 million Americans were urged to brace for extreme cold, with temperatures plunging below zero near the Canadian border and falling below freezing as far south as the Gulf of Mexico.
📍 The United States is facing ‘historic’ snowfall and extreme cold
⚡ Around 770,000 people were left without power
✈️ More than 14,000 flights were canceled across the country
➡️ Trump approved emergency declarations for 12 states, as at least 22 states and Washington, DC… pic.twitter.com/0D0WbIMVSJ
— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) January 25, 2026
The storm, which developed late last week, dumped up to a foot or more of snow in parts of Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. Strong winds intensified the impact, pushing wind-chill values as low as minus 50 degrees Fahrenheit in the northern Plains.
Air travel was severely disrupted, with more than 11,000 flights cancelled nationwide on Sunday, according to FlightAware. Major airports, including those serving New York, Philadelphia and Charlotte, saw the majority of scheduled flights grounded, while Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington was effectively shut down.
Freezing rain caused widespread power outages across southern states, coating trees and power lines with thick layers of ice. At the height of the storm, more than one million homes and businesses in eight states from Texas to the Carolinas were without electricity, with Tennessee reporting the largest share of outages.
Read More: Inclement weather may trigger landslides, road closures in upper parts
Federal and state authorities declared emergencies in multiple regions. President Donald Trump approved federal disaster declarations for several states, while energy regulators issued emergency orders to stabilize power grids. Although the storm system is expected to move offshore, forecasters warned that another surge of Arctic air could prolong hazardous conditions in the days ahead.