Fallen snowman
Photograph ©2010 by Brian Cohen.
Brian Cohen·
Weather
··10 min read

Flights Canceled; Additional Airlines Issue Waivers: Massive Winter Storm Update January 2026 Travel Alert

Stay safe and warm — and do not travel unless absolutely necessary.

Thousands of flights have already been canceled and additional airlines have issued travel waivers as a result of the latest massive winter storm that is affecting most of the eastern two-thirds of the United States in January of 2026. Consider ensuring that you have alternate travel plans ready to be implemented.

Flights Canceled; Additional Airlines Issue Waivers: Massive Winter Storm Update January 2026 Travel Alert

The following statement is currently posted at the official Internet web site of the National Weather Service of the United States:

Significant Winter Storm to Bring Heavy Snow and Ice Impacts; Dangerously Cold Temperatures Expands Across the East

A significant, long-duration winter storm will bring widespread heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain from the Southern Rockies to New England through Monday. Widespread travel disruptions, prolonged power outages, and vast tree damage is likely. Frigid temperatures, gusty winds, and dangerous wind chills will expand from the north-central US to the Southern Plains, MS Valley, and Midwest.

The map of the United States from the National Weather Service currently indicates winter storm warning from central New Mexico all the way to northern Vermont; ice storm warnings from eastern Texas to southwestern Tennessee and from eastern Tennessee to southern North Carolina; extreme cold warnings from northeastern Montana to northern Michigan, from northern New York to northern Maine, and parts of southern Texas; cold weather advisories from eastern Montana to northeastern Ohio and from southern New Hampshire to southern Maine; winter weather advisories from extreme eastern Arizona and extreme eastern Utah to central Illinois and from northern Alabama to eastern North Carolina; and winter storm watches and extreme cold watches from southern Texas to Maryland.

a map of the united states
Source: National Weather Service of the United States.

The following loop is a series of graphics over the next 2.5 days from the National Weather Service of the United States:

a map of the united states
Source: National Weather Service of the United States.

The aforementioned loop shows that snowfall will be likely to occur through Sunday, January 25, 2026 from eastern Nevada and western Montana all the way to southern Maine. Significant amounts of rain are likely from southern Arizona to southeastern Virginia. Ice is possible from western Texas and southeastern New Mexico all the way to eastern Maryland.

The amount of ice depends on where a cold front that is heading southward is positioned by the time precipitation occurs in the southeastern United States, as forecasts have predicted as much as three inches of ice in some areas, which will likely lead to widespread electric power outages and cripple transportation options in affected areas; so many roads and highways will be impassable…

…but because frigid air is expected to plunge as far southward as central Texas and northern Georgia, whatever precipitation is already on the ground will remain frozen for at least a couple of days. This frigid mass of air will be felt in much of the eastern two-thirds of the United States from eastern Montana all the way to southern New Mexico eastward from northern North Carolina all the way to the Canadian Maritime provinces.

What is tricky is that in some areas — such as the greater Atlanta metropolitan area — high temperatures during the day will be above freezing and precipitation will fall as rain; while low temperatures at night are forecast to be well below freezing. Some of that precipitation could be in the form of sleet, which will reduce the possibility of the accumulation of ice. How much ice will actually accumulate in those areas is unknown because of those and other factors — especially as the predicted precipitation line has shifted slightly northward since this article was published yesterday.

Significant accumulations of snow are expected from southeastern Utah and northeastern Arizona all the way to extreme northwestern North Carolina to as far north as southern New Brunswick and western Nova Scotia. At least ten inches of snow are expected for the area from Kansas and Oklahoma all the way to Maine. As much as 30 inches of snow could accumulate in local areas from southern Pennsylvania to western Virginia — which includes the District of Columbia. Significant lake effect snow in the usual areas in western Michigan, northeastern Ohio, northwestern Pennsylvania, and western New York, which includes Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse.

a map of the united states
Source: Meteorological Service of Canada.

Cold warnings have officially been issued in areas from central Alberta all the way to Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada, with orange being more severe than yellow as indicated by both an interactive map and alert table by the Meteorological Service of Canada. Areas of Eastern Canada can also expect significant accumulations of snow.

Effects of the Massive Winter Storm

At least 3,182 flights have already been canceled through Sunday, January 25, 2025 at the time this article was written. Expect the cancellation of hundreds more flights and the delay of thousands of flights to occur over the next couple of days as the weekend progresses.

a empty shelves in a store
Photograph ©2026 by Brian Cohen.
  • States of emergency have already been declared in at least 14 states and the District of Columbia — including:
    • Alabama
    • Arkansas
    • Georgia
    • Kansas
    • Kentucky
    • Louisiana
    • Mississippi
    • Missouri
    • New York
    • North Carolina
    • South Carolina
    • Tennessee
    • Texas
    • Virginia
  • Shelves of supermarkets, home improvement stores, and other retail outlets are empty and bare. Whatever important supplies remain are limited.
  • The price of gasoline has jumped as much as 50 cents per gallon.
  • The price of natural gas has also skyrocketed.

Amtrak is not immune from the pending effects of the massive winter storm, as it is “closely monitoring severe weather conditions forecasted for this weekend in the Northeast, this may result in cancellations or delays to our services. We will make every attempt to communicate directly with affected customers regarding these changes.” A list of dozens of service cancellations have been posted.

Some examples of what is circulating around social media include but is not limited to:

Flight Waivers, Delays and Cancellations

If you are traveling to, from, or within the eastern United States over the week or so, expect delays and cancellations of flights. Keep up to date on the latest information pertaining to these winter weather systems which may adversely affect your travel plans. Better yet, postponing or canceling your trip might be a better option — no matter which mode of travel you plan on taking.

If you have a flight scheduled, your flight may be delayed or canceled — and you may be eligible for a waiver of a fee to change your itinerary.

Here are 15 airlines which have issued travel alerts as a result of this weather system:

Final Boarding Call

Be sure to contact your airline or transportation provider for the latest information pertaining to your travels — if they are adversely affected — and please: travel safely.

Photograph ©2010 by Brian Cohen.

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