Ice on road and Snow
Photograph ©2020 by Brian Cohen.
Brian Cohen·
Weather
··7 min read

Massive Winter Storm Affecting Eastern United States: January 2026 Travel Alert

Do not travel unless doing so is absolutely necessary.

Due to the latest weather systems, consider ensuring that you have alternate travel plans ready to be implemented because of a massive winter storm affecting most of the eastern two-thirds of the United States in January of 2026.

Massive Winter Storm Affecting Eastern United States: 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:

Major Winter Storm to Bring Heavy Snow and Ice Impacts; Dangerously Cold in the North-Central U.S.

A large, long-duration winter storm is expected to bring widespread heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain from the Southern Rockies/Plains into the Mid-South beginning Friday, spreading eastward to the Mid-Atlantic and New England this weekend. An Arctic front will bring frigid temperatures and gusty winds that will lead to dangerous wind chills from the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest.

The map of the United States from the National Weather Service currently indicates winter storm warnings, winter storm watches, and winter weather advisories from eastern Montana, eastern Utah, and eastern Arizona all the way to Louisiana and North Carolina all the way into eastern Canada; and south to northern Texas and western North Carolina.

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 with different colored areas
Source: National Weather Service of the United States.

The aforementioned loop shows that snowfall will be likely to occur through Saturday, January 24, 2026 from eastern Nevada all the way to eastern Tennessee. Significant amounts of rain are likely from southern Arizona to western Louisiana. Ice is possible from western Texas and southeastern New Mexico all the way to southern Tennessee; but as the weekend progresses, significant ice could accumulate all the way to the Delmarva Peninsula and the Chesapeake Bay Area. Windy conditions are expected to increase from northwestern Wyoming to Louisiana as a strong high pressure system moves southeastward with cold Arctic air.

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 would lead to widespread electric power outages and cripple transportation options in affected areas…

…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.

Accumulations of snow are expected from southern Colorado and eastern Arizona all the way to extreme northwestern North Carolina to as far north as southern New Brunswick and western Nova Scotia. 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.

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.

See also

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 eleven airlines which have issued travel alerts as a result of this weather system:

Final Boarding Call

Do not be surprised to see additional airlines issue travel waivers — as well as existing travel waivers being extended — as these winter weather systems progress towards the northeast.

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 ©2020 by Brian Cohen.

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