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A sprawling winter storm barreling across the United States has already thrown travel into turmoil and pushed power systems into emergency mode.

With thousands of flights wiped off departure boards and hundreds of thousands without electricity, the storm is shaping up to be one of the most disruptive cold-weather events of the season.

According to a Reuters report, officials warned the worst impacts were still unfolding as the system spread east.

Flights grounded as storm tightens its grip

Air travel across the U.S. took a major hit on Saturday, with more than 4,000 flights canceled as airlines scrambled to adjust schedules ahead of worsening conditions.

Flight tracking site FlightAware also showed more than 9,400 additional U.S. flights scheduled for Sunday were canceled, underscoring the scale of the disruption as the storm expanded.

The cancellations came as airports and airlines faced a fast-changing mix of snow, ice, and dangerous temperatures, conditions that can quickly make takeoffs unsafe and overwhelm ground operations.

A massive system threatens much of the eastern U.S.

Forecasters said the storm would intensify into Sunday and continue into the week, with snow, sleet, freezing rain, and bitter cold sweeping across the eastern two-thirds of the country.

The National Weather Service (NWS) described it as unusually large and long-lasting, warning that heavy ice buildup in the Southeast could bring severe consequences.

In some areas, the NWS cautioned that the impacts could range from crippling to locally catastrophic, particularly where ice accumulation can down trees and power lines and make roads impassable.

Emergency declarations spread across states

As the storm’s footprint widened, emergency responses escalated. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said 17 states and the District of Columbia declared weather emergencies.

President Donald Trump approved federal emergency disaster declarations for multiple states on Saturday, describing the situation as historic.

The list included: South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, Maryland, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Indiana, and West Virginia.

In a social media message, Trump said the federal government would remain engaged with states in the storm’s path and urged people to stay safe and warm.

Power outages climb past 230,000 customers

Beyond travel disruptions, the storm’s impact was sharply visible on the power grid. By early Sunday morning, roughly 230,000 customers were without electricity, according to outage tracking site PowerOutage.com.

The highest concentrations were reported across Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Tennessee, and New Mexico, where winter weather and ice can quickly damage infrastructure and slow repair work.

Officials warned that the number could continue rising as the storm pushed east and temperatures plunged.

Federal energy emergency orders aim to prevent blackouts

With grid stress increasing, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued emergency orders designed to keep electricity flowing in key regions.

On Saturday, the DOE authorized the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) to deploy backup generation resources at data centers and other major facilities, a move intended to reduce the risk of widespread outages.

On Sunday, the DOE issued another emergency order allowing PJM Interconnection, a major grid operator in the mid-Atlantic, to run specific power resources even if they exceeded limits tied to state rules or environmental permits.

The actions highlighted how extreme winter weather can force difficult balancing acts between reliability needs and regulatory constraints.

DHS warns of bitter cold and urges preparation

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem addressed the storm’s dangers in public remarks Saturday, emphasizing both the immediate outages and the looming threat of extreme cold.

She said thousands of people across southern states were already dealing with power loss, while utility crews worked to restore service as quickly as possible.

Noem also urged residents in affected areas to take the storm seriously, warning that temperatures were expected to drop sharply. She encouraged Americans to prepare by stocking up on fuel and food, noting that the cold could be dangerous even for short periods outdoors.

Airlines shift crews and cancel flights to stay ahead

Major airlines moved quickly to reduce risk and avoid stranding travelers as conditions deteriorated. Several carriers advised passengers to monitor alerts closely and expect sudden schedule changes.

Delta Air Lines said it continued adjusting operations, including additional cancellations affecting Atlanta and major East Coast hubs such as Boston and New York City.

Delta also repositioned staff from cold-weather airports to support de-icing operations and baggage handling teams at airports in the South, areas that may be less equipped for prolonged winter conditions.

JetBlue reported that it canceled about 1,000 flights through Monday, reflecting how multi-day storms can ripple through flight schedules well beyond the heaviest snowfall window.

United Airlines said it was proactively canceling some flights in areas expected to see the harshest conditions, aiming to reduce last-minute disruptions and keep aircraft and crews in safer positions.

Utilities and data center regions brace for ice damage

Electric utilities also raised alarms about the storm’s potential to cause large-scale damage, especially where ice loads can bring down lines and poles.

Dominion Energy, which serves Virginia and operates in a region known for hosting the largest concentration of data centers in the world, said the storm could become one of the most significant winter events to impact the company if ice forecasts held.

That warning carried broader significance: data centers are critical infrastructure supporting cloud services, business operations, and communications, meaning prolonged outages can affect far more than local neighborhoods.

Why this storm is so disruptive

What makes this system particularly difficult to manage is the combination of hazards arriving in waves.

Snow can reduce visibility and pile up on runways, while sleet and freezing rain can create a layer of ice that is harder to treat and more dangerous for travel.

At the same time, plunging temperatures increase heating demand, placing additional pressure on power generation and transmission systems, especially if equipment fails or fuel supplies tighten.

The NWS also warned that record cold and dangerously low wind chills could push deeper into the Great Plains by Monday, extending the storm’s reach beyond the areas dealing with heavy snow and ice.

Impact outlook: travel, power restoration, and delays

For travelers, the biggest challenge may be how quickly airline networks can recover. When thousands of flights are canceled, planes and crews end up out of position, and airports must clear backlogs before normal schedules can resume.

Even after the storm passes, delays often linger as airlines rebook passengers, reposition aircraft, and manage staffing.

For utilities, restoration timelines depend heavily on conditions on the ground. Ice-covered roads and continued freezing temperatures can slow repair crews, while ongoing precipitation may trigger fresh outages.

The DOE’s emergency measures suggest officials are focused on preventing a worst-case scenario, where demand spikes and generation constraints collide, leading to rotating blackouts.

A tense week ahead as the storm moves east

As the storm spreads across the eastern U.S., officials are urging residents to remain cautious, limit unnecessary travel, and prepare for prolonged cold.

Even in areas that avoid heavy snowfall, freezing rain and wind-driven chill can quickly become dangerous, especially for people without reliable heat.

With emergency declarations in place and federal agencies actively coordinating response efforts, the next few days will likely determine how quickly communities can stabilize, and how long the storm’s ripple effects last.

(With inputs from Reuters.)

 

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