Terrifying map reveals where Storm Fern will hit next as millions of Americans savaged by one inch of snow per HOUR
A potentially record-breaking monster storm is barreling east after blanketing parts of the South and Plains with ice and snow overnight.
More than 220 million Americans across 34 states are covered by winter weather warnings - almost two-thirds of the population - as Storm Fern moves from the southern Rocky Mountains towards New England.
New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Washington DC could be hit by one inch of snow every hour from Sunday morning, while the South could see a rare thunder sleet - when lightning and thunder coincides, creating large ice pellets.
'The heavy snowfall potential from Pennsylvania and New Jersey northward should continue through the mid to late morning,' NOAA's Storm Prediction Center meteorologists said.
'In northern Virginia, Maryland and Delaware, a changeover to freezing rain is expected by late morning.'
It comes after 802,000 households were left without power across Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee, where the storm hit first, and more than 13,000 flights were cancelled over the weekend.
The epicenter of the chaos is expected to hit the northeast by mid-morning Sunday, with up to 16 inches of snow forecast for much of the tri-state area.
Forecasters have warned the damage to infrastructure could be even worse than the typical aftermath left by a hurricane.
A potentially record-breaking monster storm is barreling east after blanketing parts of the South and Plains with ice and snow overnight. More than 220 million Americans across 34 states are covered by weather warnings - almost two-thirds of the population
A worker clears snow from the Brooklyn Heights Promenade in New York City on Sunday
Many people have already started panic-buying frozen food and tinned goods as they get ready to hunker down for several days of extreme cold and torrential snow.
Temperatures of 18F are predicted in Pittsburgh, 11F in Manhattan, 9F in Boston, and 3F in Portland, Maine.
'We are expecting a storm the likes of which we haven't seen in years,' New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill said Saturday while announcing restrictions on commercial vehicle travel and a 35 mph (56 kph) speed limit on highways.
'It's a good weekend to stay indoors,' she added.
'The snow and the ice will be very, very slow to melt and won't be going away anytime soon, and that's going to hinder any recovery efforts,' said Allison Santorelli, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
President Donald Trump had approved emergency declarations for at least a dozen states by Saturday, with more expected to come.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency pre-positioned commodities, staff and search and rescue teams in numerous states, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said.
'We just ask that everyone would be smart – stay home if possible,' Noem said.
A plow truck clears snow on I-40 during Winter Storm Fern in Oklahoma City on Saturday
There have been reports of vehicles hitting fallen trees and trees falling onto houses in DeSoto Parish, Louisiana, where more than half of all electric customers lost power.
'We got limbs that are dragging the ground,' said Mark Pierce, a spokesperson for the local sheriff's office. 'These trees are just completely saturated with ice.'
Sunday's flight cancellations, which are still growing, are already the most on any single day since the coronavirus pandemic, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.
All Saturday flights were canceled at Will Rogers International Airport in Oklahoma City, and all Sunday morning flights also were called off, as officials aimed to restart service Sunday afternoon at Oklahoma's biggest airport.
Dallas–Fort Worth International Airport, a major hub, saw more than 700 departing flights canceled on Saturday and nearly as many arriving flights called off.
Disruptions have also been piling up at airports in Chicago, Atlanta, Nashville, and Charlotte, North Carolina.
By late Saturday afternoon, nearly all departing flights scheduled to leave Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Sunday had already been canceled.
The Midwest saw windchills as low as minus 40F, meaning that frostbite could set in within 10 minutes.
The minus 36F reading in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, on Saturday morning was the coldest in almost 30 years.
More than 23 inches of snow were recorded in the Rockies close to Crested Butte in Colorado on Saturday, while eight inches hit north-central Kansas and Gibson, Arkansas.
Pictured: Shoppers brave cold weather amid winter Storm Fern as they walk in the parking lot of a store during a winter storm Saturday, January 24, 2026, in Arlington, Texas
Experts have advised preparing for the worst, by stocking up on ice, heat sources, blankets and warm clothing in case a prolonged power cut hits.
The Red Cross recommends buying cheap Styrofoam coolers and ice to keep food fresh in the event of refrigerators being out of action.
The US-based charity also advises putting an emergency preparedness kit together to make sure you have everything you need to survive several days without power.
It includes one gallon of water per person, tinned food, a flashlight, a battery-powered radio, first aid kit, a seven-day supply of medications, portable phone chargers, and making a note of emergency contact information.
The Red Cross is also urging Americans to fill up their vehicle's gas tank in case they are told to evacuate due to dangerous storm conditions in their neighborhood.
