Thousands of flights across the U.S. set to take off over the weekend were cancelled as a monster storm started to wreak havoc Saturday (January 24, 2026) across much of the country, knocking out power and snarling major roadways with dangerous ice.
Roughly 140 million people, or more than 40% of the U.S. population, were under a winter storm warning from New Mexico to New England. The National Weather Service forecast widespread heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain from Saturday (January 24, 2026) to Monday (January 26, 2026), stretching from the southern Rocky Mountains to New England. It warned people to brace for a string of frigid days.
Over 8,000 flights cancelled as major winter storm bears down across much of U.S.
“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.
U.S. President Donald Trump had approved emergency declarations for at least a dozen States by Saturday (January 24, 2026) and 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.
