At Least 14 States Declare State of Emergency Ahead of Massive Winter Storm. Here’s When and Where It’s Set to Hit

Nearly 230 million Americans are bracing for the severe winter storm that is forecasted to bring dangerous ice, snow, and extreme cold to much of the country over the weekend, with at least 14 states declaring a state of emergency by early Friday.

The storm is expected to begin on Friday and impact regions stretching over 2,000 miles, from New Mexico up to Maine. The anticipated heavy snowfall, ice, and harsh winds threaten to cause power outages in several states, potentially leaving many without heat, while frozen-over roads could cut off driving routes for days.

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Even a number of areas that are not forecasted to get much—or any—snow amid the storm are set to experience dangerously cold temperatures. Over 50 million people are bracing for extreme cold in cities such as Minneapolis, Chicago, Dallas, and Houston.

The coming inclement weather has sparked widespread warnings and scrambles to prepare. Over 1,600 flights scheduled for Saturday have already been cancelled, and several airlines have issued advisories for travelers, offering to waive costs for changing flights. Footage shared across social media has shown storm-preppers emptying shelves at grocery stores to stock up before the snow begins to fall. And states of emergency have been declared in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.

Read more: How To Stay Safe and Warm In Extreme Cold Weather

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has also begun preparing for the storm and deployed response teams and resources including generators, thousands of meals, and water to several states. The agency, which has terminated around 300 disaster workers so far in the new year, has also halted the ongoing firings ahead of the weekend storm.

Here’s where and how the storm is expected to hit.

Southern States

The storm is set to impact the South first, hitting states including New Mexico, Texas, and part of Louisiana on Friday and Saturday before moving north. 

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced a state of emergency on Tuesday and activated several emergency response resources to support weather response operations. 

“As temperatures could drop below freezing and regions of Texas face snow, ice, and freezing rain, it is crucial that Texans remain weather-aware, check DriveTexas.org before traveling, and heed the guidance of state and local officials,” Abbott said. The Texas Department of Public Safety announced it has begun treating roads with brine on Wednesday ahead of the storm. 

Dallas and Fort Worth in Texas are forecasted to be hit with severe ice accumulation on Saturday and into Sunday, as are much of Interstates 20 and 30. Other cities including Houston, Waco, and Austin may also be hit by icy conditions.

“Significant ice accumulation on power lines and tree limbs may cause widespread and long-lasting power outages. Expect power outages and tree damage due to the ice. Travel could be impossible,” wrote the Fort Worth Weather Service on Friday.

Read more: How to Prepare for a Winter Storm Power Outage

Oklahoma is set to be hit hard Friday night through Saturday night, with heavy snowfall in the north and more ice accumulation in the south. Oklahoma City is expected to receive six to 10 inches of snow and glazes of ice that will likely make travel dangerous. Extreme cold is anticipated to follow the storm and linger into the following week.

In Arkansas, heavy snow is forecasted to hit the northern portion of the state and ice the southern part. The capital of Little Rock, which sits at the dividing line in the center of the state, could experience a combination of both. Snow is expected to develop beginning Friday night, with compromised driving conditions lasting into Sunday. An ice storm warning is in place in southeastern Arkansas, which faces the threat of long-lasting power outages.

A stretch of land extending from northern Louisiana through Mississippi and into northern Alabama is set to be hit hard by ice, with accumulation potentially reaching one inch. Such ice accretion can add significant stress to power lines and tree branches and lead to outages that leave residents without heat for days. 

Several inches of snow are also expected on early Saturday in Tennessee. “Travel will be extremely dangerous, near impossible this weekend. Please take this seriously and prepare now,” the Memphis Weather Service posted on Thursday.

Georgia, which issued a state of emergency on Thursday that will be in place for a week, has mobilized 500 National Guardsmen to assist with storm preparations. A Winter Storm Watch from the National Weather Service includes most of North Georgia and the Atlanta area warns of significant ice accumulation up to three-quarters of an inch, potentially impacting roads, bridges, and power lines. Snow and sleet are predicted to be much less severe than other states, with an inch or less expected. 

Snow is forecasted to begin early Saturday morning in Kentucky, where forecasts predict up to 14 inches of snow. In Louisville, wind chills are expected to drop as low as -11 degrees.

The Midwest

The storm is forecasted to move from Southern states up through the Midwest, hitting parts of Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio Friday into Saturday.

Most of Ohio is expected to receive snowfall, with some parts of the state—including Cincinnati, Chardon, Canton, Akron, and Wooster—slated to get up to or even more than 10 inches by the end of Sunday night.

Central Illinois is expected to be hit with two rounds of snowfall: the first on Saturday morning and the second beginning Sunday morning and going through the evening. Chicago is forecasted to get up to four inches, with other areas like Decatur, Mattoon, and Effingham expected to get over eight or even 10 inches. 

Read more: Could Your Flight Be Canceled Amid This Weekend’s Brutal Winter Storm?

Kansas, which declared a state of emergency on Friday morning, is anticipating similar conditions, with winter storms predicted to begin on Friday and last through Sunday. The National Weather Service forecasted that temperatures across the state would dip into the negatives and negative teens when accounting for wind chill. 

Missouri is also expected to get snow from around noon on Friday through Sunday afternoon. 

“There is high confidence (85-95% chance) that at least 2-4 inches of snow will be seen across southwest Missouri and southeast Kansas,” the National Weather Service of Springfield posted. “There is still some uncertainty in the potential upper-end amounts, but a reasonable worst case scenario is upwards of 10-12+ inches.”

The Carolinas and Mid-Atlantic

North Carolina will bear the brunt of the storm on Saturday evening through Sunday night, as cities including Charlotte, Raleigh, and Durham are bracing for major ice events. Parts of South Carolina are also set to face potentially dangerous ice accumulation. 

Moving up to Virginia, there are expected to be wintry conditions across most of the state starting Saturday night, with snow accumulation of up to six inches, along with sleet, freezing rain, and wind. The wider Washington, D.C., area is anticipated to experience similar conditions, seeing up to 10 inches of snow. The storm is expected to end in the capital by Monday morning, although roads and sidewalks could remain dangerous as temperatures will likely remain below freezing. 

Parts of Pennsylvania will also be hit particularly hard, where in the west portion of the state, forecasts also say there could be 10 to 15 inches of snow. In some parts of the state, the snow could fall an inch per hour on Sunday afternoon.

Further north in New York, conditions are set to be similar to those in D.C., with a heavy period of snowfall followed by a changeover to ice on Sunday. Eight to 12 inches of snow could hit the Big Apple by Sunday afternoon, after which point sleet is expected to take over. There may be a chance of light snowfall again on Monday morning. 

“Our state of emergency that is now in effect allows us to literally go in the streets of New York if they call and need our assistance with plowing or whatever they may need,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said, advising New Yorkers to “stay at home as much as possible.”

Further North

Snowfall is expected in northern states including Massachusetts beginning Sunday morning and lasting through Monday evening. New Hampshire is also expected to get snowfall on Sunday and all day on Monday. Maine will receive snow, late Sunday into Monday as well, with the highest snowfall expected in the southern part of the state.

In Boston, there could be up to 18 inches of snow by Monday morning, with even higher amounts possible in locales outside the city, notably in the west. The state is expecting school closures on Monday.