A severe winter storm hit the eastern two-thirds of the United States in January 2026, spreading over 2,000 miles from New Mexico and Texas to New England.
USPresident has approved federal emergency declarations for nearly 20 states and the District of Columbia.
The storm was caused by the southward expansion of the polar vortex, bringing Arctic air and extreme cold, with wind chills reaching -50°F (-45°C).
Heavy snowfall affected the Ohio Valley to the Northeast.
Catastrophic ice accumulation hit the Lower Mississippi Valley, Southeast, and Mid-Atlantic regions.