‘Worst in 40 years’: snow and ice megastorm threatens the United States

Snow on the outskirts of New York on December 27, 2025 REUTERS/Kena Betancur A major winter storm threatens to hit much of the United States with a mix of freezing rain and heavy snow. Around 160 million people live in areas that could be affected. The cold over the next few days is expected to be the worst in decades. ✅ Follow the g1 international news channel on WhatsApp Several states have already declared a state of emergency. The National Weather Service warned of the possibility of “catastrophic ice accumulation.” The phenomenon can cause prolonged blackouts, damage to trees and make roads dangerous or impassable. Meteorologist Ryan Maue stated that “the next 10 days of winter will be the worst in 40 years in the United States.” He asked the population to prepare for temperatures below -18 °C. “It’s not an exaggeration or a joke,” he said. See the videos that are trending on g1 More than 1,500 weekend flights have already been cancelled, according to the website FlightAware. Many of them in Texas. In the state, there are still memories of the February 2021 storm, which left more than 200 people dead, mainly from hypothermia, carbon monoxide poisoning and accidents. Authorities say the power grid is prepared this time. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Thursday that “power outages are not expected” and that the electrical system “is fully capable of handling this storm.” ‘I’m ready’ Empty shelves in a market in Washington, DC, USA, on January 23, 2026 Brendan Smialowski/AFP In Houston, the most populous city in Texas, 12 shelters were opened. Office of Emergency Management coordinator Brian Mason said the public should prepare. “I’m not saying it will be like 2021, but we must prepare as if it were,” he said. Residents also reinforced their care. Clinton Moore, 63, said he bought water and supplies. “This time I have a generator and reserves. I don’t think it will be as bad as five years ago,” he said. In New York state, Governor Kathy Hochul warned of extreme cold. According to her, just a few minutes outdoors can pose a health risk, with the possibility of hypothermia and frostbite. The state mobilized emergency crews, snow removal machines and utility workers. In Washington and Oklahoma, residents rushed to grocery stores to stock up on food. Shelves were seen empty this Friday (23). Polar vortex Extreme cold in Washington Amanda Perobelli/Reuters The relationship between climate change and winter storms is not direct. In these cases, the polar vortex, usually restricted to the North Pole, moves south. Researchers point out that this type of storm has become more frequent in the last two decades. One of the explanations is the faster warming of the Arctic compared to the global average, which could favor the expansion of the polar vortex over North America. Experts, however, warn that it is not possible to establish a direct and simple link with climate change caused by human action. The President of the United States, Donald Trump, commented on the topic on social media. “A record cold wave is expected to hit 40 states. Rarely have we seen anything like this. Could environmental insurgents explain what happened to global warming?”, he wrote on the Truth Social platform. VIDEOS: most watched on g1

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