The alert is spreading across much of the United States due to a major winter storm that has meteorologists and authorities on high alert. This is not a typical storm or an isolated cold snap: its evolution has raised such concern that specialized agencies have activated tools usually reserved for tracking hurricanes. The scale of the phenomenon, its reach, and the combination of polar air, ice, and snow point to a complex scenario that could affect millions of people—leading to a key question: why do experts consider it highly dangerous?
“I want people to understand the enormous impact this storm is going to have,” said Carlos Robles, chief meteorologist at Noticias Telemundo, revealing that even the National Hurricane Center dispatched a reconnaissance aircraft to the southwest coast, near Los Angeles, to gather precise data on what is happening inside the system.
According to Robles, one of the key factors is a mass of polar air that has escaped directly from the North Pole. Driven by a powerful low-pressure system, this air mass is pushing frigid conditions toward the central and southern parts of the country.
The major winter storm is advancing across the U.S., threatening extreme cold, ice, and snow across vast regions. | Credit: Image created by Depor using Gemini AI
The outlook is alarming: 89 million people are already under watches, warnings, and advisories for extreme cold. Adding to the threat is another critical factor: moisture moving over this frigid air, creating the perfect setup for a large-scale winter storm.
The situation worsens as 133 million people—from Texas to the northeastern U.S.—are under winter weather alerts. “The geographic coverage will be immense,” Robles stressed, explaining how the system is expected to begin intensifying on Friday.
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday: key days
By Friday afternoon, ice is expected in northern Texas and Oklahoma, while snow pushes into Kansas. At that point, as the storm encounters increased moisture, it “explodes,” beginning to produce significant accumulations of ice and snow.
Saturday will mark a critical turning point. The storm will not only spread but intensify, expanding ice and snow across more than 35 states. Impacts are expected from New Mexico and Texas to Washington, D.C., in the Northeast.
Millions of people in the U.S. are under alert as a large-scale winter storm threatens wide areas of the country. | Credit: MTA
Snow is expected across large areas of the central and northern regions, while rain will affect the far South, stretching from Florida to southern Texas, including cities such as Houston. Among the most heavily impacted areas are Dallas, facing ice and sleet; St. Louis, with moderate snowfall; Indianapolis, where snow will combine with strong winds; and Atlanta, where ice could develop between 9 and 10 a.m.
By Sunday, the system will fully impact the northeastern United States. New England, Washington, the Carolinas, and much of the Mid-Atlantic will be under snow and ice. Many of these areas could be virtually brought to a standstill—not only because of snow, but due to what experts consider the greatest threat posed by this major winter storm: ice.
Ice and the risk of power outages
“The greatest impact will be ice”, Carlos Robles emphasized, explaining that more than half an inch could accumulate across parts of the South. This added weight on power lines and utility poles significantly increases the risk of widespread power outages, as infrastructure in these areas is not designed to withstand such heavy ice loads. Downed power lines and poles could leave millions of people without electricity amid extreme temperatures.
For all these reasons, experts agree this is not a typical storm, but an emergency situation combining polar cold, ice, snow, and an unusually vast geographic reach. A dangerous mix that explains why authorities continue to urge the public to stay informed and take precautions as this major winter storm threatens to become a defining event of the winter in the United States.
