More than 230 million Americans are bracing for winter storm Fern that forecasters fear will bring heavy snow and catastrophic ice conditions.
Over a dozen states have issued disaster or emergency declarations ahead of the storm, which is predicted to spread from New Mexico to Virginia on Saturday.
By Sunday, it will move into the Northeast, bringing bitterly cold temperatures and hazardous travel conditions, according to the National Weather Service.
It comes just one week after a powerful Arctic storm wreaked havoc across New England, causing multiple major car pileups on icy roads.
More than 1,500 flights within, into or out of the United States have been delayed or canceled in advance of the storm today, according to FlightAware.
Follow along for the latest updates.
Top 12 cities set to be hit hardest by winter storm
The storm, expected to begin Friday and last through Monday, is forecast to drop a foot or more of snow and catastrophic amounts of ice along its 1,500-mile path.
Texas and Oklahoma are among the first states expected to be hit by the storm, which could create dangerous road conditions, according to the National Weather Service.
The massive storm system is expected to bring a crippling ice storm and potentially around a foot of snow from Oklahoma through Washington, DC, New York and Boston over the weekend.
Here are the top 12 US cities set to be hit hardest by the impending winter storm, according to the Washington Post.
Oklahoma City
Dallas/Fort Worth
Little Rock
Tupelo, Mississippi
Nashville
Cincinnati
Pittsburgh
Charlotte
Richmond
Washington, DC
New York
Boston
Amtrak trains delayed across the US
Amtrak has fully or partially closed more than 75 train services across the East Coast, Midwest and South as of Friday afternoon.
Services will be disrupted between Friday to Sunday.
Passengers are being offered refunds for their tickets as well as no-fee rebooking options.
The number of cancellations are expected to rise.
Hardware store workers stock up on ice melt
Hardware store employees in Bethesda, Maryland, stocked up on ice melt Friday in preparation for the winter storm.
Police officials in St. Joseph County, Indiana, posted a video to their Facebook page of a car stuck in snow after it had slid off the highway as a result of extreme winter weather.
‘Please use caution, slow down and ALWAYS move over for responding emergency vehicle,’ they wrote.
Temperature at Chicago airport remains below zero
The high temperature at Chicago O’Hare International Airport is forecast to remain below zero.
The last time that happened was December 23, 2002, according to Weather.com senior meteorologist Jonathan Erdman.
What happens if your flight is cancelled?
If your flight is cancelled as a result of winter storm Fern, airlines will rebook you on another flight. Although they aim to book you on the same airline, some may rebook you on a partner airline as an alternative.
If your flight is cancelled or you choose to forgo a trip you had planned, you may be entitled to a refund even if the flight is non-refundable, according to the US Department of Transportation.
You can also claim money back on bag fees or extra costs such as seat assignments.
Eric Adams tells New Yorkers not to yell at him about snow removal
Former New York City Mayor Eric Adams joked on X that residents shouldn’t yell at him about snow removal anymore.
‘Big storm on the way. Reminder: I don’t run City Hall anymore. Yelling at me on Twitter will not speed up snow removal,’ he wrote.
‘Prepare, check on seniors, send me your snowmen, and show some love to DSNY, NYPD, and FDNY doing the heavy lifting.’
More than 1,500 flights have been cancelled across the US
Winter storm Fern has forced at least 1,500 flight cancellations across the country.
Two major airports in Texas have been hit the hardest by flight delays, according to Fox4, with at least 1,000 cancellations in Dallas.
American Airlines, which uses Dallas Fort Worth as its primary hub, has seen the worst impact.
Trucks salt the roads in Nashville
Nashville Department of Transportation trucks applied salt brine to the roadways ahead of the weekend winter storm on Thursday.
Police put out ‘friendly’ reminder to residents about where they bunker down for the storm
In North Carolina, the Greensboro Police Department warned residents to be thoughtful about where they choose to bunker down for the storm.
‘Please remember that whoever you hang out with on Saturday, you’re stuck with until at least Tuesday when the ice melts,’ the department wrote on X.
‘You’re either going to be besties or not. Choice is yours.’
Philadelphia declares snow emergency
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker announced that a snow emergency will go into effect at 9pm ET on Saturday.
‘It will remain in effect until roadway conditions improve,’ Parker said. ‘Please take this storm seriously, now is the time to prepare.’
Over 1,000 workers have been mobilized to start pre-treating roads.
‘[We have] over 600 pieces of equipment and over 30,000 tons of salt at the ready to make sure our roads are safe and passable for pedestrians, motorists, and of course our emergency responders,’ said Office of Clean and Green Initiatives Director Carlton Williams.
Arkansas activates 168 National Guardsmen
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders activated 168 members of the National Guard to support police during the winter storm.
‘The Governor has ordered 168 Guardsmen to state active duty beginning today until weather conditions improve,’ the state National Guard wrote on X.
‘Guardsmen will support the Arkansas State Police around the clock at all Troop location areas around the state.’
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The 12 cities that will see ‘catastrophic’ damage by crippling US winter storm: Live updates
