Days after meteorologists began sounding alarms, a massive winter storm system is about to slam much of the United States. Experts are so concerned about how severe this storm will be that the National Weather Service has urged residents to make preparations. State officials in several areas have activated the National Guard, including in Oklahoma and South Carolina, as widespread and dangerous conditions are expected.
The Winter Storm Will Bring ‘Crippling’ Weather Conditions
High-Speed Winds:
On January 22, 2026, ABC News published an article about the upcoming weather system, which stated that it will create short intervals of wind that will reach speeds of between 20 and 30 mph. While those speeds are expected to be widely felt, some areas won’t be that lucky. A National Weather Service warning issued the same day predicted the Oswego, Watertown, and Lowville areas of New York will see wind gusts reaching 40 mph that will cause “significant blowing and drifting snow.”
Heavy Snow:
AccuWeather’s senior meteorologist Alex Sosnowski updated his article covering the winter storm on January 22, 2026. According to that report, an early Local StormMax™ reading called for the Western Maryland mountains to face up to 30 inches of snow accumulation. He also wrote that West Virginia and Virginia could be hit by 24 inches, while wider regions should expect up to 12 inches.
Extremely Cold Temperatures:
Meteorologist Ben Noll’s January 22, 2026, Washington Post report focused on the sub-zero temperatures the storm is expected to create in many regions. Most notably, Noll wrote that wind chills of as low as -55 degrees Fahrenheit are expected to affect parts of the Upper Midwest.
Thick Ice:
On January 21, 2026, a Fox Weather X account post shared footage of meteorologist Melanie Black stating that the storm could create more than half an inch of ice buildup in some regions. A January 22, 2026, AOL article described the potential destructive effects that could result from that. “Once ice accumulations exceed one-half inch, the most high-end impacts can occur, including widespread severe tree damage and power outages that may last for days.” Due to the storm’s expected impacts, a January 22, 2026, report from the Associated Press called the storm’s expected effects “crippling.”
🧊 CRIPPLING ICE FORECAST: What can people across the South expect when it comes to the ice threat this weekend? FOX Weather Meteorologist Melanie Black has the latest from Studio W on how ice could cause major power outages. Stay with FOX Weather all week and weekend long. pic.twitter.com/VgK78z7l7s
— FOX Weather (@foxweather) January 21, 2026
Winter Storm Warnings Have Reportedly Been Issued in 40 States
A Fox Weather X account post from January 22, 2026, stated that the weather system had inspired winter weather alerts to be issued in 40 American states. Furthermore, it stated that 235 million Americans from over 2,000 miles of the country will be affected by the storm. The post does not suggest that all 40 states will face dangerous conditions. It only reports that they will be affected by the massive storm in some way.
The regions that are forecasted to face the most serious effects from the storm are the Plains, South, Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast states, according to a January 2026 report from The Weather Channel. Residents of those states should track weather updates in their area to best know what to expect over the next several days. That is because the National Weather Service Prediction Center’s X account predicted on January 22, 2026, that the storm’s impact will extend into next week from the Southern Plains to the Northeast.
Over 160 million Americans are under winter hazards associated with the impending major winter storm. Disruptive snowfall is likely from the Southern Rockies to the Northeast, including dangerous ice from the ArkLaTex to the southern Mid-Atlantic. Here are the latest Key Messages pic.twitter.com/bmVIT5to7a
— NWS Weather Prediction Center (@NWSWPC) January 22, 2026
