Arctic Blast Brings Ice And Chaos Across South

An arctic blast barreled across much of the southern and central United States this weekend, bringing with it a dangerous cocktail of snow, ice, and life-threatening cold that upended daily life from Indiana to Texas and the Carolinas. As the storm’s reach extended, authorities scrambled to respond, public officials issued urgent warnings, and millions of residents found themselves facing a rare and disruptive winter event.

In Evansville, Indiana, the National Weather Service issued a Winter Storm Warning that lasted until 6 p.m. Sunday, January 25, 2026, as heavy snowfall descended on the region. According to WFIE, visibility dropped to near zero throughout the day, with morning snow showers giving way to scattered snow in the afternoon. The high temperature barely reached 16°F, and another 1–2 inches of snow piled up atop already slick streets. Wind chills hovered near zero, making even short trips outside a frigid ordeal.

As night fell, Evansville residents faced even harsher conditions. The forecast called for scattered snow early, then clearing skies and a plunge to -2°F, with wind chills between -11 and -15°F—dangerously close to the record low of -4°F set back in 1940. The cold snap showed no signs of immediate relief; Monday promised more scattered snow, a high of only 11°F, and wind chills that could sink as low as -17°F. Only by Tuesday was a modest thaw expected, with mostly sunny skies and a comparatively balmy high of 27°F.

Farther south, Houston, Texas—hardly a city known for snow—found itself under a Winter Storm Warning as well. The arctic air mass brought icy roads and a biting chill unfamiliar to many residents. FOX 26 Houston reported that Harris County officials closed the Grand Parkway ramp to SH-290 due to treacherous ice, and the National Weather Service warned that, although the rain had ended, roads remained dangerously slick. Motorists encountered ice on flyovers and overpasses, with one 18-wheeler forced to reverse down a ramp and another left stranded at the top.

By midday Sunday, CenterPoint Energy reported that over 99% of Houston customers still had power, but about 2,000 households were experiencing weather-related outages. Nathan Brownell, CenterPoint’s Vice President of Resilience and Capital Delivery, reassured the public: “Any outage is one too many for us and that’s why our expanded team of 3,300 workers remain focused on our customers and communities and restoring anyone who may be out of service due to the winter weather impacts. We won’t stop until everyone’s power service is restored.”

As the day wore on, Houston’s temperatures struggled to reach the mid-30s. The city braced for an overnight freeze, with actual temperatures dipping into the 20s and wind chills forecast to plunge as low as -5°F to 15°F. City and county officials prepared to open warming centers as needed. Residents were reminded to protect pipes, pets, plants, and people—what local emergency managers call the “four Ps.” Mayor John Whitmire thanked Houstonians for staying off the roads but cautioned that “temperatures will drop again Sunday night and any moisture left on the ground will become ice.”

The storm’s impact rippled through schools and universities as well. Several Houston-area school districts, including Houston ISD, Spring ISD, Aldine ISD, Katy ISD, and Cy-Fair ISD, announced closures for Monday, January 26. Sam Houston State University also shuttered all campuses. Houston Airports deactivated their Emergency Operations Centers at Bush and Hobby airports at noon, though they warned travelers to expect possible delays and cancellations as weather conditions worsened elsewhere.

In South Central Texas, the story was much the same, if not worse in some places. Meteorologist Sarah Spivey of KSAT reported that while the freezing rain and sleet had finally departed by midday Sunday, hazardous ice lingered on roads—especially on bridges and overpasses in the Hill Country. Localized power outages were reported around Bexar County. With clear skies forecast for Sunday night, temperatures were expected to plunge even further, setting the stage for record-breaking lows on Monday and Tuesday mornings. Wind chills would only intensify the bite of the cold. Relief was in sight, though: by the end of the week, temperatures were expected to rebound into the low 60s.

Columbia, South Carolina, meanwhile, braced for what the National Weather Service described as “significant icing” from Saturday afternoon through Monday. The Columbia metro area was under an Ice Storm Warning, with the highest impacts expected overnight Saturday into Sunday. According to The Post and Courier, the city was forecast to receive roughly a quarter inch of ice—enough to make travel dangerous and threaten tree limbs and power lines. “Ice will lead to dangerous travel conditions developing Saturday night,” the service warned. “Tree and power line damage could lead to power outages.”

Local officials were candid about the risks. In a Saturday briefing, South Carolina’s governor announced that a federal emergency disaster declaration had been approved, paving the way for federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts. While the Midlands, including Columbia, faced serious hazards, the Upstate region was expected to bear the brunt, with the potential for “crippling” impacts. Gusty winds on Monday, with speeds of 25–35 mph, threatened to worsen the situation by increasing ice accrual and bringing down even more trees and power lines.

Across all these regions, the storm’s dangers extended beyond just the roads. Authorities in Texas and South Carolina warned that cold this severe can cause hypothermia quickly and may rupture water pipes if not properly insulated. In Houston, officials urged residents to stock up on food, water, and medication in case they were unable to leave home for several days. Safety reminders proliferated: bring pets indoors, check on elderly neighbors, and heat homes safely to avoid fire or carbon monoxide poisoning.

For many, the storm was a reminder of just how vulnerable even the most prepared communities can be when rare winter weather strikes. From Evansville’s near-record lows and blinding snow to Houston’s icy overpasses and Columbia’s looming ice storm, the arctic blast of January 2026 left a trail of disruption in its wake—testing infrastructure, resilience, and resolve across the American South and Midwest.

Though the worst may soon pass, the aftermath—downed power lines, battered trees, and lingering patches of ice—will serve as a chilly reminder of the power of winter, even in places that seldom see it.