As a massive winter storm barreled across the United States over the weekend of January 24-26, 2026, travel plans for millions of Americans were upended, highways turned treacherous, and emergency declarations rippled from the Carolinas to the Northeast. The storm, described by the National Weather Service as potentially catastrophic, brought a dangerous mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain, threatening nearly 180 million people—more than half the U.S. population—from the southern Rocky Mountains all the way to New England.
By Sunday, January 25, the storm’s impact on air travel was nothing short of historic. According to FlightAware, flight cancellations within, into, or out of the U.S. reached nearly 10,000 for the day, the highest single-day total since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. That number more than doubled Saturday’s cancellations, and the disruption was expected to have a ripple effect well into the following week. Aviation analytics company Cirium reported that over 29% of all U.S. departing flights were axed on Sunday, making it the worst cancellation event since 2020.
The fallout was felt at nearly every major airport. Newark, LaGuardia, Ronald Reagan Washington National, Philadelphia International, and Baltimore/Washington airports all reported almost fully canceled slates of flights. As of 9 a.m. EST Sunday, John F. Kennedy International Airport had 73% of its departures canceled, and Boston Logan International stood at 64%, with both numbers climbing as the storm intensified. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the nation’s busiest, saw more than 500 flights canceled as rain turned to freezing rain and ice overnight, making travel hazardous throughout the city.
Airlines scrambled to respond. American Airlines alone canceled over 1,400 flights for Sunday, while Delta and Southwest each reported about 1,000 cancellations. United Airlines canceled more than 800, and JetBlue scrubbed over 560 flights—roughly 70% of its schedule. The chaos was so widespread that Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport warned travelers, “No flights can come or go while our team clears snow from the airfield.” Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, anticipating the worst, operated a reduced number of flights and urged passengers to check their status frequently, as schedules could change at any moment.
Major U.S. airlines, including Air Canada, American, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, and United, issued broad travel waivers. Passengers affected by the storm could rebook their flights without change fees or fare differences, with some airlines extending waivers into the first week of February. American Airlines, in an effort to help stranded passengers, added over 3,200 extra seats to and from its Dallas-Fort Worth hub once conditions improved. United offered flexibility for flights departing through January 29, and Delta warned of continued schedule adjustments at its Atlanta hub. “DFW’s teams are actively treating roads, bridges and airfield surfaces to maintain safe operations,” said a Dallas Fort Worth International Airport spokesperson, echoing the round-the-clock efforts at airports nationwide.
On the ground, the storm’s reach was just as severe. In North Carolina, Governor Josh Stein declared a State of Emergency as the storm approached, warning residents to stay home and prepare for possible power outages. "As winter weather reaches you in North Carolina today, please stay home and off the roads unless absolutely necessary," Stein urged in a Saturday morning update. "Be prepared for potential power outages, and make sure you have a plan to stay warm and in contact with loved ones. I'm grateful to North Carolina's first responders and emergency management officials who are already doing all they can to keep us safe through the storm." The declaration enabled the state to access federal assets, deploy generators to critical facilities, and receive support from the Forest Service to remove downed trees.
Central North Carolina braced for moderate to heavy mixed precipitation, mainly sleet and freezing rain, with the Piedmont region facing the possibility of snow. Roads, especially bridges and overpasses, were expected to become slick and hazardous. Significant ice accumulation on power lines and tree limbs threatened widespread and potentially long-lasting power outages. The Town of Clayton and Johnston County both declared their own states of emergency, mobilizing resources and activating emergency operations centers. White Flag shelters opened across Johnston County to provide refuge for those in need during the extreme cold.
Chicago was hit with its own dose of winter misery. A Winter Storm Warning remained in effect through Sunday afternoon for Cook County, with snowfall totals between 6 and 12 inches near Lake Michigan. Most communities saw 2 to 3 inches, but closer to the lake, accumulations reached 4 to 5 inches. Between 6 p.m. Saturday and 6 a.m. Sunday, Illinois State Police responded to nearly 200 crashes, including over 30 with injuries, and assisted 71 stranded motorists. More than 600 flights were canceled at O’Hare and Midway airports. Even as the snow tapered off, bitter cold was forecast to return, with wind chills plummeting as low as negative 25 degrees by Monday morning.
The Northeast, meanwhile, was slammed by rapidly accumulating snow—New York City saw flakes begin around 6 a.m., with rates expected to hit two inches per hour. Washington, D.C. had already tallied four inches, and Philadelphia recorded two inches of light, powdery snow by Sunday morning. Ground transportation ground to a halt: NJ Transit suspended all bus and light rail services early Sunday, with a full rail suspension scheduled for the afternoon. In New York, the MTA stopped all bus service, though subways continued to run on a modified schedule.
The National Weather Service cautioned that the storm would bring "widespread heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain from the Southern Rockies to New England through Monday." It also warned that "extremely cold air will follow, prolonging dangerous travel and infrastructure impacts into next week." Severe thunderstorms with damaging gusts and tornadoes were forecast for the eastern Gulf Coast states, adding to the weekend’s weather woes.
For travelers caught in the chaos, the situation was daunting. Airlines advised those already at the airport to get in line for customer service, while those at home or in hotels were urged to call or go online. Most airlines offered rebooking on later flights at no additional charge, though availability was tight. Importantly, if a flight was canceled and the traveler chose not to take the trip, the airline was legally required to offer a full refund—even for non-refundable tickets—and to return any unused bag fees or seat upgrades. As the storm’s effects lingered, more than 1,800 flights had already been canceled for Monday, with airlines working to reposition aircraft and crews displaced by the weekend’s peak.
The weekend’s winter storm will be remembered not only for its sheer scale and ferocity, but also for the extraordinary disruption it caused to travel and daily life. As cleanup and recovery begin, officials and travelers alike are left hoping for a swift return to normalcy—and a break from the relentless march of winter weather.