Major Winter Storm Set to Slam Half the U.S. This Week – Here’s Everything You Need to Know
- WeatherOptics
- 6 days ago
- 7 min read
Briefing Issued: Wednesday, January 21, 2026
Forecast Window: Late Week through Early Next Week (January 23-27)
A large, dynamic winter weather system is forecast to develop across the southern and central United States later this week, with impacts expanding eastward and northward into the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast as the system evolves.
While forecast details will continue to sharpen over the coming days, early indicators suggest a high-impact, multi-hazard event – including snow, freezing rain, and ice – that could disrupt transportation, power & utilities, supply chain, and critical infrastructure across nearly half of the country.
From an operations standpoint, this is not a single-day storm. Impacts are likely to unfold in phases, with different regions experiencing different hazards as the system progresses. Impacts in some locations also may last for days after the event takes place because of its significance.
WeatherOptics is actively monitoring this event using asset-level, AI-driven, weather intelligence, impact modeling, and lane-specific risk analysis to help businesses, organizations, and communities anticipate disruptions before conditions deteriorate.
High-Level Event Overview
Heavy Snowfall – South-Central to Mid-Atlantic
Potential for accumulating snowfall across portions of the Southern Plains, Mid-South, and Mid-Atlantic.
Snowfall rates may periodically overwhelm treatment operations, leading to snow-covered roadways and reduced visibility
WeatherOptics Impact Risk Scores – including the Road Conditions Index, Speed Reduction Index, and Life & Property Index – strongly signal that impacts will increase rapidly during peak snowfall windows, especially in areas of the South that are less accustomed to this type of weather
A large swath of snow on the order of 6-10 inches is likely to envelop a substantial portion of the US spanning from northern Texas and Oklahoma northeastward through the Tennessee Valley and into the Central Appalachians and Mid-Atlantic. .
Localized corridors of 12-18+ inches are possible but pinpointing exact snowfall totals is difficult this far out from the event.
There will be a sharp cutoff on the southern end separating areas receiving 6+” of snow and areas receiving mainly an icy mix
Total Expected Snowfall Accumulation Through Tuesday 1/27 at 2 PM ET
Freezing Rain & Ice – Deep South to South-Central to Southeast and the Mid-Atlantic
A corridor of freezing rain and sleet is likely where warm air aloft overrides surface-level cold air – weather models tend to struggle with showing the level of significance, but early indications suggest a high-impact icing event will take place for a potentially large region.
The worst of the freezing rain potential is likely to stretch between the I-20 and I-40 corridors from northern Texas and Arkansas eastward through northern Georgia and the Carolinas
Ice accretion poses outsized risks to:
Power infrastructure – widespread outages will be possible for some locations and electrical disruptions could last for days
Communications – heavy ice can damage radio and cell phone towers
Secondary road networks – even small ice accretion can lead to extreme road conditions
Property damage – falling branches and trees can damage property and critical infrastructure in more significant icing events
WeatherOptics’ Power Outage Index and Life & Property Index help identify where ice impacts are most likely to cause cascading disruptions
Maximum Power Outage Forecast through 1/27
Coastal Snow Potential – Eastern Seaboard and Northeast
As the system moves offshore, a developing coastal low could enhance snowfall rates and bring higher totals further north into some of the major cities in the Northeast like Philadelphia, New York, and Boston
Urban corridors and densely traveled freight lanes may experience high-impact, high-consequence conditions even with moderate accumulations
This remains one of the highest areas of uncertainty, given this would happen in the storm's final stage later on Sunday and into early next week.
The swath of 6-10 inches of snow expected over much of the South-Central US and Mid-Atlantic could extend north into parts of Southern New England
Eastern Seaboard Zoom – Total Expected Snowfall Accumulation Through Tuesday 1/27 at 2 PM ET
Timeline of Impacts by Region
TX, OK, LA, AR
Initial impacts are likely to begin on Friday afternoon and last through Sunday morning
Biggest concern for this region will be heavy freezing rain and sleet, with the highest snow threat sitting across the northern part of this region in Oklahoma
High to Extreme Road Risk is likely – WeatherOptics Road Conditions Index is already showing scores of 8.0-9.0+ (out of 10.0) across eastern OK and northern AR Saturday morning
Expect significant and long-duration impacts to power, supply chain, trucking, and critical infrastructure
Biggest uncertainty: Line separating snow impacts from ice impacts
Predicted Maximum Road Conditions Index from 1/21 through 1/27
MS, TN, AL, GA, SC
Initial impacts are likely to begin Saturday morning and last through Sunday night
Region likely to experience the worst of the icing and the power outages
Heavy snow is also likely north of I-40 in Tennessee
High to Extreme Road Risk is likely – WeatherOptics Road Conditions Index is already showing scores of 8.0-9.0+ (out of 10.0) from Memphis to Knoxville southwards to Atlanta.
Secondary roadways especially are going to see heavy impacts.
Key warehouses, facilities, logistics hubs, airports, etc. may shut down for an extended period of time throughout the storm
Expect damage to critical infrastructure
Biggest uncertainty: Southern extent of ice impacts'
Predicted Maximum Road Conditions Index from 1/21 through 1/27
Mid-Atlantic
Initial impacts are likely to begin early Saturday night and last through late Sunday night
Snow impacts are likely to be most significant here as very cold air and high pressure will keep things predominantly snowy for major cities and regions like X, Y
Urban congestion will compound risk even before peak snowfall rates - widespread 6-12 inches will be likely for a stretch of this region
Freight and supply chain are likely to see the highest impacts as opposed to power and utilities or critical infrastructure
Biggest uncertainty: Where a corridor of 12+” of snowfall will setup
Northeast
Initial impacts are likely to begin early Sunday morning and last through Monday morning – Potential for impactful snow late in the systems lifecycle
Dense infrastructure and traffic volumes will amplify operation risk if heavy snowfall moves into areas north of Washington DC
Even short duration events can cause outsized delays across major hubs and ports
Biggest uncertainty: Northern extent of accumulating snow
Predicted Maximum Road Conditions Index from 1/21 through 1/27
Major Logistics Hubs Expected to See Elevated Impact
Dallas-Fort Worth, TX
Worst Impact Window: 9 PM Friday to 6 AM Sunday
Most likely weather conditions: Rain Friday afternoon transitioning to freezing rain Friday evening and to sleet late Friday night
Potential impacts: High road danger with severe road danger possible, power outage risk, possible shutdown of business activity in city for extended periods of time
Hyperlocal Impact View of Dallas Metro Area
Memphis, TN
Worst Impact Window: 12 AM Saturday - 8 AM Sunday
Most likely weather conditions: Snow late Friday night mixing with sleet Saturday morning then transitioning to freezing rain Saturday afternoon and ending as light snow late Saturday night
Potential impacts: Severe road danger, high power outage risk, disruptions to communications likely shutdown of business activity in city for extended periods of time
Nashville, TN
Worst Impact Window: 4 AM Saturday to 12pm Sunday
Most likely weather conditions: Heavy snow Saturday mixing with sleet and freezing rain Saturday evening and ending as light snow Sunday morning
Potential impacts: Severe road danger, low power outage risk increasing south of the city, likely shutdown of business activity in city for extended periods of time
Hyperlocal Impact View of Nashville Metro Area
Atlanta, GA
Worst Impact Window: 3pm Saturday - 3pm Sunday
Most likely weather conditions: Rain transitioning to freezing rain Saturday afternoon, possibly mixing with sleet late Saturday night, ending as light rain or freezing rain Sunday afternoon
Potential impacts: High road danger likely with severe road danger possible, moderate power outage risk increasing north of the city, disruption to communications,, possible shutdown of business activity in city for extended periods of time
Washington, DC
Worst Impact Window: 8 PM Saturday - 6pm Sunday
Most likely weather conditions: Heavy snow Saturday evening, possibly mixing with sleet Sunday afternoon, ending as light snow or sleet
Potential impacts: Severe road danger, likely shutdown of business activity in city that may last for extended periods of time
New York City, NY
Worst Impact Window: 6 AM Sunday to 1 AM Monday
Most likely weather conditions: Heavy Snow
Potential impacts: Severe road danger, possible shutdown of business activity in city Sunday
Hyperlocal Impact View of New York City Metro Area
Key Freight Corridors Expected to See High Impact
I-40 (TX → OK → AR → TN → NC)
Timing of Worst Impacts: 9 PM Friday to 12am Monday
Maximum Risk Score / Delay Times: 9.5 Road Risk with 61% shipment delay times possible due to snow and ice
Recommendations: Depart before 9 AM Friday or take I-10 to I-95 or I-44 to I-70
I-20 (TX → LA → MS → AL → GA)
Timing of Worst Impacts: 9 PM Friday to 6 PM Sunday
Maximum Risk Score / Delay Times: 8.5 Road Risk with 53% shipment delay times possible due to snow and ice
Recommendations: Depart before 9 AM Friday or take I-10 to avoid highest impact
WeatherOptics RightRoute Model – Predicted lane and shipment impacts from Dallas to Charlotte on 1/24
I-55 (LA → MS → TN → IL)
Timing of Worst Impacts: 12 AM Saturday to 8 AM Sunday
Maximum Risk Score / Delay Times: 8.0 Road Risk with 40% shipment delay times possible due to snow and ice
Recommendations: Depart before 5 PM Friday
I-75 (GA → TN → KY)
Timing of Worst Impacts: 6 AM Saturday to 6 PM Sunday
Maximum Risk Score / Delay Times: 9.0 Road Risk with 65% shipment delay times possible due to snow and ice
Recommendations: Depart before 12 AM Friday
I-95 (Mid-Atlantic → Northeast)
Timing of Worst Impacts: 4 PM Saturday to 6 AM Monday
Maximum Risk Score / Delay Times: 9.3 Road Risk with 65% shipment delay times possible due to snow and ice
Recommendations: Depart before 8 AM Saturday
How WeatherOptics Helps You Stay Ahead
Road Risk Scores: Understand the level of road danger and expected impacts to transportation and logistics operations
Impact Indices: Gauge risk of weather's impact on key business operations – monitor Power Outage Risk, Life & Property Damage Risk, Flood Risk, Business Disruption Risk, and more
Critical Events: Monitor major weather events from a 30,000 foot overview – automated, AI-driven briefings and event details based on WeatherOptics risk scores and hyperlocal weather intelligence.
Real-time Situational Awareness: Watch as events unfold in real-time with live Road Status, Camera Feeds, Incident Reports, Storm Damage Reports, Closures, Power Outages, and more
WeatherOptics moves behind “where it will snow” to how weather will actually disrupt operations, when – and what to do about it.
Interested in accessing the WeatherOptics Platform or APIs? Sign off for a demo or free trial here.
Don’t miss our Special Live Webinar on this Winter Event tomorrow, Thursday January 22nd at 11 AM ET.