MitKat’s Special Advisory tracks a major winter weather system forecast to impact large portions of the United States through the final week of January 2026, driven by a strong Arctic air intrusion interacting with moist Gulf of Mexico air. Tracking from the Southern Plains toward the Eastern Seaboard, the storm is expected to cause significant disruptions across transport, power infrastructure and daily business operations, with dangerously cold temperatures persisting for several days after precipitation ends.
Storm timing and track
The storm’s initial phase begins midweek across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana before peak development on 23 January over the Southern Plains and Lower Mississippi Valley, with snow accumulations of 10 to 20 centimetres possible across Tennessee and Kentucky. By 24 to 25 January the system reaches the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, with snowfall totals of 15 to 30 centimetres possible before Arctic high pressure settles in from 26 January.
States affected and relief measures
Twenty-one states from Texas to New England fall within the forecast impact zone. Texas activated state emergency response resources and opened warming centres, while South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia declared states of emergency, waiving Hours of Service and weight limits for trucks carrying fuel, food and medical supplies and authorising National Guard deployment for debris removal and power restoration.
Impact on travel and business operations
Widespread ground and air transport disruptions are expected, with closures likely on interstates including I-20, I-40, I-55, I-65 and I-75, and major East Coast hub airports facing delays from runway contamination and extended de-icing operations. Sporadic to widespread power outages are anticipated from ice accumulation on power lines, with the subsequent Arctic cold likely to delay restoration efforts.
Recommendations
Organisations should verify road and highway conditions before travel, confirm flight schedules in advance, and prepare contingency plans for potential power outages and impassable roads. Individuals are advised to assemble emergency kits with seasonal supplies, avoid unnecessary travel during the storm, and never use generators or gasoline heaters indoors, monitoring the National Weather Service for updated watches and warnings.
Download the full special advisory
The MitKat Special Advisory on the US winter storm covers a state-by-state forecast, relief measures, preparation checklists and a full resource directory. Download the full advisory now for the complete analysis.
What is inside
- A major winter storm fuelled by a disrupted polar vortex is forecast to track from the Southern Plains to the Eastern Seaboard between 23 and 26 January, bringing heavy snow, freezing rain and an outbreak of extreme Arctic cold.
- More than 30 million people across Texas to Tennessee were already under winter-storm watches, with snow accumulations of up to 30 centimetres and damaging ice possible in a corridor stretching from Texas to the Mid-Atlantic.
- Texas, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Alabama have activated state emergency measures, deploying National Guard resources and waiving trucking hours-of-service and weight limits for essential supplies.
- Major East Coast airports serving Washington DC, New York City, Boston and Philadelphia face significant delays and cancellations, with American Airlines and Delta waiving rebooking fees for affected travel dates
Filed under: AmericasThreat Intelligence Advisories
