A massive winter storm named Fern has triggered a severe emergency across the United States, affecting two-thirds of the country with heavy snow, ice accumulation, and sub-zero temperatures that have persisted for several days. The storm has left at least 24 people dead, according to official reports, and has prompted federal and state authorities to declare states of emergency in more than 22 states.
The victims have been found in a variety of circumstances: from traffic accidents on icy roads to hypothermia outdoors, especially in the Deep South and central regions of the country unaccustomed to such extreme conditions. In Texas, for example, a 16-year-old girl died in an accident while sledding on dangerously slippery surfaces, and in Austin, one person died of hypothermia. In New York, five homeless people were found dead from the extreme cold in the heart of the city.
The storm has also had a widespread impact on infrastructure: more than a million homes and businesses have lost power due to the weight of ice on power lines. States like Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana are among the hardest hit by prolonged outages, forcing emergency services to set up shelters and warming stations for displaced families or those without electricity.
The impact on air travel has been equally dramatic. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy reported that more than 17,000 flights have been canceled, making it “the worst day for cancellations since the COVID-19 pandemic.” Major airlines have reported thousands of cancellations and delays at key airports such as Dallas-Fort Worth, New York JFK, LaGuardia, and Charlotte Douglas.
Weather officials warn that freezing conditions could persist for several more days, with dangerous roads and disruptions to essential services. The National Weather Service (NWS) described Fern as an “unusually widespread and severe” phenomenon, with snow accumulations exceeding 40 cm in some northeastern regions.