Winter Storm Fern is sweeping across the United States, stretching from New Mexico to the Northeast and impacting more than 200 million Americans with snow, sleet, freezing rain, and dangerously cold temperatures. In New York City, officials are preparing for a significant snowfall event as the storm is expected to deliver between 8 and 11 inches of accumulation, with temperatures ranging from 16°F to 27°F.

City agencies have moved into coordinated storm operations, deploying approximately 2,000 workers on 12-hour shifts across sanitation, transit, parks, and emergency services. Snowplows are staged and ready to roll once accumulation reaches two inches, while public libraries are closed on Sunday and schools are widely expected to shift to remote learning on Monday to limit travel during the storm’s peak. Officials emphasized inter-agency coordination to minimize disruptions and maintain essential services as conditions deteriorate.

While the Northeast prepares for heavy snow, the southern United States is grappling with a more dangerous mix of freezing rain and ice. Nearly 300,000 customers are without power across Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and neighboring states as ice accumulates on power lines and trees. Utility crews and linemen are working around the clock to restore service, drawing widespread praise from communities facing prolonged outages and hazardous road conditions.

The storm’s nationwide impact is also being felt in the aviation sector, with more than 10,000 flights canceled across the country as airlines struggle to reposition aircraft and crews amid snow and ice. The severity of the situation is reflected in the Waffle House Index, with roughly two dozen locations temporarily closed, a signal often used to gauge the seriousness of weather-related disruptions.

Despite the challenges, many residents are sharing moments of resilience, from cozy snow scenes in the Northeast to community support efforts in hard-hit southern states. Winter Storm Fern serves as a powerful reminder of the scale and speed at which severe winter weather can disrupt daily life, testing infrastructure, emergency preparedness, and coordination nationwide.