By the evening of January 24, over 139,000 households were left without electricity, and the situation continues to worsen. The states most affected were Texas and Louisiana. In New York, the bodies of three people who died due to adverse weather conditions were found: two men aged 67 and around 30, as well as an elderly woman.
In light of the worsening situation, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an order to declare a federal state of emergency in 12 states, including South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, Maryland, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Indiana, and West Virginia. He urged citizens to "stay safe and warm."
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security reports critical weather conditions in at least 17 states and the District of Columbia. In 12 of these, the National Guard has been deployed to assist with the aftermath of the storm.
The National Weather Service has described "Fern" as an "extraordinarily large and prolonged winter storm." Meteorologists predict severe icing in the southeastern part of the country, which could lead to "extremely destructive, and in some places, catastrophic consequences."
New York City Mayor Zohra Mamdani reported that the city is expecting between 20 to 23 cm of snow, and the cold weather may last until the end of January.
According to estimates from authorities and meteorologists, the impact of the storm could affect more than 220 million residents of the United States. NBC News emphasizes that many cities have not experienced this amount of snow in the last century.
