Winter Storm Fern Forces Nearly 12,000 Flight Cancellations
Roughly 140 million people were under winter storm warnings as nearly 12,000 flights were canceled and FEMA prepositioned meals and blankets for Jan. 23–26, 2026.
CBN120,000 Power Outages Already, Nearly 12,000 Flights Canceled as Winter Storm Slams Much of US
SalonMillions brace for snow, ice and dangerous cold
FOX NewsMillions brace for 'catastrophic' ice as 18 states declare emergency amid historic winter storm
PBS NewsHourAlmost 12,000 flights canceled as massive winter storm bears down across the U.S.
Overview
FlightAware reported nearly 12,000 U.S. flights scheduled Jan. 23–26, 2026 were canceled as Winter Storm Fern began sweeping the country.
Seventeen states and Washington, D.C., declared states of emergency and nine states activated National Guards, officials confirmed.
A FEMA briefing document said FEMA prepositioned 7 million meals, 600,000 blankets and 300 generators and placed nearly 30 search-and-rescue teams on standby.
About 120,000 power outages were reported Saturday afternoon, including roughly 56,000 in Texas, 36,000 in Louisiana and nearly 10,000 in New Mexico, according to poweroutage.us.
The National Weather Service forecast said the storm would move into the Northeast with up to 1–2 feet of snow from Washington through New York and Boston and warned of prolonged outages and hazardous travel.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources present largely neutral, public-safety focused coverage of the winter storm. They emphasize official warnings and impacts—NWS forecasts, state emergency declarations, flight cancellations—use cautionary but descriptive language, and include local preparedness details and expert safety advice, prioritizing factual chronology and actionable guidance over partisan interpretation.