A massive winter storm is targeting 150 million Americans, but one detail has forecasters worried

A high-impact winter storm is set to hit the southern and eastern United States this weekend, threatening more than 150 million people from Texas to Massachusetts. As highlighted by Yahoo News, the system is expected to bring a widespread mix of snow and ice across more than two dozen states beginning Friday and continuing through the weekend.

Forecasters are closely watching the combination of heavy ice and prolonged cold temperatures. The storm is being driven by a surge of Arctic air that will deliver the coldest conditions of the season so far for many regions, with temperatures falling into the 20s and even single digits Fahrenheit in some areas.

That sustained cold significantly increases the risk of property damage. Dallas, Texas, is forecast to remain below 32 degrees for as long as 48 to 60 consecutive hours, raising concerns about frozen and burst pipes. Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter noted that while the event is not expected to rival the historic February 2021 outbreak in duration or intensity, the overlap of severe cold with a major snow and ice storm presents serious challenges for infrastructure.

The timing and temperature make this storm especially disruptive

Ice accumulation is expected to create major problems for utility providers, as heavy glazing can bring down trees and power lines, a situation that even everyday odd news like the Toyota driver runs out of gas story illustrates could compound response efforts. Porter warned that hundreds of thousands of people could be left without electricity and heat for days, with repair crews likely stretched thin by the storm’s size and reach.

Travel disruptions are also expected to be widespread. Thousands of flight cancellations are possible, and airports affected by significant ice or snow may face extended closures. Road conditions could deteriorate rapidly, particularly in regions unaccustomed to winter weather, making major highways and secondary roads impassable across parts of Texas, Oklahoma, and the Southeast, amid the kind of viral weather response seen in satellite image reactions from Malaysians.

Snowfall totals are expected to be significant in many areas, including the Northeast, where this could become the largest storm of the winter so far outside of isolated lake-effect events. Accumulations of six to twelve inches are possible in colder regions, with higher totals in the southern Appalachians, while areas closer to the Gulf and southern Atlantic coasts may still face localized severe weather and thunderstorms.