On the weekend of January 24th, 2026, a devastating snowstorm whipped across the East Coast. While some may say the snow and ice didn’t affect them from getting around, others will say that it changed their lives forever.
The prep for the storm began the week before, salt was laid on the roads, and people were stocking up on household goods and groceries like we were back in our early COVID-19 days. Many were in denial of what a tiny snowstorm could bring but that Sunday and the week following they got to see what it was fully capable of. Here is a recap of what this year’s snowfall did to the East Coast.
This snowstorm was marked as one of the worst periods for air travel and just travel in general. Thousands of flights were cancelled, and many airports were shut down across the east coast due to several states being in a state of emergency. The air wasn’t the only place that was bad for traveling; the roads were even worse. Snow and ice blanketed the roads causing several fatal accidents.
Cold temperatures are still causing terrible road conditions due to the snow and ice refreezing overnight. Temperatures got into the low teens, and with the wind chill, temperatures dropped to the negative 20s and 30s. Not only was this bad for roads, but it was also bad for over 1 million people who lost power over the storm. This left many bundling up and trying to stay warm, even in the safety of their own homes.
Across the east coast snowfall was averaged to be around ten inches, with some states up north getting roughly 23 inches of snow. And even Florida, which is known to never get snow, had a slew of flurries mixed in with the usual Florida rain.
This snowstorm also brought about school closings and delays. Children were thrilled to get to play in the snow, but little did they know how dangerous this snowfall truly was. According to USA Today, as of January 29th, 2026, there have been 81 deaths linked to the snowstorm. Many of those deaths being from sledding accidents. This was no just ordinary snow that you could play on; this was pure ice. And for the children who aren’t used to these conditions, they don’t truly know the dangers of what could happen until it is too late.
There is still more snow to come this February, and according to Phil the groundhog, we still have 6 more weeks of winter. Make sure to check out our article about how to stay safe during a snowstorm, because it seems like this won’t be the last time we see snow this winter season.
