13,000 Flights Cancelled, Power Knocked Out As Massive Winter Storm Paralyses US

Last Updated:January 25, 2026, 07:26 IST

All flights to scheduled on Saturday were cancelled at Will Rogers International Airport in Oklahoma City, and all Sunday morning flights also were called off.

Over 40 per cent of the US population was under a winter storm warning. (Photo: AP)

Over 13,000 flights set to take off over the weekend have been cancelled as a major storm bears down across the United States. The monster storm continues to affect much of the country with power outages and hazardous icy road conditions.

Approximately 140 million people, or more than 40 per cent of the U.S. population, were placed under winter storm warnings stretching from New Mexico to New England. The National Weather Service predicted heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain from Saturday through Monday, spanning from the southern Rocky Mountains to New England. The service also warned residents to prepare for a series of frigid days ahead.

“The snow and the ice will be very, very slow to melt and won’t be going away anytime soon, and that’s going to hinder any recovery efforts," Allison Santorelli, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, told AP.

Thousands Of Flights Cancelled 

Due to the severe weather, roughly 13,000 flights were cancelled on Saturday and Sunday across the U.S., according to the flight tracking website FlightAware.

Will Rogers International Airport in Oklahoma City cancelled all flights on Saturday and Sunday morning, with officials aiming to resume service by Sunday afternoon. Dallas–Fort Worth International Airport, a major hub, saw over 700 departing flights cancelled on Saturday along with nearly as many arriving flights. Airports in Chicago, Atlanta, Nashville, and Charlotte, North Carolina, also experienced significant disruptions.

By late Saturday afternoon, nearly all flights scheduled to depart from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Sunday had already been cancelled.

President Donald Trump had approved emergency declarations for at least a dozen states by Saturday, with more expected. The Federal Emergency Management Agency pre-positioned supplies, staff, and search and rescue teams in several states, according to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

“We just ask that everyone would be smart – stay home if possible," Noem was quoted as saying by AP.

Power Outage Across US 

As some southern states began working to restore downed power lines on Saturday, eastern states issued final warnings to residents.

“We are expecting a storm the likes of which we haven’t seen in years," New Jersey Gov Mikie Sherrill said on Saturday while announcing restrictions on commercial vehicle travel and a 35 mph (56 kph) speed limit on highways. She added: “It’s a good weekend to stay indoors."

Power outages impacted Louisiana and Texas. Forecasters warned that the damage in areas heavily affected by ice could be as severe as that of a hurricane.

Approximately 120,000 power outages were reported along the storm’s path on Saturday, including about 50,000 each in Texas and Louisiana, according to poweroutage.us.

In Shelby County, Texas, near the Louisiana border, ice accumulation on pine trees caused branches to snap and down power lines, resulting in about one-third of the county’s 16,000 residents losing power on Saturday.

News world 13,000 Flights Cancelled, Power Knocked Out As Massive Winter Storm Paralyses US

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