The United States faces a historic winter onslaught as a massive blizzard triggers emergency declarations in 16 states early Saturday. Aviation chaos reigns supreme, with FlightAware logging more than 5,100 cancellations for Sunday—numbers that continue to swell amid the crisis.
From the East Coast to the Midwest and South, states like Delaware, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, New York, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, and Kansas are in full emergency mode. These measures unlock federal aid, deploy heavy equipment, and coordinate rescue efforts against blizzard conditions.
The flight fallout is unprecedented: 5,100 Sunday scrubs by 2 a.m. Saturday, 1,000 additional since late Friday, and 3,200 for Saturday already. This dwarfs the 1,900 peak cancellations from the Trump-era shutdown on November 9 last year, highlighting the storm’s paralyzing reach.
President Trump took to Truth Social to alert the public: informed of the ‘record cold wave and winter storm’ blanketing most of America, his administration is partnering with states and localities. FEMA stands ready. White House spokespeople emphasized ongoing presidential briefings and departmental synchronization.
On the ground, FEMA has 28 Urban Search and Rescue squads poised for action, with pre-positioned aid in the South and East: exceeding 7 million food rations, 2 million liters of water, 600,000 blankets, and 300 generators. These stocks target looming threats like power failures and highway blockages. As wind-whipped snow piles up, officials implore caution, preparation, and compliance with safety directives to weather the tempest.