For millions from New Mexico to Alabama, Winter Storm Fern is at their door. Thick layers of ice are on the ground and power lines, and outages across the South are skyrocketing.
Heavy snow is blanketing towns from Arkansas to Washington, D.C., and it's still coming down. At least 24 states have declared emergencies, many roads and highways are impassable and a staggering number of flight cancellations are piling up.
We're not onlytracking the storm's pathfor you, but we'll also be bringing you live updates throughout the day on every angle of the storm. Here's what's happening now.
(07:12 a.m. EST) State(s) Of Emergency
From lead editorJenn Jordan:
24 states have now officially declared a State of Emergency due to the storm.
What does that actually mean? In short: states can move faster and throw more resources into helping their residents. Governors now have expanded powers to deploy National Guard troops, free up emergency funding and coordinate directly with federal agencies like FEMA.
It also means stricter safety measures. Expect travel restrictions, government office closures and transit shutdowns.
Once Fern moves out, these emergency declarations will also help states jump-start recovery and pay for repairs.
(07:00 a.m. EST) Your Flight Is Probably Canceled
More than 13,000 flights nationwide have been canceled since Saturday, 10,000 of them are grounded today, according toFlightAware.com.
Nearly all departing flights at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport are canceled, the Associated Press reports.
And as you might expect major hubs like Charlotte, Atlanta, New York, Philadelphia and Dallas-Fort Worth are all seeing major disruptions.
(06:43 a.m. EST) 400,000 Without Power Before Sunrise
In less than an hour, power outages nationwide have jumped from just under 300,000 to more than 416,000.
In the latest update fromPowerOutage.us, outages have surged in Mississippi, more than 100,000 homes and businesses there have lost power.
Earlier we showed you how ice has encased trees and brought down power lines in the state.
(06:17 a.m. EST) Mississippi Encased In Ice
Nearly an inch of ice has coated trees and roads across Oxford, Mississippi, wiping out power. Meteorologist and storm chaser Reed Timmer gave a tour of the dangerous conditions overnight.
And imagine walking out to see this much ice on your car?
Remember just a quarter-inch of ice can havedevastating impactsand the freezing rain is still coming down.
(05:50 a.m. EST) 'Thunderice' In Texas As Power Outages Soar
Texas is bearing the brunt of massive power outages this morning, and you can see why here. Roaring thunder and lightning accompanied freezing rain and ice overnight.
While more than 300,000 outages have been reported nationwide byPoweroutage.us, upward of 90,000 of them are in Texas alone.
Mississippi is close behind with some 80,000 homes and businesses left in the dark and the cold.
Louisiana is reporting more than 70,000 outages, and Tennessee has over 30,000.
