# Tavily Search Results: Dusty

**Query:** Latest US extreme weather  
**Topic:** news  
**Results:** 5  
**Date:** 2026-01-21 07:50:20

---

## 1. It’s the middle of winter, but drought covers the U.S. That’s concerning. - The Washington Post

**URL:** [https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2026/01/18/winter-drought-us-impacts-rain-fire/](https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2026/01/18/winter-drought-us-impacts-rain-fire/)  
**Score:** 0.4191

### Summary

Democracy Dies in Darkness

Extreme Weather

# It’s the middle of winter, but drought covers the U.S. That’s concerning.

Most of the country faces unusual dryness or drought, including the East and South. Maps show where it’s worst.

6 min

Make us preferred on Google

The Rockstar Energy Open snowboarding event takes place last month at Breckenridge Ski Resort in Colorado, which has faced unusually warm temperatures and lack of snowfall. (Eakin Howard/Getty Images)

By 
Ben Noll

 and

Ruby Mellen

January is known for cold weather, snow and a lack of daylight. It’s not known for drought.

But that’s exactly what’s going on across much of the United States.

 Cat Zakrzewski

   and 

  Emily Davies

  Trump jabs European leaders over Greenland as Davos becomes emergency summit [...] 27 minutes ago
 Ellen Francis

   and 

  Steve Hendrix

  Trump ties Greenland takeover bid to Nobel Prize in text to Norway leader

  3 hours ago
 Praveena Somasundaram

  She helped him flee a rally, then learned he was a right-wing provocateur

  January 19, 2026

By 
Ben Noll

Ben Noll is a meteorologist passionate about explaining the why behind the weather, extreme events and climate trends. He has expertise in data analysis, supercomputer-driven graphics and forecasting weather worldwide.
follow on X@BenNollWeather

By 
Ruby Mellen

Ruby Mellen reports on climate change and extreme weather for The Washington Post. 
follow on Xrubymellen

 Perry Stein

  Justice Department weighs rollback of gun regulations

  Jan. 19, 2026
 Ellen Francis

   and 

  Steve Hendrix [...] Jan. 19, 2026
 Ellen Francis

   and 

  Steve Hendrix

  Trump ties Greenland takeover bid to Nobel Prize in text to Norway leader

  Today at 2:06 a.m. EST
 Praveena Somasundaram

  She helped him flee a rally, then learned he was a right-wing provocateur

  Jan. 19, 2026
 Opinion

  Letters to the Editor

  The most alarming Trump quote yet

  Jan. 19, 2026
 Column

  Carolyn Hax

  Carolyn Hax: Stepchild’s mom has much lower income and ‘expects’ not to pay

  Today at 12:00 a.m. EST

 1

  Ellen Francis

   and 

  Steve Hendrix

  Trump ties Greenland takeover bid to Nobel Prize in text to Norway leader
 2

  Cat Zakrzewski

   and 

  Emily Davies

  Trump jabs European leaders over Greenland as Davos becomes emergency summit
 3

  Praveena Somasundaram

### Full Content

Democracy Dies in Darkness

[Extreme Weather](https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/)

# It’s the middle of winter, but drought covers the U.S. That’s concerning.

Most of the country faces unusual dryness or drought, including the East and South. Maps show where it’s worst.

6 min

[Make us preferred on Google](https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=washingtonpost.com)

The Rockstar Energy Open snowboarding event takes place last month at Breckenridge Ski Resort in Colorado, which has faced unusually warm temperatures and lack of snowfall. (Eakin Howard/Getty Images)

By 
[Ben Noll](https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/ben-noll/)

 and

[Ruby Mellen](https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/ruby-mellen/)

January is known for cold weather, snow and a lack of daylight. It’s not known for drought.

But that’s exactly what’s going on across much of the United States.

---

* [Cat Zakrzewski

   and 

  Emily Davies

  Trump jabs European leaders over Greenland as Davos becomes emergency summit

  27 minutes ago](/politics/2026/01/20/trump-davos-greenland-europe-denmark/)
* [Ellen Francis

   and 

  Steve Hendrix

  Trump ties Greenland takeover bid to Nobel Prize in text to Norway leader

  3 hours ago](/world/2026/01/19/europe-trump-greenland-alliance-trade-war/)
* [Praveena Somasundaram

  She helped him flee a rally, then learned he was a right-wing provocateur

  January 19, 2026](/nation/2026/01/19/jake-lang-minneapolis-march/)

By 
[Ben Noll](https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/ben-noll/)

Ben Noll is a meteorologist passionate about explaining the why behind the weather, extreme events and climate trends. He has expertise in data analysis, supercomputer-driven graphics and forecasting weather worldwide.
[follow on X@BenNollWeather](https://x.com/@BenNollWeather)

By 
[Ruby Mellen](https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/ruby-mellen/)

Ruby Mellen reports on climate change and extreme weather for The Washington Post. 
[follow on Xrubymellen](https://x.com/rubymellen)

* [Perry Stein

  Justice Department weighs rollback of gun regulations

  Jan. 19, 2026](/national-security/2026/01/19/trump-justice-department-gun-regulations-atf/)
* [Ellen Francis

   and 

  Steve Hendrix

  Trump ties Greenland takeover bid to Nobel Prize in text to Norway leader

  Today at 2:06 a.m. EST](/world/2026/01/19/europe-trump-greenland-alliance-trade-war/)
* [Praveena Somasundaram

  She helped him flee a rally, then learned he was a right-wing provocateur

  Jan. 19, 2026](/nation/2026/01/19/jake-lang-minneapolis-march/)
* [Opinion

  Letters to the Editor

  The most alarming Trump quote yet

  Jan. 19, 2026](/opinions/2026/01/19/stop-trump-conscience-small-house/)
* [Column

  Carolyn Hax

  Carolyn Hax: Stepchild’s mom has much lower income and ‘expects’ not to pay

  Today at 12:00 a.m. EST](/advice/2026/01/20/carolyn-hax-stepchild-mom-lower-income/)

* [1

  Ellen Francis

   and 

  Steve Hendrix

  Trump ties Greenland takeover bid to Nobel Prize in text to Norway leader](/world/2026/01/19/europe-trump-greenland-alliance-trade-war/)
* [2

  Cat Zakrzewski

   and 

  Emily Davies

  Trump jabs European leaders over Greenland as Davos becomes emergency summit](/politics/2026/01/20/trump-davos-greenland-europe-denmark/)
* [3

  Praveena Somasundaram

  She helped him flee a rally, then learned he was a right-wing provocateur](/nation/2026/01/19/jake-lang-minneapolis-march/)
* [4

  Perry Stein

  Justice Department weighs rollback of gun regulations](/national-security/2026/01/19/trump-justice-department-gun-regulations-atf/)
* [5

  Column

  Carolyn Hax

  Carolyn Hax: Stepchild’s mom has much lower income and ‘expects’ not to pay](/advice/2026/01/20/carolyn-hax-stepchild-mom-lower-income/)

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## 2. Map Reveals Bizarre January Drought Hitting 130 Million Americans - Gizmodo

**URL:** [https://gizmodo.com/map-reveals-bizarre-january-drought-hitting-130-million-americans-2000712162](https://gizmodo.com/map-reveals-bizarre-january-drought-hitting-130-million-americans-2000712162)  
**Score:** 0.3424

### Summary

Enough rain fell to replenish the state’s long-depleted reservoirs and eliminate areas of abnormal dryness by the start of 2026. As a result, wildfire danger across California should remain relatively low until early summer. The rest of the U.S., however, could be in for a much more volatile wildfire season as drought, low snowpack, and above-normal temperatures persist.

Explore more on these topics

California   Climate change   drought   extreme weather

Share this story

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### California Launches Investigation Into Grok’s Nonconsensual Sexual Images [...] Fast-forward to January 2026—conditions aren’t looking any better. As of January 13, 39 states from Maine to Hawaii were experiencing drought conditions ranging from severe to exceptional, according to Drought.gov. At that time, these conditions covered 35.66% of the U.S. and Puerto Rico, or 42.55% of the Lower 48 states.

While certain areas have received beneficial precipitation over the past two weeks—including parts of the central Plains, Midwest, Southwest, and central Rocky Mountains—temperatures remained above normal across most of the country. Drought recovery already takes months to years, but research shows that climate change is making it take even longer, with shorter periods of time between droughts. [...] Unseasonable warmth continued to impact the region through the end of the year, with Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, and Utah all setting new statewide records for November average temperatures. Additionally, the West has received far less snow than usual during the 2025-2026 winter season, which will help drought conditions persist for months to come.

In the East, drought and abnormal dryness worsened between August and September while conditions improved across parts of the West and the Great Plains. Much of New England received less than 50% of its normal summer precipitation, and by the end of September, roughly one-third of the region was in severe or extreme drought.

### Full Content

[Skip to content](#main) 

[Earth Science](https://gizmodo.com/earther/earth-science)  

# Map Reveals Bizarre January Drought Hitting 130 Million Americans

You won’t believe which state is completely unaffected.

By  [Ellyn Lapointe](https://gizmodo.com/author/elapointe)

Reading time 3 minutes

[Comments  (2)](https://gizmodo.com/map-reveals-bizarre-january-drought-hitting-130-million-americans-2000712162#comments)

Seeing widespread drought in January is [historically rare](https://www.drought.gov/historical-information?dataset=1&selectedDateUSDM=20260113&selectedDateSpi=20251231) in the U.S., and yet, the latest data shows that nearly every state is currently experiencing abnormally dry or drought conditions. To make matters weirder, the only state that’s so far been spared by this bizarre phenomenon is the one you’d least expect.

According to the latest [U.S. Drought Monitor map](https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/), which shows the nationwide extent and severity of abnormally dry conditions as of January 13, 49 states are at least partially affected—leaving California as the sole exception. That’s right, the Golden State is [drought-free](https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-01-09/california-has-no-areas-of-dryness-first-time-in-25-years) for the first time in a quarter century. Elsewhere, more than [130 million](https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?total) Americans are dealing with unseasonal water stress.

“It’s terrifying to think of the upcoming fire season,” Scott Fitzwilliams, the recently retired head of Colorado’s White River National Forest, [told](https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2026/01/18/winter-drought-us-impacts-rain-fire/) the Washington Post. “Forest managers, water managers, and firefighters are all going to be on pins and needles come spring.”

## Nationwide drought in 2025 set the stage

2025 was an [exceptionally dry](https://www.drought.gov/news/drought-2025-14-graphics-2026-01-15?utm_source=chatgpt.com) year for the United States. Drought was widespread and persistent across the country from January to December, reaching its national peak in late November with 36.64% of the nation in some level of drought.

Across the Western and Central U.S., this has largely been due to above-average temperatures. About 70% of the West’s water supply comes from mountain snowmelt, but April and May heatwaves caused the snowpack to melt out too early, leaving less water available during peak summer demand.

Unseasonable warmth continued to impact the region through the end of the year, with Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, and Utah all setting new statewide records for November average temperatures. Additionally, the West has [received](https://www.drought.gov/drought-status-updates/water-year-2025-snow-drought-current-conditions-summary-and-impacts-west) far less snow than usual during the 2025-2026 winter season, which will help drought conditions persist for months to come.

In the East, drought and abnormal dryness [worsened](https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/us-drought-monthly-report-September-2025#:~:text=From%20August%2026%20to%20September,parts%20of%20Texas%20and%20Hawaii.) between August and September while conditions improved across parts of the West and the Great Plains. Much of New England received less than 50% of its normal summer precipitation, and by the end of September, roughly one-third of the region was in severe or extreme drought.

Fast-forward to January 2026—conditions aren’t looking any better. As of January 13, 39 states from Maine to Hawaii were experiencing drought conditions ranging from severe to exceptional, according to [Drought.gov](https://www.drought.gov/national?utm_source=chatgpt.com). At that time, these conditions covered 35.66% of the U.S. and Puerto Rico, or 42.55% of the Lower 48 states.

While certain areas have received beneficial precipitation over the past two weeks—including parts of the central Plains, Midwest, Southwest, and central Rocky Mountains—temperatures [remained](https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/) above normal across most of the country. Drought recovery already takes months to years, but research [shows](https://science.nasa.gov/earth/earth-observatory/drought-recovery-taking-longer-90787/) that climate change is making it take even longer, with shorter periods of time between droughts.

Needless to say, it will be a long time before most of the U.S. bounces back from this ongoing drought. Meanwhile, California is getting a long-awaited reprieve from its water woes, but at great cost.

## California: the unusual outlier

Current conditions in California are very different than they were a year ago. The state was extremely dry in January 2025—so dry that a strong Santa Ana wind event [sparked](https://www.drought.gov/news/drought-2025-14-graphics-2026-01-15?utm_source=chatgpt.com) deadly and destructive wildfires that quickly tore through more than 38,000 acres (15,000 hectares) and destroyed more than 16

*[Content truncated...]*

---

## 3. Millions battle brutal arctic blast and snow - NBC News

**URL:** [https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/millions-battle-brutal-arctic-blast-and-snow-256283717888](https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/millions-battle-brutal-arctic-blast-and-snow-256283717888)  
**Score:** 0.3234

### Summary

01:30
 ## New Orleans school bus driver leaves six students stranded

  01:15
 ## Dangerous snow and freezing cold blanketing much of the East Coast

  01:51

## Nightly News

# Millions battle brutal arctic blast and snow

01:30

 Copied

A dangerous mix of heavy snow and bitter cold is blanketing much of the country. In some places today, temperatures felt like negative 20 degrees. And this is just the first of two storm systems expected this week. NBC News’ Erin McLaughlin has the story.Jan. 20, 2026

Get more newson

 ## Trump’s high-stakes trip after Greenland comments rock NATO

  02:26
 ## Stocks slide over Trump tariff threats

  00:50
 ## Trump touts arrests by ICE in Minneapolis while acknowledging potential ‘mistakes’ [...] 02:28
 ## Iran’s leader acknowledges thousands of deaths in protests, denies responsibility

  01:00
 ## Good News: Marching band honors trombone player with heartfelt performance

  03:08
 ## Massive measles outbreak in South Carolina surges

  01:38
 ## Dueling protests in Minneapolis over ICE’s presence in city

  02:28
 ## Dangerous winter storms put millions on alert nationwide

  01:44
 ## Charlie Kirk’s accused killer is in court

  01:25
 ## Former senator sued under so-called homewrecker law

  01:45
 ## National Guard mobilized amid Minneapolis clashes

  02:09
 ## Residents in Greenland, Denmark on edge over Trump’s push to take over arctic island

  01:44
 ## Trump speaks out about gifted Nobel Peace Prize [...] IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.

Millions battle brutal arctic blast and snow

Jan. 20, 202601:30

 ## Trump’s high-stakes trip after Greenland comments rock NATO

  02:26
 ## Stocks slide over Trump tariff threats

  00:50
 ## Trump touts arrests by ICE in Minneapolis while acknowledging potential ‘mistakes’

  02:33
 ## Dramatic rescue after woman drives car into frigid water

  01:18
 ## Actor Timothy Busfield set to be released from jail

  01:51
 Now Playing

  ## Millions battle brutal arctic blast and snow

  01:30
 UP NEXT

  ## NASA inches closer to moon rocket launch

  01:35
 ## Trump hits Denmark and 7 other U.S. allies with tariffs, escalating standoff over Greenland

### Full Content

IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.

[Millions battle brutal arctic blast and snow](https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/millions-battle-brutal-arctic-blast-and-snow-256283717888)

Jan. 20, 202601:30

* ## Trump’s high-stakes trip after Greenland comments rock NATO

  02:26
* ## Stocks slide over Trump tariff threats

  00:50
* ## Trump touts arrests by ICE in Minneapolis while acknowledging potential ‘mistakes’

  02:33
* ## Dramatic rescue after woman drives car into frigid water

  01:18
* ## Actor Timothy Busfield set to be released from jail

  01:51
* Now Playing

  ## Millions battle brutal arctic blast and snow

  01:30
* UP NEXT

  ## NASA inches closer to moon rocket launch

  01:35
* ## Trump hits Denmark and 7 other U.S. allies with tariffs, escalating standoff over Greenland

  02:28
* ## Iran’s leader acknowledges thousands of deaths in protests, denies responsibility

  01:00
* ## Good News: Marching band honors trombone player with heartfelt performance

  03:08
* ## Massive measles outbreak in South Carolina surges

  01:38
* ## Dueling protests in Minneapolis over ICE’s presence in city

  02:28
* ## Dangerous winter storms put millions on alert nationwide

  01:44
* ## Charlie Kirk’s accused killer is in court

  01:25
* ## Former senator sued under so-called homewrecker law

  01:45
* ## National Guard mobilized amid Minneapolis clashes

  02:09
* ## Residents in Greenland, Denmark on edge over Trump’s push to take over arctic island

  01:44
* ## Trump speaks out about gifted Nobel Peace Prize

  01:30
* ## New Orleans school bus driver leaves six students stranded

  01:15
* ## Dangerous snow and freezing cold blanketing much of the East Coast

  01:51

## Nightly News

# Millions battle brutal arctic blast and snow

01:30

* Copied

A dangerous mix of heavy snow and bitter cold is blanketing much of the country. In some places today, temperatures felt like negative 20 degrees. And this is just the first of two storm systems expected this week. NBC News’ Erin McLaughlin has the story.Jan. 20, 2026

[Get more newson](https://www.nbcnews.com/watch)

* ## Trump’s high-stakes trip after Greenland comments rock NATO

  02:26
* ## Stocks slide over Trump tariff threats

  00:50
* ## Trump touts arrests by ICE in Minneapolis while acknowledging potential ‘mistakes’

  02:33
* ## Dramatic rescue after woman drives car into frigid water

  01:18
* ## Actor Timothy Busfield set to be released from jail

  01:51
* Now Playing

  ## Millions battle brutal arctic blast and snow

  01:30

[Get more newson](https://www.nbcnews.com/watch)

## Best of NBC News

[Play All](https://www.nbcnews.com/video/shorts/doj-subpoenas-top-minnesota-democrats-256293957597?playlist=mmlsnnd_bestofnbc-nnd)

## [DOJ subpoenas top Minnesota Democrats](https://www.nbcnews.com/video/shorts/doj-subpoenas-top-minnesota-democrats-256293957597)

## Nightly News Netcast

## [Jan. 20: Trump in Davos, Arctic blast](https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news-netcast/video/nbc-nightly-news-full-episode-jan-20-256291909612)

## Top Story

## [Brooklyn Beckham speaks on feud with parents in scathing Instagram post](https://www.nbcnews.com/video/brooklyn-beckham-speaks-on-feud-with-parents-in-scathing-instagram-post-256290373918)

## Top Story

## [Dozens of Australian beaches close after four shark attacks in less than 48 hours](https://www.nbcnews.com/video/dozens-of-australian-beaches-close-after-four-shark-attacks-in-less-than-48-hours-256287813986)

## Top Story

## [Second lady Usha Vance pregnant with fourth child](https://www.nbcnews.com/video/second-lady-usha-vance-pregnant-with-fourth-child-256287813887)

## [Cow in Austria uses broom to scratch herself](https://www.nbcnews.com/video/shorts/cow-in-austria-uses-broom-to-scratch-herself-256290373545)

[Play All](https://www.nbcnews.com/video/shorts/doj-subpoenas-top-minnesota-democrats-256293957597?playlist=mmlsnnd_bestofnbc-nnd)

---

## 4. A major winter storm is brewing. It’s likely to unleash dangerous ice and snow from the Plains to the East Coast - CNN

**URL:** [https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/20/weather/winter-storm-snow-ice-central-eastern-us-climate](https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/20/weather/winter-storm-snow-ice-central-eastern-us-climate)  
**Score:** 0.3053

### Summary

Ad Feedback

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Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much appreciated.

Weather 4 min read

# A major winter storm is brewing. It’s likely to unleash dangerous ice and snow from the Plains to the East Coast

By Meteorologist

Chris Dolce

Updated

PUBLISHED

A clash between high pressure supplying Arctic air and moisture from a storm near the Gulf Coast will create a widespread, high-impact winter storm this weekend.

CNN Weather

See all topics

Email 

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A major winter storm — the season’s most extremeso far — is set to lash the eastern half of the United States with damaging ice and heavy snow late this week. It’s all being fed by a brutal blast of Arctic air that’s bringing the season’s coldest air to date. [...] “A wide-ranging winter storm will produce great swaths of heavy snow, sleet and treacherous freezing rain from the Southern Rockies/Plains and Mid-South starting Friday and shifting toward the East Coast through Sunday,” the Weather Prediction Center warned Tuesday morning.

The storm will begin to intensify in the Plains on Friday. Its wintry mess of snow, sleet and freezing rain could stretch more than 1,000 miles from Oklahoma and northern Texas to North Carolina and Virginia by Saturday night.

The National Weather Service has already hoisted winter storm watches for much of Oklahoma and parts of northern Texas into Arkansas and northwest Louisiana. Additional winter weather alerts for other areas are likely in the next day or two. [...] Major travel disruption on roads and at airports is a given across a widespread area from the Southern and Central Plains to the East Coast. Of particular concern is the freezing rain, which could lead to damaging ice buildups in addition to making travel impossible in a worst-case scenario.

Even a quarter- to half-inch thick coating of ice is enough to bring down trees and power lines. Portions of the South from northern and eastern Texas into the lower-Mississippi Valley, northern Georgia and parts of the Carolinas are at greatest risk for significant icing based on the current forecast. Travel could be brought to a standstill across major cities even with smaller amounts of ice.

### Full Content

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[Weather](https://www.cnn.com/weather) 4 min read

# A major winter storm is brewing. It’s likely to unleash dangerous ice and snow from the Plains to the East Coast

By Meteorologist

[Chris Dolce](https://www.cnn.com/profiles/chris-dolce)

Updated

PUBLISHED

A clash between high pressure supplying Arctic air and moisture from a storm near the Gulf Coast will create a widespread, high-impact winter storm this weekend.

CNN Weather

[See all topics](/follow)

[Email](mailto:?subject=CNN%20content%20share&body=Check%20out%20this%20article%3A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2026%2F01%2F20%2Fweather%2Fwinter-storm-snow-ice-central-eastern-us-climate "Share with email") 

Link Copied!

A major winter storm — the season’s most extremeso far — is set to lash the eastern half of the United States with damaging ice and heavy snow late this week. It’s all being fed by a brutal blast of Arctic air that’s bringing the season’s coldest air to date.

“A wide-ranging winter storm will produce great swaths of heavy snow, sleet and treacherous freezing rain from the Southern Rockies/Plains and Mid-South starting Friday and shifting toward the East Coast through Sunday,” the Weather Prediction Center warned Tuesday morning.

The storm will begin to intensify in the Plains on Friday. Its wintry mess of snow, sleet and freezing rain could stretch more than 1,000 miles from Oklahoma and northern Texas to North Carolina and Virginia by Saturday night.

The National Weather Service has already hoisted winter storm watches for much of Oklahoma and parts of northern Texas into Arkansas and northwest Louisiana. Additional winter weather alerts for other areas are likely in the next day or two.

Major travel disruption on roads and at airports is a given across a widespread area from the Southern and Central Plains to the East Coast. Of particular concern is the freezing rain, which could lead to damaging ice buildups in addition to making travel impossible in a worst-case scenario.

Even a quarter- to half-inch thick coating of ice is enough to bring down trees and power lines. Portions of the South from northern and eastern Texas into the lower-Mississippi Valley, northern Georgia and parts of the Carolinas are at greatest risk for significant icing based on the current forecast. Travel could be brought to a standstill across major cities even with smaller amounts of ice.

To the north of the storm’s ice zone, several inches of snow will pile up over an area that could stretch from around Oklahoma, northern Texas and southern Kansas to the mid-Atlantic.

Snow and some ice will likely break out from northern Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas to the lower-Mississippi Valley on Friday and Friday night. From there, the sprawling wintry mess of snow, sleet and freezing rain will impact much of the South, mid-Mississippi and Ohio valleys and the mid-Atlantic this weekend.

Snow could last into Monday along parts of the East Coast, depending on how long the storm takes to finally exit out to sea.

Computer model forecast showing the general timing for the winter storm. Shifts in the storm's timing and track are likely, so expected changes. 

CNN Weather

However, the track of this storm and how it interacts with the blast of cold air is still somewhat uncertain and that will make a big difference when it comes to snow and ice totals in any one location. Those details will come into better focus over the next couple of days.

One thing that’s for certain: Brutal cold is on the way for millions, and any snow and ice that accumulates will not melt quickly. That means any impacts could last into early next week for areas that see significant snow and ice totals.

## Coldest air of winter inbound

The Arctic invasion that will feed this winter storm arrives in the Midwest and Plains Thursday into Friday and willthen spread into the South and East this weekend. Dozens of locations could approach their coldest daily high temperatures on record, especially on Saturday.

CNN Weather

Temperatures will be around 30 degrees below average by Friday in parts of the Dakotas, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin and northern Illinois. That’s significant since mid-to-late January is when [average temperatures are already at their lowest level](https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/coldest-day-of-the-year) for many locations east of the Rockies.

Thermometers in the Twin Cities will likely remain below zero all day on Friday and lows both that morning and Saturday might bottom out near minus 20 degrees. Chicago could see at least two consecutive mornings with subzero low temperatures.

Forecast morning low temperatures.

CNN Weather

Dangerously cold wind chills are also expected. The upper Midwest will see them fall between 30 and 50 degrees below zero. Frostbite on exposed skin can occur in as little as 10 minutes when wind chills are this cold.

The worst of the cold will pu

*[Content truncated...]*

---

## 5. 2025 wildfires, flooding and severe storms lead to insured losses of $88B - InsuranceNewsNet

**URL:** [https://insurancenewsnet.com/innarticle/2025-wildfires-flooding-and-severe-storms-lead-to-insured-losses-of-88b](https://insurancenewsnet.com/innarticle/2025-wildfires-flooding-and-severe-storms-lead-to-insured-losses-of-88b)  
**Score:** 0.2712

### Summary

## Hurricanes, climate change spur insured losses

Climate change also proved to be an issue, with 2025 being one of the warmest years ever. Bove said climate change will continue to be an issue. “We are trapping more heat and fundamentally changing our environment. The increased moisture in the gulf will continue to cause more extreme flash flooding,” he said.

Three hurricanes of the highest category 5 developed in the tropical North Atlantic in 2025. There had not been so many extreme hurricanes here since 2005, when the New Orleans region was devastated by Hurricane Katrina – which remains one of the costliest natural disasters of all time. [...] More than 100 tornadoes occurred over several days in March in central southern U.S. states – including a few in the second most severe category, EF4, with windspeeds far above 200 kilometers per hour. Losses amounted to around $9.4 billion, of which $7 billion was insured.

Aggregated severe thunderstorm losses in the United States amounted to $56 billion in 2025, of which $42 billion was insured – significantly higher than the 10-year average (overall losses: $39 billion; insured losses: $29 billion). [...] “There are things people can do before building a home or business that would help mitigate the risks. For wildfires, for example. there should be a minimum of flammable materials within six feet of your home, clear debris from under decks, use double-pane windows and keep tree limbs from hanging over the house,” said Mark Bove, meteorologist & senior vice president, Natural Catastrophe Solutions, Munich Reinsurance America, Inc.

## Tornadoes and hail rack up $50B in damage

“While wildfires caused significant loss for insured, larger losses of $50 billion occurred from tornadoes and hail,” Bove said. He noted that about 55,000 homes have been lost to wildfires since 2017. Prior to that date, only about 5,000 homes were destroyed by wildfires.

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# 2025 wildfires, flooding and severe storms lead to insured losses of $88B

By [Brooke Lacey](https://insurancenewsnet.com/author/brooke-lacey "Posts by Brooke Lacey")

In addition to being a turbulent political year, 2025 proved to be one of the costliest years for insurers in terms of natural disasters, resulting in overall losses of $118 billion, with insured losses totaling $88 billion.

The [wildfires in the Los Angeles](https://insurancenewsnet.com/innarticle/calif-wildfire-crisis-sparks-push-for-public-insurance-model) area in January constituted by far the costliest natural disaster of the year, according to new data from Munich Reinsurance. A hazardous combination of drought and strong winter winds created ideal conditions for wildfires. After the fires began in early January, storms fanned the flames farther and farther into the LA suburbs. Overall losses totaled approximately $53 billion, including insured losses of roughly $40 billion. It is the most expensive wildfire disaster to date; 30 people lost their lives.

“There are things people can do before building a home or business that would help mitigate the risks. For wildfires, for example. there should be a minimum of flammable materials within six feet of your home, clear debris from under decks, use double-pane windows and keep tree limbs from hanging over the house,” said Mark Bove, meteorologist & senior vice president, Natural Catastrophe Solutions, Munich Reinsurance America, Inc.

## Tornadoes and hail rack up $50B in damage

“While wildfires caused significant loss for insured, larger losses of $50 billion occurred from tornadoes and hail,” Bove said. He noted that about 55,000 homes have been lost to wildfires since 2017. Prior to that date, only about 5,000 homes were destroyed by wildfires.

More than 100 tornadoes occurred over several days in March in central southern U.S. states – including a few in the second most severe category, EF4, with windspeeds far above 200 kilometers per hour. Losses amounted to around $9.4 billion, of which $7 billion was insured.

Aggregated severe thunderstorm losses in the United States amounted to $56 billion in 2025, of which $42 billion was insured – significantly higher than the 10-year average (overall losses: $39 billion; insured losses: $29 billion).

When it comes to wind, Bove recommended that other states adopt the Florida building codes, which have helped to lessen the severity of wind damage in that state. Adopted 20 years ago, it includes certain requirements for new buildings, like hurricane shutters, double-pane windows, and having the roof bolted to the walls. He said doing these things doesn’t add much to the overall cost of a new building.

At around 50% of total losses, uninsured losses were lower than the 10-year average of around 60% due to the high percentage of insured losses attributable to the Los Angeles wildfires. Disregarding this loss event, the insurance gap matched the 10-year average.

## **Hurricanes, climate change spur insured losses**

Climate change also proved to be an issue, with 2025 being one of the warmest years ever. Bove said climate change will continue to be an issue. “We are trapping more heat and fundamentally changing our environment. The increased moisture i

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