by Donald Wood
Last updated: 8:00 AM ET, Tue January 27, 2026
Update: January 27, 2026, at 8:10 a.m. ET
The travel industry is still feeling the impact of Winter
Storm Fern, as airports across affected portions of the United States are still
battling massive snow piles and ice that is melting slow due to low temperatures.
According to FlightAware.com, 1,407
flights within, into, or out of the U.S. have been canceled on Tuesday (as of 8
a.m. ET), while another 907 have been delayed. Those totals are expected to
climb throughout the day.
“The last 48 hours have been incredibly challenging for
those flying through Winter Storm Fern, which continues to present travel
challenges across the country,” American Chief Customer Officer Heather
Garboden said. “On behalf of everyone at American, I want to assure you it’s
been all hands-on deck to keep our operation moving.”
On Monday, 6,261 flights were canceled and 7,912 were
delayed. The issues started on Sunday, as 11,599 flights were canceled and 5,866
were delayed.
*This article will no longer be updated.
Update: January 26, 2026, at 8:10 a.m. ET
Winter Storm Fern may be over, but millions of people felt its
impact and travelers taking to the roads of skies on Monday will continue to
deal with the aftermath.
According to Weather.com,
heavy snow, sleet, ice, and high winds were recorded throughout much of the
United States on Sunday, with the storm impacting destinations from New Mexico
to New England, with at least 24 states declaring emergencies. Several deaths
have also been attributed to Winter Storm Fern.
Drivers in many impacted areas who are trying to get to work
on Monday morning are dealing with impassable highways and unplowed side
streets. The issues are expected to continue throughout the day as workers
begin digging impacted areas out of the snow.
For travelers taking to the skies, FlightAware.com is
reporting that 3,745 flights within, into, or out of the U.S. have been
canceled on Monday (as of 8 a.m. ET), while another 1,024 have been delayed. Those
totals are expected to climb throughout the day.
On Sunday, 11,599 flights were canceled and 5,866 were
delayed.
The cruise industry is also reeling, as Winter Storm Fern
also impacted planned itineraries for several major ships, according to Cruise
Hive, including Carnival Pride in Baltimore, MSC Meraviglia in Brooklyn,
and Odyssey of the Seas in New Jersey.
Update: January 25, 2026, at 2:30 p.m. ET
Winter
Storm Fern is continuing to wreak havoc across much of the United
States, triggering widespread power outages, major airport shutdowns and
hazardous travel conditions from the South through the Midwest and Northeast.
As of Sunday, more
than 880,000 people were without power, primarily across southern states where
heavy snow and ice are rare, including Tennessee, Texas, Mississippi and
Kentucky. The storm has placed over 200 million Americans under weather alerts,
with officials warning that millions could remain trapped indoors for days due
to dangerous conditions
Air travel has
been severely disrupted, with more than 11,000 flights canceled on Sunday, the
highest single-day total since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Time.
Weather.com
reported that nearly 2,000 additional flights were already canceled for Monday,
according to FlightAware data, with major hubs including Atlanta’s
Hartsfield-Jackson, New
York’s LaGuardia and JFK, Philadelphia International Airport and Washington,
D.C.’s Reagan National Airport seeing mass cancellations.
The National
Weather Service expects up to 18 inches of snow across New England, with
potentially close to a foot in major cities like New York and Philadelphia. AccuWeather
reports that some regions have already seen over a foot of snow, five inches of
sleet and an inch of freezing rain, with totals possibly reaching 30 inches in
parts of New England.
Power outages
continue to climb, surpassing 900,000 customers nationwide, with Tennessee
alone reporting more than 300,000 outages, according to PowerOutage.us. Mississippi,
Louisiana and Texas each have over 100,000 customers without electricity,
raising concerns about heat and safety in freezing conditions.
Compounding the
danger, severe storm warnings and tornado watches have been issued on Sunday across
parts of Alabama, Georgia and the Florida
Panhandle as warm Gulf air clashes with Fern’s frigid system.
As of Saturday
evening, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported that weather
emergencies had been declared in 17 states and Washington, D.C. President
Donald Trump has approved federal disaster declarations for multiple
states, while the DHS urged Americans to avoid travel and stay home if possible.
Update: January 23, 2026, at 8:10 a.m. ET
As Winter Storm Fern’s path continues to become clearer, the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Weather Prediction
Center is calling for “catastrophic” ice accumulations.
According to Weather.com,
NOAA’s prediction includes a “historic, widespread, long-lasting winter storm”
that will impact hundreds of millions of Americans, spanning from the Plains to
the Midwest and Northeast, making travel dangerous for several days.
The forecast calls for heavy snow or ice in 34 states, from
Arizona to the Midwest, South, and New England. The ice expected in the Plains
and across the south could cause “extensive tree damage and numerous,
widespread power outages.”
Add in snow totals reaching 12+ inches in areas from Oklahoma
City to Boston, and roads could become impassable by this weekend. The snow and
ice across the U.S. will also trigger significant flight delays and
cancellations, especially Sunday into Monday.
As a result, major carriers in the U.S.—including American
Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines—have issued travel
alerts, waived change fees, repositioned aircraft and crew members, and reinforced
staffing at key airports to minimize disruption.
Even the cruise industry is feeling the impact, as Cruise
Hive is reporting that Carnival Cruise Line reached out to customers
departing on Sunday from Baltimore, warning that there could be a “significant
impact on their sailing, including embarkation.”
Original Text
Travelers scheduled to hit the road this weekend need to be
prepared for delays and cancellations as Winter Storm Fern is expected to dump
heavy snow and ice across the United States through next Monday.
According to Weather.com,
the winter storm could affect as many as 180 million Americans nationwide, with
heavy snow or ice forecast for 33 states, from New Mexico and Texas to parts of
New England.
Winter storm alerts have been issued for several major
cities across the U.S., including Dallas, Houston, Nashville, Charlotte,
Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia.
The storm is expected to start impacting travel on Friday
night and continue through Monday morning, leaving some areas with as much as
18 inches of snow.
In addition to treacherous conditions on roads across the
country, carriers serving American cities have already started waiving
change fees for impacted customers from the Plains to the Northeast,
including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines and United
Airlines.
*This article will be updated with the latest news about Winter
Storm Fern and its impact on the travel industry.
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