How Winter Storm Fern Is Impacting Flights, Highway Journeys, and Practice Journey This Weekend

Meteorologists are forecasting journey havoc this weekend, as a significant winter storm is about to slam into the center and Southern US starting Friday, January 23.

Experts predict that the highly effective storm system, which is being referred to as Winter Storm Fern, will dump massive quantities of snow and harmful ice throughout greater than two dozen states. “An expansive winter storm will produce swaths of heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain from the Southern Rockies and Plains into the Mid-South starting Friday and shifting across the East Coast this weekend, possibly through Monday for New England,” says an alert from the National Weather Service.

Nearly all modes of journey throughout a number of massive areas of the US will probably be severely impacted, together with air journey, street journeys, and trains. The disruptions might final for some time, as a bout of “extreme cold” is about to comply with the storm within the majority of the nation, which might extend the problems from snow and ice.

Here’s a take a look at the newest data vacationers have to know, together with how journey insurance coverage may help in case you get delayed or stranded.

Flight delays and cancellations

Snow and ice are all the time certain to trigger widespread flight delays and cancellations. Over 1,000 US flights scheduled for Friday and Saturday have already been canceled, with Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Will Rogers International Airport in Oklahoma City (OKC), and Tulsa International Airport (TUL) seeing the very best percentages of cancellations main into the weekend.

Major US airways are getting forward of the scenario by issuing journey waivers that enable totally free modifications so vacationers can pivot their plans across the storm. So far, American Airlines, Delta, United, and Southwest have all issued change price waivers that supply vacationers this further flexibility at no further cost. The journey waivers cowl flights to, from, and thru dozens of airports within the storm’s path positioned all through the Plains, Mid-Atlantic, and Southern US for flights scheduled from January 23 to 26.

Each service has a barely totally different coverage, so you should definitely examine your airline’s particular pointers. (You can discover them right here: American, Delta, United, and Southwest.)

Travelers ought to plan to alter flights to a time both earlier than the storm is predicted to hit or after it passes. All 4 carriers are permitting journey to be delayed till at the very least January 28, 2026. Be certain to enroll in textual content and e mail alerts out of your service to remain updated with the newest flight modifications.

Dangerous street situations

It’s finest to keep away from driving in case you can, as “snow-covered roads and low visibility will cause widespread travel disruptions” from January 23 to 26, based on the National Weather Service (NWS).

In addition to snow, harmful ice is anticipated throughout the Southern Plains, Mid-South, and Carolinas, says the service’s alert. The freezing rain is anticipated to trigger “treacherous travel conditions” in at the very least eight states, together with components of japanese Texas, southern Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina.

The Northeast can also be going through a danger of snow squalls from the morning of Thursday, January 22 via Friday, January 23, according to the NWS. These quick-moving storms might start in Upstate New York and transfer via New England as they “create an extremely dangerous combination of heavy snow rates and strong, gusty winds, leading to snow-covered roads and near-zero visibility.”

It’s finest for drivers in these areas to remain off the roads throughout these occasions, if doable. “Conditions can change rapidly in snow squalls, creating dangerous travel for motorists,” based on the company.