一场横跨近1,500英里（约2,400公里）的巨大冬季风暴正在席卷美国，从大平原延伸至东海岸，影响人口接近2亿人。风暴带来暴雪、严重冻雨和零下风寒，导致交通瘫痪与电力系统承压。航空公司已取消超过6,200架次航班，Amtrak停运数十趟列车，多地政府关闭学校与联邦机构。纽约、芝加哥、休斯敦等大城市发布出行警告，部分地区风寒低至-30华氏度（约-34摄氏度）。
冻雨和冰层被视为最大威胁。纳什维尔和夏洛特或出现约0.5英寸（1.3厘米）冻雨，密西西比州部分地区冰层超过1英寸，足以压断树枝与电线，引发大范围停电。波士顿降雪可能超过20英寸。能源市场已提前剧烈波动：天然气期货一周内上涨逾70%，突破每百万英热单位5美元；现货市场更为极端，部分管道报价一度飙升至75至100美元。保险数据显示，自2021年以来，冬季风暴的年均保险损失已升至70亿美元，是此前十年的三倍以上。
电网面临严峻考验。德州预计周一早晨用电需求接近84吉瓦，可能创冬季纪录，而风力发电因低风速受限。覆盖4,500万人口的中部电网已进入二级紧急状态，可能实施用电削减；东部PJM电网也转入保守运行模式。专家估计，在风暴影响区域，每延误一天的典型工作日将造成约240亿美元经济损失，最终损失规模取决于停电和道路清理恢复的速度。
A massive winter storm spanning nearly 1,500 miles (about 2,400 kilometers) is sweeping across the US from the Great Plains to the East Coast, placing nearly 200 million people in its path. Heavy snow, crippling ice, and subzero wind chills are disrupting transportation and straining power systems. Airlines have canceled more than 6,200 flights, Amtrak pulled dozens of services, and schools and federal offices closed in major cities including New York, Chicago, and Houston, with wind chills plunging to -30°F (-34°C).
Freezing rain and ice pose the greatest danger. Nashville and Charlotte may see about a half-inch (1.3 centimeters) of ice, while parts of Mississippi could exceed one inch—enough to snap power lines and trigger widespread outages. Boston could receive more than 20 inches of snow. Energy markets have surged ahead of the storm: natural gas futures jumped over 70% in a week to above $5 per million Btu, while spot prices spiked to $75–$100 in parts of the Northeast. Insurers report that average annual winter-weather losses have more than tripled since 2021 to about $7 billion.
Power grids face acute stress. Texas expects demand near 84 gigawatts Monday morning, potentially a winter record, as wind generation falters due to low winds. The Midcontinent grid serving over 45 million people declared a level-two emergency, allowing for conservation appeals and possible curtailment, while the PJM grid shifted to risk-averse operations. Experts estimate that within the storm’s footprint, each disrupted weekday can cost roughly $24 billion in lost economic activity, with total losses hinging on how quickly power and transportation are restored.