Ice, Snow Paralyze Transit from Atlanta to Northeast; Power Outages Hit 830K
Winter Storm Fern grips the nation with deadly ice, snow, and cold as of January 26, 2026. Impacts range from massive flight cancellations to power outages and public transit shutdowns, including Atlanta’s MARTA system.
Storm’s National Reach
Fern has battered 40+ states from the Midwest to the South and Northeast, with snow up to 23 inches in parts of Pennsylvania and freezing rain coating infrastructure. Over 17,000 flights were grounded nationwide, and 830,000+ customers lost power, mainly in Tennessee. Emergency declarations cover 18 states amid billions in projected damage.
Rising Death Toll
At least 9-18 deaths are confirmed, with cases in Louisiana (2 hypothermia), Kansas (1), Texas (2), Tennessee (3), and Massachusetts (1 snowplow accident), plus potential additional fatalities in New York.
Atlanta’s Transit Paralysis
Heavy ice overwhelmed metro Atlanta, canceling 1,000+ flights at Hartsfield-Jackson and blanketing roads. MARTA shifted to reduced service: trains every 20 minutes on select lines (Red to Lindbergh, Gold to Airport), most buses halted except lifeline routes (6, 8, 19, 40, 107, 110, 111, 123, 185, 196) to hospitals.
Official Statements
President Trump posted on Truth Social (Jan 24): “I have been informed about Record Cold and Historic Storm that affect a large portion the United this weekend The Trump is collaborating with State and Local Officials. FEMA is fully ready to respond. Stay Safe and Stay Warm!”
MARTA stated (Jan 25-26 updates): “MARTA will continue to run a reduced service on Monday with trains arriving every 20 minutes. All bus routes will remain suspended, with the exception of lifeline routes… to provide direct service to major medical facilities and emergency rooms.”
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said (Jan 23): “Encouraged residents to stay at home on Saturday night through Sunday morning… encouraged local churches to cancel services or to hold virtual services.”
Recovery efforts persist amid lingering cold; monitor local alerts for safety.