Jan 31, 2026 - Energy & Climate

Storm and blizzard risk forecast in South as states declare emergencies

Lauren Floyd

Statue with snow flurries — Snow falls at the South Carolina Statehouse in Columbia on Jan. 31. Photo: Sean Rayford/Getty Images

A rapidly intensifying coastal storm set for the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic has already led to emergency declarations in four states and is forecast to bring heavy snow, record-challenging cold and possible blizzard conditions.

The big picture: On the heels of a winter storm that left more than 1 million without power across the eastern U.S., the National Weather Service said Saturday the new coastal system — with possible coastal flooding — will rapidly strengthen offshore Saturday into Sunday.

"An arctic air mass continues to surge southward into the eastern two-thirds of the U.S. early this Saturday morning," the NWS said.
"The core of the arctic air, which contains extremely cold air aloft, is forecast to dive unusually far south into the lower latitudes of the southeastern U.S. through the reminder of this weekend."
Emergency declarations were issued or extended from the prior storm in Georgia, North and South Carolina and Virginia, per government officials.

Zoom in: The NWS said, "By Sunday morning, below freezing temperatures can be found as far south as South Florida.

"Temperatures this cold have not been experienced across southern Florida since the record cold month of December 1989."

Go deeper: Will this weekend's winter storm hit you? Here's the latest

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Storm and blizzard risk forecast in South as states declare emergencies

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