About 10,000 flights have been canceled for the weekend as U.S. cities begin to see snow and ice from what is forecast to be a "catastrophic" winter storm.
The big picture: A sprawling, long-duration storm is forecast to dump more than a foot of snow from the Ohio Valley into the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast through Monday, with travel grinding to a halt in broad swaths of the U.S.
Nearly 148 million Americans are bracing for this week's potentially historic winter storm — and if the Waffle House near you closes, that could tell you just how serious it is.
The big picture: After the 2004 hurricane season, former Obama-era FEMA administrator Craig Fugate began discussing the Waffle House index, which suggests that closures of the famously reliable 24-hour chain indicate how bad a storm is in your area.
Over 160 million Americans could be pummeled by a massive winter storm this weekend, with utility companies warning of dangerous, potentially life-threatening power outages.
Why it matters: The storm will be FEMA's first major, multistate rapid activation since the Trump administration began reducing the agency's manpower — and watchdogs warn it may not be ready.
The winter storm poised to sweep through the U.S. this weekend will cause major disruption, but it might also make some people a few extra bucks.
Why it matters: Everyday Americans are increasingly betting on the weather through prediction markets — an activity long reserved as a tool for businesses and big professional traders.
Two of the biggest U.S. grid operators in the path of the upcoming winter storm face critical windows early next week that will determine whether they can meet electricity demand, consulting firm ICF said Friday.
Why it matters: Electric utilities are bracing for heavy demand — with some warning of potential for extended power outages — during the storm.
A massive winter storm is set to hit North America this weekend, and it is poised to bring an unusually large amount of both ice and snow, weather experts told Axios.
The big picture: The storm, which is forecasted to hit a wide swath of the United States and Mexico, is set to produce a variety of winter precipitation including freezing rain, which is especially dangerous and will likely impact regions that rarely experience it.
Over a dozen governors have declared a state of emergency, and thousands of flights have been canceled as a potentially "catastrophic" winter storm begins.
Driving the news: 161 million Americans are under a winter storm warning or watch as of Friday morning, spanning from New Mexico to New England.
