Texas leaders have moved the state into emergency mode as Winter Storm Fern closes in, with freezing rain, sleet, and snow expected to sweep across the region within 48 hours. Governor Greg Abbott’s disaster declaration lets state agencies move faster, shift equipment, and send help where it is needed most.
He has ordered the Texas Division of Emergency Management to activate crews and resources ahead of the storm rather than waiting for trouble to hit. As Arctic air dives south and moisture builds over the Gulf, forecasters warn this storm could be one of the most disruptive cold events since the deadly freeze of 2021.
A Sudden Freefall in Temperatures
Texans are being warned to brace for a dramatic temperature crash, the kind meteorologists often call weather whiplash. In parts of West and North Texas, forecasts show readings tumbling from mild highs near the upper 50s Fahrenheit into the teens within about two days, with wind chills dipping into the single digits.
The National Weather Service has highlighted the incoming Arctic front as dangerously cold, noting that some locations could flirt with record lows for late January. That kind of brutal drop can quickly freeze wet roads, burst exposed pipes, and strain heating systems that rarely work this hard in Texas.
Disaster Declaration Covers Every County
The governor’s disaster declaration applies to all 254 Texas counties, a sign of how wide Winter Storm Fern’s reach could be. This move streamlines coordination between state, local, and federal officials, allowing supplies, equipment, and personnel to be shifted more quickly to hotspots as conditions change. It also makes it easier to open shelters, stage road crews, and position medical support where vulnerable residents may need help.
Abbott said the goal is to be proactive, not reactive, after lessons learned from earlier disasters, “It is crucial that Texans remain weather-aware, check DriveTexas.org before traveling, and heed the guidance of state and local officials.” Emergency managers say having the declaration in place before the worst weather arrives can shave precious hours off response times when icy roads, power outages, or medical emergencies begin to mount.
Guard Troops and First Responders on Alert
Across Texas, the National Guard and local first responders are preparing for long, cold shifts as the storm moves in. Guard units are loading high‑profile vehicles that can move through snow and ice, ready to rescue stranded drivers, transport patients, or bring food and water to isolated communities.
At the same time, Emergency Operations Centers are moving to 24‑hour staffing so crews can track power outages, road closures, and weather changes in real time. The Texas Department of Transportation is pre‑treating key highways and bridges, while troopers and local police prepare for an uptick in crashes on slick roads.
National Weather Service Raises the Stakes
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for large sections of Texas from Friday through early Sunday, warning of a “significant threat to property or life” if the forecast holds. Sub‑freezing air, combined with periods of freezing rain, sleet, and snow, could create sheets of ice that make roads treacherous for hours at a time.
Some areas may see conditions that forecasters describe as “difficult to impossible” for travel, especially overnight when temperatures are coldest. In North and Central Texas, forecasters are also flagging an Extreme Cold Watch, signaling prolonged stretches below freezing that could last into early next week.
North Texas Braces for the Worst
Dallas, Fort Worth, and surrounding North Texas communities sit directly in the forecast bull’s‑eye for Winter Storm Fern’s most severe effects. Models show a strong chance of freezing rain and sleet Friday night into Saturday, with just a thin glaze of ice enough to bring down tree limbs and weigh on power lines already stressed by gusty winds.
With temperatures expected to stay below freezing for close to 100 hours in some spots, anything that freezes may not thaw until Monday or later. Local officials are canceling events, adjusting school plans, and preparing warming centers in case neighborhoods lose power.
Power Grid Faces a Big Test
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT, is under intense scrutiny as Fern approaches, in what could be the grid’s biggest trial since the catastrophic failures of 2021. ERCOT officials say they have strengthened the system with more reserve power, upgraded weatherization, and better planning for demand spikes during extreme cold.
They insist they will “deploy all available resources to manage the grid reliably” during the storm. Still, public confidence remains shaky after millions lost electricity three winters ago, some for days, during subfreezing temperatures. Consumer advocates stress that even a smaller‑scale outage in single‑digit wind chills could be dangerous for people without backup heat.
From Warm Sunshine to Winter Whiplash
Only days before Fern’s arrival, many Texans were enjoying sunshine and temperatures near 60 degrees, wearing light jackets or even short sleeves. Now, a surge of Arctic air diving south is colliding with moist air streaming north from the Gulf of Mexico, creating an ideal setup for freezing rain and snow.
Meteorologists have dubbed Fern a classic weather whiplash event, a rapid flip from spring‑like warmth to bitter cold in less than a weekend. Experts add that such volatile patterns, while not new, are becoming more disruptive as growing cities and aging infrastructure struggle to keep up with extreme weather.
Roads Could Turn to Ice Traps
Transportation officials are pleading with Texans to stay off the roads once the freezing rain begins to fall. Even a thin, nearly invisible layer of ice on bridges and overpasses can turn highways into traplines of spun‑out vehicles and jackknifed trucks. Trucking companies are warning drivers of dangerous to impossible conditions on key freight corridors from Dallas toward Arkansas and the Southeast as the storm progresses.
The Weather Channel has cautioned that in the hardest‑hit areas, roads may become “hazardous, if not impassable,” particularly overnight when temperatures plunge and any melting refreezes. Officials urge people to finish grocery runs, refill medications, and top up fuel tanks by Friday afternoon, then avoid non‑essential travel until conditions improve.
Renewed Fears of Power Outages
Across Texas, power companies are staging line crews and equipment in advance, ready to respond quickly if ice and wind bring down wires and transformers. Gusts up to roughly 25 miles per hour, combined with ice‑coated branches, could knock out lines in both urban neighborhoods and rural stretches where repairs take longer. Utilities say they have improved communication systems and mutual‑aid agreements with out‑of‑state crews since 2021, hoping to shorten outage times.
Still, emergency planners are blunt: widespread or repeated blackouts remain a serious concern if the storm’s worst‑case ice totals materialize. Public safety officials urge residents to charge phones, avoid using generators indoors, and never run cars in closed garages, reminding people that “the biggest risk during cold‑weather outages is often carbon monoxide poisoning, not just the cold itself.”
Protecting the Most Vulnerable
Officials are asking Texans to think not just about their own homes, but also about neighbors and relatives who may struggle in the cold. Older adults, people with medical equipment that depends on electricity, and those without stable housing or reliable heat are at particular risk as temperatures plunge. Cities across North Texas are reopening public warming centers and coordinating with churches, nonprofits, and outreach teams to bring people in from the cold.
Animal advocates also remind owners that pets should be brought indoors, saying, “If it’s too cold for you, it’s too cold for your pets.” Emergency managers encourage residents to check on friends or neighbors by phone or in person when safe to do so, emphasizing that simple acts, like sharing blankets or information about shelters can save lives in a hard freeze.
A Storm Stretching Across States
Winter Storm Fern is not just a Texas problem; it is part of a sprawling system expected to sweep from the Southern Plains to the Northeast. Forecasts show snow, sleet, and ice spreading from Texas and Oklahoma across Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and the Carolinas before pushing up the East Coast.
The Weather Company estimates that Fern could affect more than 180 million people with some form of wintry weather, over half of the U.S. population. France 24 reported that the storm’s footprint may stretch more than 2,000 miles, covering a huge slice of the continental United States.
Hit to Business and Travel
Economists and industry analysts warn that Fern’s timing, hitting major freight and airline hubs over a busy weekend, could cost businesses billions of dollars. Ice‑slick highways may halt truck traffic on key routes from Dallas through Little Rock and toward Atlanta, delaying deliveries of everything from groceries to manufacturing parts.
Airlines are already offering weather waivers for passengers scheduled to fly through affected airports, hoping to encourage early rebooking instead of chaotic last‑minute cancellations. Hundreds of thousands of travelers could face delays or find themselves stranded as the storm ripples across multiple regions in quick succession.
Remembering 2021 and Asking What’s Changed
For many Texans, Fern is stirring painful memories of February 2021, when extreme cold, cascading grid failures, and widespread outages contributed to hundreds of deaths. Since then, state lawmakers and regulators have required more weatherization of power plants and improved planning for extreme conditions, steps officials say make the grid more resilient.
ERCOT leaders insist that “the grid is stronger than it has ever been,” pointing to added generation capacity and new operating rules for winter. But energy experts and some lawmakers caution that those improvements have not yet been fully tested by a storm of this scale.
Waiting for a Thaw and Better News
There is at least some relief in the forecast: temperatures are expected to climb back above freezing in much of Texas early next week, likely by Monday afternoon, allowing roads and power lines to slowly thaw. Until then, officials continue to press a simple message, prepare now, check on those who may need extra help, and stay off icy roads whenever possible.
Meteorologists emphasize that forecasts can still shift slightly but agree that a dangerous mix of cold and ice is on the way. Hope for the best, but plan for the worst, one forecaster said, urging Texans to use the final hours before the storm to stock up, charge up, and make a safety plan.
Sources:
Governor Abbott Activates State Emergency Response Resources Ahead of Winter Weather Threat, January 21, 2026
ERCOT Says The Texas Power Grid Is Ready for Potential Winter Storm, ERCOT Says The Texas Power Grid Is Ready for Potential Winter Storm, January 18, 2026
Winter Storm Fern Set to Impact North Texas Friday Through Monday, Winter Storm Fern Set to Impact North Texas Friday Through Monday, January 21, 2026