Winter Storm Gianna has intensified into a powerful bomb cyclone, unleashing heavy snow, brutal cold and dangerous winds from the Gulf Coast to New England.

The fast-developing system is crippling major air and road corridors, stranding travelers and prompting urgent safety warnings across a broad swath of the United States as of Sunday, February 1, and into Monday, February 2, 2026.

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How Winter Storm Gianna Became a Bomb Cyclone

Gianna transitioned from a strong winter storm into a bomb cyclone late Saturday into Sunday as it moved off the Southeast coast and rapidly strengthened over the Atlantic. Meteorologists use the term bomb cyclone when a storm’s central pressure drops by at least 24 millibars in 24 hours, a sign of explosive intensification that often produces ferocious winds and widespread impacts. Forecasters with the National Weather Service say Gianna’s pressure drop and wind field meet that threshold, placing it among the most significant winter systems of the 2025–26 season.

The storm originated from a shortwave disturbance that crossed the Gulf states before emerging over the warmer waters off the Carolinas. There it tapped abundant Atlantic moisture and the sharp temperature contrasts between Arctic air over land and milder ocean air. That combination allowed Gianna to rapidly deepen, spreading a massive shield of snow, sleet and rain from the Deep South through the Mid-Atlantic and into parts of the Northeast while driving a surge of bitter cold air behind it.

As the storm bombed out offshore, its powerful circulation wrapped Atlantic moisture back into the cold dome over the Carolinas and southern Appalachians. That dynamic “wraparound” band produced intense snowfall rates along a corridor centered on North Carolina, including Charlotte and the Piedmont, as well as coastal zones that rarely see major snow. At the same time, the tightening pressure gradient around the cyclone generated strong winds that compounded travel hazards, especially on exposed highways and along the coast.

Regions Seeing the Worst Conditions

The most severe impacts so far have centered on the Carolinas, where what the National Weather Service has described as a historic storm buried all 100 North Carolina counties under significant snowfall. In and around Charlotte, preliminary totals approached or exceeded a foot in some neighborhoods, ranking as one of the city’s top snow events on record. A 100-vehicle pileup on a snowy stretch of Interstate 85 highlighted the storm’s ferocity and the risks of venturing out on treacherous roads.

Elsewhere in the Southeast, the storm’s expansive cold plume reached into northern and central Florida. Snow flurries were reported as far south as the Tampa Bay region and into parts of the peninsula that rarely see frozen precipitation. The hard freeze stunned wildlife, including iguanas in South Florida that became briefly immobile and fell from trees, and threatened citrus groves and strawberry crops with damaging ice. Power outages have been reported across portions of Mississippi, Tennessee, the Carolinas and Florida as ice and heavy, wet snow brought down branches and lines.

Farther north, Gianna’s snow and wind shield brushed coastal Georgia and South Carolina before extending into coastal Virginia and southern New England. Light snow and gusty winds reached as far as Cape Cod, while parts of the Outer Banks and low-lying coastal communities in the Carolinas dealt with minor to moderate coastal flooding and beach erosion as the storm’s circulation pushed water inland.

Flight Cancellations, Airport Disruptions and Airline Policies

As Gianna intensified into a bomb cyclone, it triggered thousands of flight cancellations and delays, particularly at major hubs in the storm’s path. Flight-tracking data through Sunday morning and afternoon showed more than 4,000 flights canceled across the United States over the weekend, with at least 2,800 cancellations on Saturday and another wave on Sunday as conditions deteriorated over the Carolinas and Mid-Atlantic.

Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina, a key hub for American Airlines, has been one of the hardest-hit facilities. On Saturday, roughly 80 to 90 percent of departures were canceled at times, effectively grinding operations to a halt. By Sunday morning, additional cancellations stacked on top of those from the previous day, leaving terminals packed with stranded passengers and complicating airline efforts to reposition aircraft and crews once conditions improve.

Other major hubs from Atlanta to the New York City area have also been affected, either directly by Gianna’s snow and wind or indirectly through knock-on network effects. Carriers including American, Delta, United, Southwest and JetBlue issued weather waivers in advance of the storm, allowing customers traveling through affected airports to change their itineraries without standard change fees. Travelers whose flights have not yet been canceled but who feel uncomfortable flying in the current conditions are being urged to review their airline’s weather policy and act quickly, as available seats on later flights are limited.

Industry analysts caution that the recovery from Gianna will not be instantaneous, even after the snow stops. Aircraft and crews will be out of position, and congested hubs may take several days to work through backlogs, especially with winter still in full swing and the risk of additional disturbances trailing behind the current storm system.

Road, Rail and Power Impacts on the Ground

On the ground, Gianna’s combination of heavy snow, ice and powerful winds is causing gridlock and dangerous conditions across a large part of the eastern United States. Transportation officials in North Carolina, South Carolina and neighboring states have urged residents to stay off the roads except for essential travel, noting that subfreezing temperatures will help lock in ice and packed snow on many secondary and even primary routes through at least Monday.

In North Carolina, authorities responded to hundreds of traffic incidents, including the major crash on I-85 that involved around 100 vehicles. Law enforcement and emergency responders have described whiteout conditions at times, with visibility dropping to near zero during intense snow bands, especially overnight and in the early morning hours. Similar reports of spinouts and jackknifed trucks have emerged from interstates in Tennessee, Georgia and Virginia where even a quick burst of snow or freezing drizzle has been enough to make elevated bridges and on-ramps slick.

Rail travel has also felt the impact. Regional passenger services in the Carolinas and parts of the Mid-Atlantic have faced delays or cancellations due to snow-covered tracks, signal issues and downed trees along rail corridors. Freight operators are rerouting or slowing trains in areas of heaviest snowfall and highest winds to reduce the risk of derailments and crew exposure to extreme cold. Travelers who rely on long-distance trains are being told to check the latest status before heading to stations.

As of Sunday evening, utilities across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic were working to restore power to tens of thousands of customers. The combination of ice-laden branches and strong wind gusts around the bomb cyclone’s circulation has snapped lines and damaged transformers in scattered pockets, particularly in rural areas. Officials warn that in some locations, especially where access roads are blocked or icy, restoration may take more than 24 hours.

What Travelers Should Do Right Now

With Gianna still affecting large portions of the country and its ripple effects cascading through transportation networks, travelers are being urged to adopt a flexible and safety-first approach. Those who have not yet begun their trips but are scheduled to travel through affected regions over the next 24 to 48 hours should check their airline, train or bus operator’s latest advisories before leaving home, and consider voluntarily rebooking if their journey is not time sensitive.

For travelers already en route or stranded midway, the key is to stay informed and conserve options. Experts recommend using official airline apps and text alerts rather than relying solely on airport departure boards, which can lag real-time operational decisions. If a flight is canceled, passengers should act quickly to rebook digitally instead of waiting in long lines at service desks, as available seats can disappear within minutes during major disruptions like Gianna.

For those who must drive, emergency management agencies emphasize slow speeds and ample following distance, especially on bridges, elevated roadways and untreated secondary roads. Motorists are encouraged to keep a winter emergency kit in their vehicles, including blankets, warm clothing, water, nonperishable snacks, a phone charger and any essential medications. In areas expecting wind chills near or below zero, becoming stranded without proper clothing can quickly turn into a life-threatening situation.

Travelers with hotel or short-term rental reservations in storm-affected areas should also communicate with their lodging providers. Some properties have lost power or are operating on limited services, while others may be flexible about late arrivals or cancellations due to the storm. Documenting disruptions and any extra out-of-pocket costs may also be important later for those who have trip insurance that covers weather-related interruptions.

Forecast: What to Expect Over the Next 48 Hours

Gianna’s center is gradually lifting northeast off the Atlantic coast, but its impacts will linger across parts of the South and East through at least Monday. Wraparound snow and gusty winds are expected to continue over portions of the Carolinas, southern Virginia and possibly into the Delmarva Peninsula, although accumulations should taper compared with the intense bands that hit on Saturday and early Sunday.

Behind the departing bomb cyclone, a fresh surge of Arctic air will spread south and east, maintaining bitterly cold temperatures from the Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic down through the Deep South and Florida. Overnight lows in interior sections of the Southeast are forecast to drop into the teens and single digits, with wind chills below zero in some spots. In Florida, subfreezing temperatures could persist long enough in some agricultural areas to further stress crops and infrastructure.

In the Northeast, Gianna will brush coastal New England with light snow, gusty winds and pockets of coastal flooding, particularly on east- and northeast-facing shorelines during high tides. Inland areas from Pennsylvania through upstate New York and northern New England will mainly contend with the cold, although any lingering moisture could trigger scattered snow showers that briefly reduce visibility on high-speed roadways.

Looking ahead, medium-range outlooks suggest an active pattern will persist across North America, with the potential for additional winter systems tracking across the continent over the coming week. While none are yet forecast to match Gianna’s intensity as a bomb cyclone, travelers planning trips through early February should prepare for the possibility of further weather-related delays and stay alert to updated forecasts.

Travel Safety Tips for Air and Road During Extreme Winter Weather

Events like Winter Storm Gianna highlight how quickly travel plans can unravel during a high-impact winter event. Aviation specialists advise that when a major storm is clearly in the forecast, travelers should avoid last departures of the day, which can leave them stranded overnight if a cancellation occurs. Morning flights are generally more likely to depart on time in the early stages of a weather event or during the recovery phase after it passes.

On the roads, safety experts point out that the majority of winter-weather crashes occur not during full whiteout conditions, when many people stay home, but in the hours before and after the heaviest snow, when drivers underestimate how slippery surfaces have become. Black ice, particularly on bridges and shaded sections of highway, is a persistent hazard as temperatures fluctuate near freezing. Reducing speed, avoiding sudden braking or lane changes and allowing extra time can substantially lower the risk of a serious collision.

Travelers who rely on navigation apps should not assume that a suggested “shortcut” on secondary or rural roads is safer or faster during a storm. Main interstates and primary highways are generally first in line for plowing and salting, and are more likely to have regular patrols and quicker access to emergency assistance. In storm zones, it is often safer to stick to those primary routes, even if the app shows a slightly longer estimated travel time.

Finally, weather and transportation officials stress the importance of heeding local advisories. If authorities issue travel bans, curfews or strong pleas to stay off the roads, those directives reflect not only road conditions but also the capacity of hospitals, first responders and utility crews already stretched thin by the storm. Respecting those warnings helps reduce preventable emergencies and allows recovery to proceed more quickly.

FAQ

Q1: What exactly is a bomb cyclone and how does it relate to Winter Storm Gianna?
Gianna is classified as a bomb cyclone because its central pressure dropped rapidly in a short period of time as it moved off the Southeast coast, leading to a tightly wound storm with intense winds and widespread heavy precipitation. The term refers to the speed of strengthening, not to any explosive device, but such storms often bring some of the most severe winter conditions of the season.

Q2: Which regions are experiencing the worst travel disruptions from Gianna?
The most severe disruptions so far have occurred in the Carolinas, especially around Charlotte and across much of North Carolina, along with parts of South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee and neighboring states. Air travel impacts extend well beyond those areas, affecting major hubs like Charlotte, Atlanta and airports along the East Coast.

Q3: How many flights have been canceled due to the storm?
Across the weekend, thousands of flights have been canceled nationwide, with at least several thousand cancellations reported between Saturday and Sunday alone. Charlotte Douglas International Airport has seen a particularly high percentage of cancellations, at times reaching upward of 80 percent of scheduled departures.

Q4: If my flight is still listed as on time, should I still go to the airport?
Travel experts recommend checking your airline’s app or website frequently and enabling alerts right up until you leave for the airport. If forecasts or advisories suggest conditions will deteriorate around your departure time, consider contacting your airline to explore rebooking options, especially if weather waivers are in place.

Q5: Are trains and buses also affected by Winter Storm Gianna?
Yes. Regional and long-distance rail services in parts of the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic have encountered delays and cancellations due to snow-covered tracks, downed trees and signal issues. Bus operators have suspended or rerouted some services where highways are closed or conditions are too hazardous.

Q6: How long will road conditions remain dangerous after the snow ends?
Because Gianna is followed by bitter Arctic air, icy and snow-packed roads may remain hazardous for at least 24 to 48 hours after the heaviest snowfall ends, especially on untreated or lightly traveled routes. Meltwater during the day can refreeze at night, creating black ice that is difficult to see even on otherwise clear pavement.

Q7: What should I pack in my car if I must drive during the storm?
If travel is absolutely necessary, pack warm clothing, blankets, water, snacks, a flashlight, a phone charger, a scraper or brush and any essential medications. It is also helpful to have sand or kitty litter for traction, as well as a small shovel if you become stuck in snow.

Q8: How does this storm compare to other recent winter events in terms of travel impact?
Gianna follows a series of major winter storms that have already caused tens of thousands of flight cancellations and widespread road closures across the United States this season. While final numbers are still being tallied, the combination of a bomb cyclone, record or near-record snowfall in unusual locations and bitter cold places Gianna among the more disruptive storms of the winter.

Q9: Is it safer to delay my trip by a day or two?
In many cases, yes. Waiting 24 to 48 hours can allow road crews to clear highways, utilities to restore power and airlines to reposition aircraft and crews. If your travel is not urgent, delaying your departure until conditions and operations stabilize significantly reduces your risk of long delays, cancellations or dangerous driving.

Q10: Where can I find the most reliable updates on Gianna and travel conditions?
For weather, rely on the National Weather Service and local meteorologists. For transportation, check directly with your airline, rail or bus operator, as well as state and local transportation departments that post highway closure and road condition updates. Avoid relying solely on social media posts that may be outdated or inaccurate.