A sprawling winter storm poised to develop late this week is setting up a rare multi-day ice and snow event from northern Mexico across Texas and into Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and the Carolinas, with forecasters warning of life-threatening travel conditions and potentially long-lasting power outages through the weekend.

As Arctic air dives south and collides with deep Gulf moisture, meteorologists say the ingredients are aligning for a high-impact winter weather outbreak that could paralyze key road and air corridors across the southern United States.

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Storm Timeline: Trouble Begins Late Friday and Peaks Over the Weekend

Forecast models as of Wednesday, January 21, show a powerful winter storm organizing over the Southern Plains on Friday, January 23, before sliding east across the Gulf Coast states and into the Carolinas through Sunday, January 25. An initial wave of rain is expected to break out across Texas and Louisiana by Friday, with temperatures tumbling behind an advancing Arctic front Friday night. As that colder air undercuts warmer, moisture-rich air aloft, rain is projected to transition to freezing rain and sleet in a broad zone from central and northeast Texas through northern Louisiana and Mississippi and into Alabama and Georgia.

The National Weather Service and private forecast outlets are emphasizing that the most severe impacts will likely occur late Friday night through Sunday, when the overlap between subfreezing surface temperatures and persistent precipitation will be greatest. Some regions could endure 24 to 36 hours of on-and-off freezing rain or sleet, increasing the odds of dangerous ice buildup on trees, power lines and bridges.

By Saturday, the wintry mix is expected to shift east and northeast, spreading into the Carolinas while lingering bands of freezing rain and snow continue from eastern Texas through Louisiana and Mississippi. Higher-elevation areas of the southern Appalachians could pick up significant snowfall, while lower elevations from Atlanta to Charlotte contend with glazing ice and treacherous roads. Forecasters caution that the exact placement of the heaviest ice and snow bands will not be fully clear until closer to the event, but confidence is already high that the storm will be widespread and disruptive.

Texas Braces for Prolonged Freeze and Hazardous Ice

Texas is expected to be among the first and hardest-hit areas as Arctic air surges southward and locks in a long-duration freeze. The National Weather Service offices serving the state are warning that parts of the Hill Country and the I 35 corridor could remain at or below freezing for 48 to 60 hours beginning late Friday, a setup that raises the risk of extensive icing if precipitation persists during that window.

In central Texas, including cities such as Austin and San Antonio, forecast guidance points to a period of cold, wind-driven rain transitioning to freezing rain late Friday night into Saturday morning, especially north and northwest of the urban centers. Farther north toward Dallas and into northeast Texas, the colder air will arrive earlier and may produce a mix of sleet and snow on top of ice, complicating road treatment and snow removal efforts.

Transportation officials are already signaling that pretreatment operations on highways, overpasses and major interchanges will ramp up through Thursday and Friday, but they warn that persistent freezing rain can quickly overwhelm standard road salting strategies. After multiple winter storms in recent years, emergency managers are urging Texans to avoid nonessential travel during the height of the event, emphasizing that black ice and rapidly changing conditions can catch even experienced drivers off guard.

Louisiana, Alabama and Georgia Face Widespread Ice Threat

To the east of Texas, a corridor from northern Louisiana through central Mississippi and into northern and central Alabama and Georgia is emerging as a potential epicenter for damaging ice accumulation. Forecasts from the Weather Prediction Center highlight a significant probability of at least moderate snow and ice impacts across this belt, with some simulations indicating the possibility of more than one quarter to one half inch of ice on exposed surfaces in localized areas.

In Louisiana, residents still mindful of last winter’s unusual snow and ice events are being told to prepare for another round of disruptive winter weather, though this time the emphasis is likely to be more on freezing rain than heavy snow. Cities such as Shreveport, Monroe and Alexandria could see power lines, tree limbs and elevated roadways coated in ice by late Saturday, with state officials considering preemptive closures of vulnerable bridges and flyovers if surface temperatures plummet as projected.

Farther east, utilities and emergency management agencies in Alabama and Georgia are closely tracking the evolving forecasts. The Atlanta area, which has a history of severe disruption from even modest ice events, may again find itself on the dividing line between cold rain and potentially significant icing late Saturday into Sunday. State and local leaders have already begun reviewing contingency plans for closing government offices, adjusting school schedules early next week, and staging additional tow trucks and sand trucks along key interstates such as I 20, I 75 and I 85 in case traffic snarls develop.

North Carolina and the Carolinas Corridor Prepare for a Double Hit

As the storm system intensifies and moves east, cold air filtering down the eastern side of the Appalachians will set the stage for a challenging mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain across the Carolinas. North Carolina in particular faces the prospect of both heavy snow in the mountains and dangerous ice accumulations in parts of the Piedmont and interior coastal plain.

Meteorologists in Raleigh and Charlotte are cautioning that the precise rain snow line will be highly sensitive to subtle temperature changes just a few hundred feet above the surface. Slight variations in the storm track could determine whether major population centers see mostly cold rain, a glaze of ice that snarls traffic but spares power infrastructure, or a more serious ice storm capable of bringing down trees and utility lines. With cold air expected to remain entrenched into early next week, any ice that does accrete could linger on roads and sidewalks well after the last band of precipitation passes.

Coastal sections of the Carolinas are more likely to experience wind-swept rain, though brief periods of sleet or wet snow cannot be ruled out during the coldest phases of the storm. However, forecasters emphasize that inland travel routes that connect coastal communities to interstate corridors may face much more severe conditions, complicating evacuations or supply runs if power outages become widespread farther inland.

Mexico’s Northern States See Rare Winter Impacts

The same Arctic air mass driving the southern U.S. winter storm is spilling south across the border into northern Mexico, where communities that typically see only light frost or occasional flurries are bracing for more substantial winter conditions. Forecasts indicate that parts of Coahuila, Nuevo León and Tamaulipas could experience a combination of hard freezes, wintry mix and freezing drizzle from late Friday into Sunday.

While heavy snow is not currently expected to be the dominant hazard in most of northern Mexico, the intersection of subfreezing temperatures and intermittent precipitation raises concerns for icy roadways, particularly on highland routes and mountain passes that link interior states with border crossings into Texas. Authorities in both countries are monitoring the potential for temporary closures of key commercial corridors if conditions deteriorate.

Public works departments in affected Mexican states, which often have limited snow and ice removal equipment, are focusing on issuing public advisories and encouraging residents to limit travel during the worst of the storm. In border cities, coordination with U.S. weather and emergency agencies has increased, as officials aim to avoid a repeat of past winter weather episodes that left vehicles stranded on highways and bridges spanning the Rio Grande.

Travel Chaos Looms on Highways and in the Air

From a travel perspective, meteorologists and transportation planners describe the upcoming storm as one of the most consequential winter events of the season for the southern United States. A broad swath of major interstates, including I 10, I 20, I 35, I 40 and I 85, lies within the projected zone of freezing rain, sleet and snow, raising the potential for multi-state traffic disruptions. Even moderate icing can quickly shut down elevated sections of these routes, leading to extended backups and forcing commercial drivers and holiday travelers to reroute or delay trips.

Air travel is also expected to be significantly affected. Major hubs at Dallas Fort Worth, Houston, Atlanta and Charlotte sit near or within the forecast impact area, and airlines are already signaling that proactive schedule adjustments and weather waivers are likely as the weekend nears. Past southern ice storms have demonstrated how quickly ground operations can slow or halt when ramp surfaces, jetways and taxiways glaze over, forcing cascading delays across national networks.

Rail and bus operators are reviewing contingency plans as well, particularly in corridors where icing on overhead power lines or switches can disrupt service. For travelers with flexibility, meteorologists advise considering earlier departures ahead of Friday night or postponing nonessential trips until after conditions improve, potentially not until early next week in the hardest-hit ice zones.

Power Grid and Infrastructure Under Strain

One of the most serious concerns associated with this storm is its potential to stress electrical grids and critical infrastructure across a region that has seen repeated winter-related power issues in recent years. Forecasts from the Weather Prediction Center and regional utilities suggest that a broad area from northeast Texas through northern Louisiana and Mississippi and into Alabama and Georgia could see enough ice accretion on trees and lines to trigger scattered to widespread outages.

Utility companies across the South are already arranging for mutual aid crews and prepositioning equipment ahead of the storm, seeking to shorten response times if power lines succumb to falling branches or ice loads. However, experts warn that if ice accumulations approach or exceed one half inch over large areas, restoration could take days rather than hours, especially in heavily wooded or rural regions where access may be restricted by blocked roads.

Beyond electricity, water systems and transportation infrastructure could also come under pressure. Prolonged subfreezing temperatures combined with intermittent power loss increase the risk of frozen pipes and water main breaks, particularly in buildings and neighborhoods not designed for extended hard freezes. Bridges and overpasses, which cool faster than surrounding pavement, are likely to become hazardous well before surface streets, prompting early closures or restrictions in many jurisdictions.

Officials Urge Early Preparation as Forecast Confidence Grows

With multiple forecast models converging on the likelihood of a high-impact winter storm, emergency managers across the affected states are shifting from watchful waiting to active preparation. Governors and local officials are urging residents to stock up on essentials such as nonperishable food, water, medications and batteries by Thursday, before conditions deteriorate and roads become difficult or impossible to navigate.

Public safety agencies emphasize that, unlike fast-moving snow squalls that can pass in a matter of hours, this storm’s freezing rain and sleet may come in waves over several days, prolonging the period of danger. Residents are being asked to check on vulnerable neighbors, particularly the elderly and those with limited mobility, and to ensure that alternate heat sources are safe and properly ventilated to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning if power does fail.

Forecasters stress that while some details about the precise placement of the heaviest ice and snow will continue to shift as new data arrives, the overarching message remains consistent: from northern Mexico through Texas and into Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and the Carolinas, the upcoming weekend is likely to bring a combination of ice, freezing rain and snow that will disrupt travel and daily life. Travelers and residents are being urged to follow updates from the National Weather Service and local authorities closely as the storm approaches and to be prepared to change plans on short notice.