The Daily Briefing

YOUR MORNING NEWS ROUNDUP

Sat Jan 24 2026

Nicole Fallert
Reporter & Newsletter Writer

Greetings from inside my snow fort. ❄️

Nicole Fallert here with a special edition of The Daily Briefing dedicated to the major storm marching across the country. I hope you are all staying safe, staying warm and staying off the roads as much as you're able.

... Was that a tree that just exploded?!

Tens of millions of Americans across more than two dozen states are under winter weather alerts Saturday as snow, sleet and dangerous ice threaten to sweep through half of the U.S. through the weekend.

USA TODAY is covering the winter storm LIVE with updates from forecasters and on-the-ground reporters across the country. We've got answers to your questions, from how to keep your pipes from freezing to what this weather means for the NFL Playoffs.

The storm path

The storm began out of Texas and Oklahoma Friday evening, hitting the region with heavy sleet and snow. On Saturday, the system is expected to push toward Virginia, dumping a foot of snow or more on parts of the Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic, while New England sees double-digit subzero temperatures.

Forecasters warn this could be a "potentially historic storm" and urge people to "be prepared to be stuck at home."

•	Monitor snow accumulation with USA TODAY's storm tracker.
•	Prepare for flight cancelations and delays.
•	Wide stance. Knees bent. Make sure you're shoveling snow correctly (or pass the chore on if you're not able).
•	If you're not used to driving in the snow, here's how to steer safely and avoid a pile-up.
•	The psychology behind why we panic-buy before storms.
•	See stunning photos from the massive storm.

Follow USA TODAY storm coverage

•	Breaking news alerts: Download the free USA TODAY app and turn on "Notifications" to get breaking news updates on the winter storm.
•	Weather alerts via text: Sign up to get updates about current storms and weather events in your area.