A powerful winter storm underwent rapid intensification along the East Coast from January 30 to February 1, 2026, bringing historic snow to the Carolinas and deep winter cold across much of the eastern United States. The nor’easter disrupted travel, caused power outages, and extended freezing conditions into Georgia and Alabama.
Record-breaking cold affected nearly all of Florida at dawn on February 1, 2026, when minimum temperatures fell to between −5 and −3°C (26–23°F) across central and eastern regions. The National Weather Service Melbourne Office reported that daily records were broken or tied at all of their official climate observation sites, including Orlando, Daytona Beach, Sanford, Melbourne, Vero Beach, and Fort Pierce.
A powerful nor’easter is forecast to impact the U.S. Southeast coast late on January 30, 2026, bringing heavy snow to the Carolinas and Virginia, with accumulations reaching up to 30 cm (12 inches), along with strong winds and coastal flooding persisting through February 2.
Up to 115 fatalities have been reported across more than 20 states in the U.S. after a historic winter storm swept through the eastern two-thirds of the country between January 24 and 26, 2026. The storm is now the deadliest since the 2021 Texas power crisis, when multiple storms claimed nearly 250 lives across the country, and has surpassed the death toll of the 2022 Buffalo Blizzard of the Century.
Multiple tornadoes hit Antalya Province, Turkey, late on January 26, 2026, causing major damage to coastal and inland districts. Hundreds of acres of fruit and vegetable crops across greenhouses in the province were damaged by the tornadoes, while much of the region reeled from the recent flooding.
Boston remains under a cold weather advisory through Saturday, January 31, 2026, as bitter cold and hazardous wind chills persist following a major winter storm that dropped about 58 cm (23 inches) of snow, placing it among the city’s top 10 snowfall totals on record.
Storm Chandra the United Kingdom and Ireland with major flooding, power outages, and travel disruptions on January 27 and 28, 2026. Hundreds of flood alerts were issued across the affected regions while local councils and emergency services carried out rescues in the southwest, where rainfall totals reached 45 mm (1.8 inches) in 24 hours with coastal gusts peaking near 110 km/h (70 mph).
A surge of Arctic air will spread across the central and eastern United States from Friday, January 30, 2026, bringing the longest duration of cold in several decades to parts of the region. Forecast confidence has increased for a winter storm to develop along the East Coast over the weekend, with the highest likelihood of heavy snowfall across the Carolinas and southern Virginia, and gusty coastal winds extending into the Mid-Atlantic.
At least two people were killed in Portugal on January 28, 2026, as Storm Kristin brought destructive winds to the Iberian Peninsula after undergoing explosive cyclogenesis on January 27. A rare sting jet developed with the storm, intensifying hurricane-force winds.
A powerful coastal storm is forecast to affect parts of the eastern United States over the coming weekend. The system is forecast to develop off the Southeast Coast on Saturday, January 31, 2026, and track northeastward through Sunday, February 1, bringing the potential for heavy snow, gusty winds, and hazardous travel conditions across portions of the Mid-Atlantic and New England.
