Power outages are surging across Florida this morning as dangerously cold air blasts the state. As of 8:30 a.m. ET, PowerOutage.com shows more than 33,000 customers are now without power - triple the number from just hours ago.
Now energy providers are asking some Florida residents to turn off the lights. The Orlando Utilities Commission just posted on X that it is asking residents in its service area to conserve power due to unusually high demand, which has reduced the power supply.
Myrtle Beach is currently undergoing a total identity crisis, trading its signature "sun and seagulls" aesthetic for a full-blown Arctic makeover. With up to 8 inches of snow blanketing the sand, the Grand Strand has officially swapped flip-flops for parkas, proving that even a palm tree looks a little chicer with a dusting of "frosting."
We're getting a better look at just how far south the snow fell on Saturday thanks to new imagery from space. NOAA's GOES-19 satellite captured this image early Sunday morning of the snow covering eastern Georgia and all of South Carolina. This weekend's nor'easter dumped more than a foot of record-setting snow on the Carolinas.
{{#rendered}}U.S. air travel has descended into chaos for the second weekend in a row as a powerful nor'easter triggered more than 16,300 flight disruptions nationwide. While the storm brought record snow to the Carolinas, its ripple effects have paralyzed the nation's busiest aviation corridors, forcing airlines to cancel or delay nearly thousands flights over the course of the week.
Charlotte Douglas (CLT) remained the "epicenter of misery" after an 11-inch snow dump grounded over 800 flights on Sunday alone. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta (ATL) followed closely, reporting over 500 cancellations on Saturday as Delta Air Lines struggled to maintain its primary hub operations.
Even airports spared from the heaviest snow, such as Raleigh-Durham (RDU), faced massive disruptions with dozens of morning cancellations because aircraft were unable to arrive the night before.
Transportation officials warn that while conditions are improving, it could take through Wednesday for schedules to fully normalize as airlines work to reposition crews and aircraft displaced by the storm.
{{#rendered}}The historic chill currently gripping the Eastern United States isn't just a fleeting cold snap - it is the result of a "locked" atmospheric pattern that FOX Weather meteorologists warn could persist deep into February 2026.
The primary culprit behind this current "deep freeze" is a significant disruption of the polar vortex. Usually, this area of low pressure keeps frigid air bottled up over the Arctic. However, a combination of warm Arctic waters and heavy snow in Siberia has caused the vortex to "stretch" or elongate. Instead of spinning in a tight circle, the vortex has buckled, creating a direct conveyor belt of Arctic air flowing into the Eastern two-thirds of America. Experts note that once the polar vortex is disrupted in this way, it can take weeks for the circulation to stabilize, meaning the "floodgates" remain open for repeated cold surges.
The long-term pattern is being reinforced by high-latitude atmospheric blocking—specifically a "Greenland Block" (a negative phase of the North Atlantic Oscillation or -NAO). This high-pressure block acts like a dam in the atmosphere over the North Atlantic, preventing storms and cold air masses from progressing east. Because the air has nowhere to go, the record-shattering cold stalls over the East Coast, allowing temperatures to plummet day after day rather than moderating quickly.
While we are currently in a weak La Niña phase, which often favors warmer Southern winters, it is currently being overridden by a strongly positive Pacific North American (PNA) pattern. A massive ridge of high pressure is stuck over the Western U.S. (keeping it warm and dry), while a deep trough is carved out over the East. As snow cover builds in the Carolinas and Virginia, it reflects sunlight and cools the air further, helping to anchor the cold air mass in place.
The FOX Forecast Center says a brief reprieve or slight moderation in temperatures may occur mid-month, long-range models suggest this is not the end of winter. Forecasters are already tracking another potential cold blast in the second week of February, which could unleash another round of sub-zero temperatures and snow for the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.
{{#rendered}}The FOX Forecast Center says the snow is winding down across eastern North Carolina as the historic nor'easter moves deeper into the Atlantic Ocean. The snow is expected to end this morning, but the gusty winds will continue into the afternoon.
Orlando’s major theme parks have closed their water-based operations as a rare Extreme Cold Warning grips Central Florida. Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon is closed through Tuesday, February 3, while Universal’s Volcano Bay is closed at least through today due to "inclement weather" and dangerously low temperatures.
Beyond the water parks, the arctic blast is impacting dry-land attractions as well. Outdoor water-based rides like Tiana’s Bayou Adventure are seeing delayed openings. Walt Disney World's website says the attraction isn't scheduled to open until 11:00 a.m. to allow temperatures to rise. With wind chills forecast in the teens, parks have urged guests to dress in heavy winter layers.
{{#rendered}}Power outages are steadily climbing across Florida as the historic Arctic blast pushes the state's electrical grid to its limits, with over 25,000 customers currently in the dark.
A quick look at the map and you'll see - there's no escaping the brutal cold sweeping across America. Temperatures are below freezing all the way down to Florida with life-threatening wind chills across dozens of states.
{{#rendered}}{{#rendered}}Coastal flooding is underway along North Carolina's Outer Banks and on Hatteras Island this morning. The FOX Forecast Center says more than 2 feet of water has surged inland, threatening homes and businesses. High tide is occurring now, but the threat for flooding is expected through the morning as powerful winds spinning around the nor'easter push water onto normally dry ground.
A dangerous Coastal Flood Warning remains in effect for the Northern Outer Banks and Hatteras Island as a powerful nor'easter bomb cyclone intensifies offshore this morning. Forecasters warn of severe ocean and soundside inundation, with 2 to 4 feet of flooding expected in low-lying areas and along tidal waterways.
The most significant flooding is anticipated to occur early this morning, coinciding with the high tide. Travel along N.C. Highway 12 is expected to be impossible or life-threatening due to significant ocean overwash and rapid deterioration of road conditions. Oceanfront properties with compromised dunes, particularly in Rodanthe and Buxton, are at extreme risk for overwash.
Florida is currently shivering through its most severe cold snap in decades as a historic Arctic blast plunges temperatures to record-shattering lows across the state. This morning, West Palm Beach plummeted to 30°F, marking the city's coldest temperature since the legendary 1989 freeze.
Farther south, Miami and Fort Lauderdale both dropped to 36°F, tying 117-year-old records and driving wind chills into the dangerous mid-20s. These extreme conditions have triggered rare Extreme Cold Warnings all the way to the Florida Keys, threatening local agriculture and prompting officials to warn residents of immobilized iguanas falling from trees.
{{#rendered}}As the powerful nor'easter continues to strengthen over the Atlantic, potent winds are lashing eastern North Carolina this morning. Sustained winds range from 20-30 mph in many spots with gusts up to 50 mph. The combination of wind and snow has created near-blizzard conditions along the Outer Banks.
Charlotte is digging out after the nor'easter dumped 11.0 inches of snow across the city, tying for the fourth-largest one-day snowfall in the Queen City's history. This massive accumulation shattered the previous January 31 daily record of 0.9 inches set back in 1948 and stands as the biggest snow event for the metro area since a monster storm in 2004.
{{#rendered}}As a powerful nor'easter continues to lash North Carolina with strong winds and lingering snow, more than 5,500 customers across the state are currently without power. According to PowerOutage.com, the hardest-hit areas include Brunswick County, with over 1,000 outages, and Dare County, which is reporting approximately 900 homes and businesses in the dark.
Utility crews from providers like Duke Energy and Dominion Energy are working to restore service, though hazardous road conditions and blowing snow continue to complicate their efforts in the most impacted areas.
To get the most accurate snow total, skip the grass and find a flat, level surface away from buildings and wind-swept drifts. Use a sturdy ruler to measure straight down to the base, taking several samples across your yard to calculate a true average. For the best results during long storms, clear your "snow board" every six hours to prevent the weight of new flakes from compacting your totals.
{{#rendered}}For the second weekend in a row, airlines are facing huge disruptions due to winter weather. Since Friday, more than 15,500 total flights have been delayed or canceled according to the latest data from FlightAware.
The travel trouble has been most acute at major hubs like Charlotte Douglas International (CLT), which saw more than 80% of its Saturday schedule wiped out as record-breaking snow overwhelmed ground crews. With the storm continuing to "bomb out" and arctic air surging south, travelers should expect cascading delays to persist through at least Monday afternoon.
The FOX Forecast Center says the major nor'easter spinning off the Atlantic Coast of the U.S. has officially 'bombed out' - or rapidly intensified.
According to surface analysis, the surface pressure was 1010 millibars on Saturday morning. Current analysis has the low down to 983 millibars. This meets the official definition of bombogenesis, which is rapid intensification of 24+ millibars in a 24-hour period.
Early Sunday morning, the National Weather Service office in Ruskin, Florida reported rare snow flurries as extreme arctic air surged over the relatively warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
This "Gulf-effect" phenomenon, meteorologically similar to lake-effect snow, occurred as temperatures plummeted into the mid-to-upper 30s, allowing light rain to transition into dancing flakes for the first time in the Tampa Bay area in 16 years. While no accumulation was recorded, the sighting marks a historic moment for the region during one of its most significant cold snaps since 2010.
{{#rendered}}I-85 is back open in Cabarrus County, North Carolina this morning after a major pile-up on Saturday evening. The North Carolina National Guard was called in to support the North Carolina Highway Patrol and North Carolina Department of Transportation after dozens of vehicles became stranded in the snow. In a post on X, the state's highway patrol troopers reminded everyone to stay off the roads until the wintry weather ended.
{{#rendered}}In a post on X, the North Carolina Highway Patrol says it responded to 750 accidents across the state between midnight and 6 a.m. ET on Saturday - a number that has likely increased overnight.
The agency says it has answered more than 800 calls for service since the storm began.
{{#rendered}}The FOX Forecast Center says the powerful nor'easter off the East Coast of the United States isn't finishing lashing North Carolina this morning. Radar shows snow still falling from Elizabeth City to Kinston to Wilmington where the combination of snow and strong winds is producing near-blizzard conditions at beaches on the coast.
Florida is enduring its coldest air in over 15 years as a historic arctic blast plunges temperatures to record lows across the peninsula. Miami is shivering at a frosty 37°F this morning, one degree shy of tying a daily record set in 1909, while wind chills in many areas are making it feel like the mid-20s. Rare freeze and extreme cold warnings extend all the way to the Florida Keys, threatening local agriculture and causing officials to warn residents about the risk of falling, immobilized iguanas.
FOX Weather is bringing you live updates as the powerful nor'easter bomb cyclone clobbers the Carolinas with record-breaking snow and intense winds. Charlotte has shattered daily snow records while near-blizzard conditions paralyze eastern North Carolina and Virginia. Meanwhile, a historic arctic blast is plunging Florida into a record-setting deep freeze, with Miami facing its coldest temperatures in over 15 years and rare warnings reaching the Florida Keys. More than 145 million Americans are waking up under some type of cold weather alert this morning.
{{#rendered}}You can go back and see how the forecast has evolved with live updates from Friday's coverage.
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