[Storm. Photo Credit to Pixabay]

In late January 2026, Winter Storm Fern brought parts of the United States and Canada to a standstill. 

The storm, officially named Winter Storm Fern, began advancing eastward on Friday January 23, 2026, bringing heavy snow, ice, and dangerously cold temperatures across large portions of North America.

The storm’s impact has been widespread, affecting regions from the southern Rocky Mountains to New England, and deep into the Midwest and Southern Plains.

Daily life was massively disrupted as thousands of flights were canceled, schools were closed, and grocery stores reported shortages of essential goods such as milk, bread, and eggs.

In several U.S. states, including New Jersey and Ohio, cities rushed to stockpile road salt as supplies ran dangerously low.

Not only limited to the United States, Canada is also facing record-breaking snowfall and hazardous conditions.

The storm pounded Ontario and Quebec particularly hard, with disruptions reported across major urban centers.

In Ontario, Toronto experienced record-breaking snowfall.

Environment Canada’s updated that 61centimeters of snow fell in downtown Toronto, the highest totals ever observed in the city’s core.

Toronto Pearson Airport recorded 46 centimetres of snowfall in a single day, setting a new daily snowfall record and pushing January’s total accumulation to 88.2 centimeters.

Environment Canada officials remarked that it is “the snowiest January and the snowiest month since records began in 1937.”

More than 430 collisions were reported in Toronto, with an additional 200 in surrounding areas as of January 26. 

Over 500 flights were cancelled as heavy snowfall severely disrupted airport operations. 

In Quebec, Montreal was still under heavy snowfall, and several school closures were announced due to hazardous weather conditions. 

Authorities urged residents to exercise caution as snow continued to accumulate in eastern Ontario and surrounding regions.

Atlantic Canada experienced snowfalls between 20 and 30 centimetres, with snowfall warnings issued for parts of southern New Brunswick and most of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

Canadian police warned drivers that roadsides banks of snow created by snowplows can cause “launch-type angle” for cars and that this might lead cars to fly off the highway.

Meteorologist Geoff Coulson described such one-day snowfall events as “pretty rare” in Ontario, specifically Toronto and Kingston, although similar storms have previously occurred in Atlantic Canada.

Authorities in both countries continue to monitor conditions as extreme cold, power outages, transportation disruptions, and hazardous roads remain concerns.

Officials have urged residents to follow emergency updates and heed official warnings as recovery efforts continue in affected areas.