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winter storm brought deep cold, ice, sleet, and snow

A colossal winter storm

Photos: Snow and Ice Blanket the U.S.

USA Jan 30, 2026

Photography

A colossal winter storm brought deep cold, ice, sleet, and snow to millions across a huge swath of the country.

By Alan TaylorJanuary 26, 2026

A bronze statue of a bluegrass singer stands outside an auditorium, covered in ice.
Brett Carlsen / GettyA statue of Bill Monroe covered in ice stands outside the Ryman Auditorium during a winter storm on January 25, 2026, in Nashville.
A deer covered in snow licks its lips.
Tanya Breen / Asbury Park Press / USA Today / ReutersA deer is blanketed in snow as the winter storm continues into the afternoon on January 25, 2026, in West Caldwell, New Jersey.
Patchy fog rises from the water of a harbor as a ferry passes by at sunrise.
Robert F. Bukaty / APSea smoke rises from Casco Bay at sunrise on a cold morning as a ferry makes its way to Portland, Maine, on January 24, 2026.
Snowflakes fall in front of the US Capitol Building.
Kent Nishimura / GettySnow falls over the U.S. Capitol on January, 25, 2026, in Washington, D.C.
Ice hangs from power lines and tree branches.
Camden Hall / NurPhoto / GettyIce hangs from power lines during a winter storm in Brentwood, Tennessee, on January 25, 2026.
A person takes a photograph from atop a snow-covered bridge, standing beside a statue of a deer leaning on the railing.
Adam Cairns / Columbus Dispatch / USA Today / ReutersJace Johnston of Franklinton, Ohio, takes a photo over the Scioto River as a winter storm continued to dump snow on the Columbus area on January 25, 2026.
An aerial view of a residential neighborhood covered in a fresh snowfall.
Bryan Terry / The Oklahoman / USA Today / ReutersSnow covers the ground in northwest Oklahoma City on January 25, 2026.
A snowplow drives across a bridge during a snowstorm.
Michael Nagle / Bloomberg / GettyA snow plow crosses the Brooklyn Bridge during a winter storm in New York on January 25, 2026.
Workers try to restore power after a tree fell across powerlines during an ice storm.
Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA Today / ReutersNashville Electric Services crews work on restoring power after a tree fell across a street on January 25, 2026.
People walk past empty shelves inside a grocery store.
Gene J. Puskar / APShelves that once contained water are picked over at a Pittsburgh market ahead of the snowstorm, on January 24, 2026.
People play with snowballs by the Washington Monument during a snowfall.
Elizabeth Frantz / ReutersPeople play with snowballs by the Washington Monument during a snowfall in Washington, D.C., on January 25, 2026.
Snow and ice cover the floor of a subway car.
Bing Guan / ReutersSnow and ice cover the floor of a Flatbush-bound train between the Borough Hall and Hoyt Street subway stations in Brooklyn, on January 25, 2026.
A person rides a bike, pulling a person behind them over a light dusting of snow.
Megan Smith / ReutersOscar Maya rides a bike while pulling Margaret Dwelle in the snow during a winter storm in Denton, Texas, on January 25, 2026.
People walk around a frozen fountain in a park.
Heather Khalifa / APPeople walk around a frozen fountain at Bryant Park on January 25, 2026, in New York.
A farmer feeds cows during a snowstorm.
Michael Swensen / Bloomberg / GettyA farmer feeds cows during a winter storm in Cynthiana, Kentucky, on January 25, 2026.
Two front-end loaders dump snow into an ice melter near a passenger aircraft.
Michael Nagle / Bloomberg / GettyFront-end loaders dump snow into an ice melter near an American Airlines plane at LaGuardia Airport during a winter storm in the Queens borough of New York on January 25, 2026.
A group of men help to push a car stuck in the snow in a city street.
Andres Kudacki / GettyA group of men push a car stuck in the snow on January 25, 2026, in New York City.
Bare tree branches, covered in ice
Kate Dearman / Bloomberg / GettyTree branches covered in ice, seen in east Nashville on January 25, 2026.
A person snowboards down a snowy street.
Justin Merriman / Bloomberg / GettyA person snowboards down a snowy street during a winter storm in Pittsburgh on January 25, 2026.

About the Author

Alan Taylor is a senior editor at The Atlantic.

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Editor, curator, and founder of bilingual platforms focused on cultural critique, legacy-building, and editorial transparency. Based in Spain, active across Europe and Southeast Asia.Championing editorial clarity, mythic publishing, and queer voice.