Bitter Cold Spreads Across Much of the US as Texas and the South Brace for Rare Winter Storm

A pedestrian crosses First Avenue as a winter storm sweeps over the intermountain West, plunging temperatures into the single digits and bringing along a light snow in its wake, in Denver on Jan. 18, 2025. David Zalubowski/AP Photo

Frigid temperatures engulfed the South on Monday ahead of a winter storm that’s expected to spread heavy snow and disruptive ice around a region from Texas to north Florida that rarely sees such weather, sending residents rushing to insulate pipes, check heating systems and stock up on emergency supplies.

In Texas, both Houston airports announced flight operations would be suspended starting Tuesday in expectation of hazardous conditions from an unusual blast of severe winter weather taking aim at a huge swath of the South including much of the northern Gulf Coast.