health
January 24, 2026
Winter Storm Fern could cause significant power outages
The electric grid in many parts of the U.S. is already under strain due to rising demand from data centers and the slow construction of new power generation.
TL;DR
- Winter Storm Fern is expected to impact over 170 million Americans with bitter cold, snow, sleet, and ice.
- Catastrophic ice accumulations are forecast for the Southern Plains, Lower Mississippi Valley, Tennessee Valley, and Southeast, potentially leading to long-duration power outages and extensive damage.
- Heavy snowfalls are expected in the Ohio Valley, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast, likely causing significant travel disruptions.
- The Department of Energy is prepared to make backup power generation available to prevent blackouts.
- Natural gas prices have increased significantly due to anticipated spikes in home heating demand and warnings of disruptions to U.S. natural gas production.
- The storm's potential impact on natural gas supply is concerning, as it is crucial for both heating and power generation.
- The U.S. electric grid is already under strain from rising demand, particularly from data centers, and slow construction of new power generation.
- North American Electric Reliability Corporation has warned that data center energy consumption makes maintaining adequate electricity supply more difficult during extreme demand.
- Energy Secretary Chris Wright has requested grid operators to be prepared to utilize backup generation resources at data centers and major facilities.
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