Forecasters warn a catastrophic storm from Texas to the Carolinas, hitting dozens of states with snow, ice, and record cold.

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Forecasters warn of a ‘potentially catastrophic’ storm from Texas to the Carolinas

ATLANTA (AP) — With many Americans still recovering from multiple blasts of snow and unrelenting freezing temperatures in the nation’s northern tier, a new storm is set to emerge this weekend that could coat roads, trees and power lines with devastating ice across a wide expanse of the South.

The storm arriving late this week and into the weekend is shaping up to be a “widespread potentially catastrophic event from Texas to the Carolinas,” said Ryan Maue, a former chief scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

“I don’t know how people are going to deal with it,” he said.

Dangerously cold air to surge through dozens of states later this week

The coldest air of the winter may visit many areas across the central and eastern United States, with AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures of 50 below zero in the coldest spots.

Arctic air is amassing in northern Canada and will surge into the central United States late this week into the weekend. It has the potential to be the coldest weather so far this winter in many areas and may surpass the cold experienced in December. It is likely to expand as far south as Texas and into the East.

Dozens to hundreds of locations may drop several degrees below their seasonal lows late this week or during the weekend.

Massive Winter Storm To Target Over 180 Million From Texas To New England With Potentially Damaging Ice, Heavy Snow

Widespread snow and a potentially damaging ice storm are on the table from the South into the Northeast. Here’s the very latest forecast timing and who could be affected most.

A major, widespread winter storm will hammer parts of the South, Midwest and Northeast Friday through Monday with potentially damaging ice and heavy snow for millions from New Mexico and Texas to parts of New England.

The storm has been named Winter Storm Fern by The Weather Channel. According to The Weather Company forecasters, Fern could affect over 180 million in the U.S. with snow and/or ice, over half the nation’s estimated population.