A massive winter storm is poised to impact millions across the United States, stretching from New Mexico to the Carolinas. This looming weather event threatens to unleash a severe ice storm capable of toppling trees and power lines, potentially leaving residents without electricity for days. Meanwhile, northern regions, extending up to New England, may experience significant snowfall, rendering travel exceedingly difficult, according to meteorologists.

The National Weather Service has indicated that around 100 million individuals are currently under some form of winter weather alert, including watches, warnings, or advisories, as of Wednesday, in anticipation of the storm’s arrival.

Set to commence on Friday and linger through the weekend, the storm is forecasted to deliver heavy snowfall and diverse wintry conditions, such as freezing rain and sleet. Experts predict an atmospheric river will develop, channeling moisture across Texas and Gulf Coast states, extending through Georgia and the Carolinas.

This is a numerical breakdown of the storm’s potential impact and the preparations underway:

0

Jackson, Mississippi, has limited resources to combat the anticipated mix of ice and sleet this weekend. The city possesses a small fleet of snowplows and utilizes additional heavy equipment like skid steers and small excavators for road clearing, explained James Caldwell, the deputy director of public works. Additionally, Jackson employs three trucks equipped to distribute salt and sand on roadways before temperatures dip below freezing.

0.5

The amount of ice — half an inch — that can lead to a crippling ice storm, toppling trees and power lines to create widespread and long-lasting power outages. The latest forecasts from the National Weather Service warn of the potential for a half-inch of ice or more for many areas, including parts of Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama, and Tennessee.

1

The number of Nashville snowplows named after country music legend and Tennessee native Dolly Parton (Dolly Plowton). Another snowplow in East Tennessee was named Snowlene after her classic hit song “Jolene” as part of a 2022 naming contest.

3

The number of layers needed to keep warm in extreme cold. AP video journalist Mark Vancleave in Minnesota explains the benefits of all three — a base layer, a middle layer and an outer shell — in this video.

4

The number of major U.S. hub airports in the path of the southern storm this weekend, when ice, sleet and snow could delay passengers and cargo: Dallas-Fort Worth; Atlanta; Memphis, Tennessee, and Charlotte, North Carolina. Still more major airports on the East Coast could see delays later, as the storm barrels east.

12

The number of inches of snow that could fall in parts of Oklahoma.

“You’ve got to be very weather aware, and real smart about what you’re doing,” said Charles Daniel, who drives a semitrailer across western Oklahoma.

“One mistake can literally kill somebody, so you have to use your head,” he added.

15

The number of snow and ice removal trucks operated by Memphis, Tennessee’s Division of Public Works. The city also has six trucks that spread brine, a mixture designed to melt wintry precipitation. Statewide, the Tennessee Department of Transportation has 851 salt trucks and 634 brine trucks, and most of the salt trucks double as plows.

19

Parts of at least 19 states in the storm’s path were under winter storm watches by late Wednesday, with more watches and warnings expected as the system approaches. They include Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia. An estimated 55 million people are included in these winter storm watches, the weather service said.

32

The degree in Fahrenheit when water freezes, equivalent to 0 Celsius. This is a magic number when it comes to winter weather, said Eric Guillot, a scientist at the National Weather Service. If the temperature is slightly above 32, it will be mostly liquid. But the colder it is below the mark, the more efficiently precipitation will freeze.

45

The number of snowplow trucks at the ready in Nashville, Tennessee, according to the Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure.

50 below zero

The windchill value — how cold it feels to a person when winds are factored in — that is expected in parts of the Northern Plains, the weather service projects. That equates to minus 45.6 Celsius and is forecast for parts of northern Minnesota and North Dakota.

“When the weather forecast says, ‘feels like negative 34,’ it’s just a matter of covering skin and being prepared for it,” said Nils Anderson, who owns Duluth Gear Exchange, an outdoor equipment store in Duluth, Minnesota.

330

The number of snowplows in the city of Chicago, where annual snowfall averages 37 to 39 inches. The city also has 40 4×4 vehicles, and about 12 beet juice-dispensing trucks, according to Cole Stallard, Chicago’s commissioner of Streets and Sanitation. The natural sugars of beet juice lower the freezing point of water, allowing salt mixtures to work at much lower temperatures and preventing refreezing, while also helping salt stick to the road longer.

600

The number of miles added last year to snowplow routes in Nashville, Tennessee. That was done “to get deeper into our neighborhoods — roads that had never been plowed before,” said Alex Apple, a spokesperson for Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell.

1,000-plus

Texas has this number of pieces of winter weather equipment, including snowplows, motor graders and brine tankers, Texas Department of Transportation spokesperson Adam Hammons said. He said the agency also works with state partners and contractors to get more equipment when needed. In the Dallas area, “right now our main focus is treating our roadways in advance of the storm,” agency spokesperson Tony Hartzel said Wednesday.

78,000

The number of cubic yards of salt on hand at the Arkansas Department of Transportation. The state has 121 salt houses around the Arkansas, plus 600 salt spreaders and 700 snowplows, said Dave Parker, an agency spokesperson.