風暴冰雪穿越美國

冬季風暴「Fern」自南向東橫掃，多州停電、航班大亂，嚴寒仍在咬住大地

這幾天，美國多地像被同一隻冰冷的手按住了呼吸——一場範圍極廣的冬季風暴從中南部一路推進到東岸，帶來大雪、雨夾雪與凍雨交錯的「冰雪套餐」，並把氣溫拉到刺骨的低點。從新墨西哥到新英格蘭，城市與鄉鎮同時進入警戒：路面結成透明的冰膜，樹枝與電線被厚重冰層壓彎，交通與電力在同一夜裡變得脆弱。 

最令人不安的，往往不是雪，而是「冰」。凍雨落下的一瞬間，看似只是濕冷，卻會在地面、橋梁與電線上迅速凝結；冰層越積越厚，就像替整個城市披上一件沉重盔甲——樹倒、線斷、道路封閉，搶修人員也在持續低溫與結冰路況中寸步難行。美聯社與路透的報導指出，風暴造成的大規模停電已波及超過百萬用戶，且多州受災最重的區域集中在田納西、密西西比、路易斯安那等地。 

與停電同樣混亂的，是移動。機場航班取消數以萬計，樞紐城市的旅客滯留；公路上，車燈照著的不是黑夜，而是反光的冰面，任何一次急煞、轉彎都可能成為失控的開端。據報導，僅在1月25日（週日）就有超過一萬班航班取消，週六也已取消數千班；多地官方一再呼籲民眾避免非必要外出。 

風暴的壓力也推動政府層級的緊急應變。報導提到，聯邦已核准多州緊急狀態相關措施，並調度資源協助各地救援與修復；在部分電力系統壓力較高的地區，也啟動了緊急調度以降低大規模斷電風險。 

至於「Fern」這個名字，值得一提：它並非官方命名，而是由媒體機構（常見為 The Weather Channel 的命名系統）用於便於傳播與辨識的稱呼。名字不會讓寒風變弱，但提醒我們——這是一場跨州、跨區域、跨好幾個天候型態的長程戰役。

冰雪終會融化，但在它融化之前，最重要的是把生活守住：少一次不必要的上路、多一盞充飽電的手電筒、多一層保暖衣、多一份對停電與低溫的準備。因為在這樣的風暴裡，「平安」不是口號，而是一連串小心翼翼的選擇。

Ice and Snow Sweep Across the United States as Winter Storm “Fern” Disrupts Power and Travel 

A sprawling winter storm has surged across the United States from the southern Plains toward the East Coast, delivering a punishing mix of snow, sleet, freezing rain, and dangerous cold. Forecasters warned the storm’s footprint would stretch from New Mexico to New England, with conditions changing rapidly from heavy snowfall to glaze ice—often the most destructive ingredient because it snaps trees and power lines and turns roads into skating rinks. 

Across the South and Southeast, ice accumulation has been the headline threat. Utility crews battled downed limbs and sagging lines as outages climbed above one million customers in multiple states, including major impacts reported in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Federal and state emergency declarations expanded as the storm intensified, and FEMA deployments and other support measures were activated to assist affected communities. 

The storm also froze the nation’s transportation network. Airlines canceled tens of thousands of flights over the weekend—more than 10,000 cancellations on Sunday alone after thousands more on Saturday—while ice-slick highways and low visibility made driving hazardous across wide swaths of the country. Major airports in the New York–Washington corridor and beyond were hit hard, leaving travelers stranded and regional supply chains slowed. 

In the Northeast, bitter wind chills and heavy snow compounded the disruption. Live updates and local reports described emergency declarations spanning more than 20 states, with at least several storm-related deaths reported amid extreme cold and treacherous conditions. Officials repeatedly urged residents to stay off roads unless absolutely necessary and to prepare for extended outages where ice loads remained heavy. 

One note on the storm’s label: “Fern” is widely used by media outlets for public communication, but the National Weather Service does not officially name winter storms the way it names tropical cyclones. Regardless of the name, the storm’s core hazards remain the same—ice, wind, and sustained cold that slows repairs and prolongs danger even after the precipitation ends