Meteorologist warns Americans need ‘help to survive’ historic weekend snow storm…with NYC now forecast to get up to SIXTEEN inches of snow | 22 Jan 2026 | Millions of Americans face life-threatening conditions when a massive winter storm strikes over the weekend, bringing more than a foot of snow to some parts of the country and dangerous icy conditions to others. Roughly 160 million people were under a variety of watches, warnings and other alerts associated with the winter storm, stretching from Arizona and Montana in the West to the Carolinas and Maine in the East, the National Weather Service announced Thursday. Forecasters now warn that the deluge could crush trees and power lines and knock out power for days, as major cities including Washington DC, Philadelphia, New York and Boston get enough snow to make travel very difficult or nearly impossible. “The next 10 days of winter will be the worst in 40 years across the United States,” meteorologist Ryan Maue posted on X. He then urged Americans to “think about where you go, what you can do and who needs even more help to survive this week ahead. This is not hype or a joke,” Maue insisted, as he warned that meteorologists’ estimates for snowfall amounts across the country may be underestimated.