Dangerous winter storm blasting America with heavy snow and crippling ice

Summary

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Fox News Hourly Update – "Dangerous winter storm blasting America with heavy snow and crippling ice"

Date: January 24, 2026
Host: Paul Stevens, FOX News Podcasts
Contributors: Adam Klotz, Ainsley Earhart, Ryan Schmelz, Chanley Painter, Garrett Hendy

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Episode Overview

This episode delivers a fast-paced news bulletin centered on a historic winter storm striking the U.S. heartland, with extreme weather conditions, major travel disruptions, and widespread warnings. Additional segments cover updates on Russian drone attacks in Ukraine, anti-ICE protests in Minnesota, and controversy over Congressman Wesley Hunt’s attendance record. The tone is urgent and direct, reflecting both the seriousness of the weather event and the fast-moving news cycle.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Major Winter Storm Grips the U.S.

• Severity and Scope:

  • Described as "one of the worst winter storms to hit the US in years" ([00:02], Paul Stevens).
  • Weather systems delivering snow, freezing rain, and sleet from Texas across the Midwest to New England.
  • Storm warnings extend over a 2,000-mile stretch ([00:15], Adam Klotz).

• Geographic Impact:

  • Ice accumulations reported from Texas up through D.C., with New Mexico, Shreveport, Oxford, Tupelo, and Memphis all experiencing "really thick icing."
  • Temperatures plunging — "We've got a zero on the board. It is seven degrees in Oklahoma City" ([00:15], Adam Klotz).

• Main Hazards:

  • The biggest concern is widespread icing:
    • “That's enough to take down power lines, take down trees, take down tree branches. That would lead to power outages.” ([00:29], Adam Klotz)
  • The risk to public safety is elevated given potential long-term power outages during bitter cold.

• Memorable Quote:

  • “With the power outages and the kind of cold we're talking about the next couple of days, maybe the next week, that could be really dangerous for folks who are going to be trying to stay warm.” ([00:37], Adam Klotz)

2. Major Travel Disruptions

• Flight Cancellations & Delays:

  • Over 3,200 flights cancelled, 400+ delayed so far ([01:09], Ainsley Earhart).
  • Oklahoma City's Will Rogers International Airport has "cancelled all flights through Sunday afternoon as they await a second round of heavier snow" ([01:13], Ainsley Earhart).

• Travelers' Reactions:

  • Efforts to escape the storm:
    • “Look for the fastest flight out and just try and get ahead of the storm.” ([01:32], Adam Klotz)
  • Resignation and concern:
    • “I know it's going to be really bad. I might adjust or I'll just cross my fingers and hope for the best. I'm a very cool, calm, collected man.” ([01:37-01:42], Paul Stevens)

• Road Warnings:

  • Stay off the roads, with “impossible road conditions expected.” ([01:46], Ainsley Earhart)

3. Quick World and National News Updates

• Russia-Ukraine Conflict:

  • Russian drone attacks kill and wound civilians in Kyiv and Kharkiv; "negotiators from Ukraine, Russia and the US meeting in the United Arab Emirates" ([02:32], Paul Stevens).

• Minnesota Anti-ICE Protest:

  • Over 100 arrested at Minneapolis-St. Paul airport, notably many clergy, blocking traffic in protest of ICE practices.
  • Escalation at Federal Whipple Building — "a group of agitators showed up with a U-Haul filled with shields and riot gear … eventually cleared out with tear gas and pepper balls." ([02:59], Garrett Hendy)

• Congressional Attendance Controversy:

  • House GOP leadership had to delay a vote to wait for Congressman Wesley Hunt, who is "missing numerous votes while campaigning for Senate in Texas."
  • Debate centers on loyalty to President Trump's agenda versus criticisms of Senator John Cornyn’s record ([03:41], Ryan Schmelz).

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Notable Quotes & Highlights

• “Winter weather advisories, your warnings stretching 2,000 miles from Texas all the way up into New England, New Mexico actually getting in on this as well.”
  — Adam Klotz ([00:18])

• “The biggest concern probably is going to be this ice. It is widespread ... most of the state of Texas at least seeing some icing ... That would lead to power outages.”
  — Adam Klotz ([00:24-00:29])

• “As of today, more than 3,200 flights within the US have been canceled ... Will Rogers International Airport in Oklahoma City canceling all flights through Sunday afternoon…”
  — Ainsley Earhart ([01:09-01:16])

• “Look for the fastest flight out and just try and get ahead of the storm.”
  — Adam Klotz ([01:32])

• “I know it's going to be really bad. I might adjust or I'll just cross my fingers and hope for the best. I'm a very cool, calm, collected man.”
  — Paul Stevens ([01:37-01:42])

• “More than a hundred people were arrested at a protest at the Minneapolis St. Paul airport, many of them clergy members …”
  — Garrett Hendy ([02:59])

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:02 – 00:15: Winter storm severity and geographic coverage
• 00:15 – 00:59: Meteorological details, hazards, and risk to infrastructure
• 01:09 – 01:52: National travel nightmare, airport closures, traveler reactions, and road warnings
• 02:32 – 02:59: Russian attacks in Ukraine, diplomatic context
• 02:59 – 03:34: Anti-ICE protest and escalation in Minneapolis
• 03:41 – 04:16: Congressman Wesley Hunt’s attendance record and GOP infighting

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Summary Flow

This Fox News Radio Update provides an urgent briefing on a sweeping and dangerous winter storm impacting much of the U.S., with special attention to hazardous ice, plunging temperatures, and severe travel disruptions. Meteorologists warn of life-threatening conditions and prolonged power outages, while airports and highways brace for gridlock. The coverage also includes brief but significant updates on global and national political developments, encapsulating the swift, high-stakes nature of current events for listeners who need to stay informed.

Transcript

[Paul Stevens]

It's a big one. I'm Paul Stevens, FOX News. Snow, freezing rain, sleet all slamming America's heartland in one of the worst winter storms to hit the US in years. The storm charging east, millions will feel the impact.

[Adam Klotz]

Temperatures pushing down into Texas. We've got a zero on the board. It is seven degrees in Oklahoma City. So we're seeing the snow. We are seeing the ice already falling out there. Winter weather advisories, your warnings stretching 2,000 miles from Texas all the way up into New England, New Mexico actually getting in on this as well. The biggest concern probably is going to be this ice. It is widespread. You're talking about most of the state of Texas at least seeing some icing. Getting all the way up to D.C. shreveport, getting up to Oxford, Tupelo, Memphis, all areas with really thick icing. That's enough to take down power lines, take down trees, take down tree branches. That would lead to power outages. And with the power outages and the kind of cold we're talking about the next couple of days, maybe the next week, that could be really dangerous for folks who are going to be trying to stay warm.

[Paul Stevens]

Fox meteorologist Adam Klotz and those power outages could last for days. Snow and ice threatening hundreds of millions of Americans already triggering widespread flight delays and cancellations.

[Ainsley Earhart]

Along with the snow and ice, a travel nightmare is in the forecast. As of Today, more than 3,200 flights within the US have been canceled with over 400 delayed. Will Rogers International Airport in Oklahoma City canceling all flights through Sunday afternoon as they await a second round of heavier snow later this evening. And the numbers are expected to keep growing as travelers share how they planned to face the storm.

[Adam Klotz]

Look for the fastest flight out and just try and get ahead of the storm.

[Ainsley Earhart]

I know it's going to be really bad. I might adjust or I'll just cross.

[Paul Stevens]

My fingers and hope for the best. I'm a very cool, calm, collected man.

[Ryan Schmelz]

But weather can be unpredictable.

[Ainsley Earhart]

The weather center is warning people to stay off the roads as well with impossible road conditions expected.

[Paul Stevens]

And that's fox's Chanley Painter. America's listening to FOX News.

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[Paul Stevens]

Another deadly attack from Russia. One person killed four others heard in Russian drone attacks on the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv overnight in Ukraine's second largest city, Kharkiv, drone attacks wounded 19 people. This all coming is negotiators from Ukraine, Russia and the US Meeting in the United Arab Emirates for a second day of talks to trine in Russia's nearly four year full scale invasion of Ukraine. Arrests made in Minnesota during another anti ICE protest.

[Garrett Hendy]

More than a hundred people were arrested at a protest at the Minneapolis St. Paul airport, many of them clergy members who were blocking traffic in one of the entrances because they say ICE has been using the airport to fly arrested individuals out of the state. While those protests stayed peaceful over at the Federal Whipple Building, federal officials say a group of agitators showed up with a U Haul filled with shields and riot gear to try and block agents from being able to come and go out of that facility. Those agitators refused repeated warnings to disperse and were eventually cleared out with tear gas and pepper balls.

[Paul Stevens]

And that's fox's Garrett Hendy, Minneapolis the Republican congressman's attendance record is now under question.

[Ryan Schmelz]

House GOP leadership had to keep a vote open this week to wait for Congressman Wesley Hunt to cast the deciding vote, killing Democrats efforts to rein in President Trump's war powers. Hunt has missed numerous votes while campaigning for the Senate in Texas. Hunt did not take questions from reporters after votes this week. But a spokesman for his primary opponent, Senator John Cornyn tells Fox News Hunt is former refusing to fight for President Trump's agenda. Hunt has criticized Cornyn's time in office, saying his record on issues like amnesty don't match the president's agenda. In Washington, Ryan Schmelz, FOX News.

[Paul Stevens]

And once again, our top story, a massive winter storm brewing. Snow, freezing rain and sleet slamming America's heartland. This could be one of the worst winter storms to hit the US in years. I'm Paul Stevens. This is FOX News.

[Ainsley Earhart]

This is Ainsley Earhart. Thank you for joining me for the 52 episode podcast series the Life of.

[Garrett Hendy]

Jesus, A listening experience that will provide hope, hope, comfort and understanding of the greatest story ever told. Listen and follow [e-mail] or wherever you listen to podcasts.