A massive winter storm is threatening to wreak havoc throughout the U.S. within the days forward — and probably take a monetary toll on households in its path.
The National Weather Service stated Friday that it expects a “important, long-duration winter storm” to convey heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain to a broad swath of the U.S., from the southern Rockies to New England, lasting from Friday through Monday.
Snowfall could exceed a foot in sure areas, whereas “domestically catastrophic ice accumulations” and frigid temperatures could set off long-term energy outages, intensive tree harm and widespread journey disruptions, in response to the climate service.
The storm could have an effect on more than 170 million People, the climate service stated early Friday.
Regardless of the monetary prices of such storms, folks can take steps to dampen the financial hit, monetary specialists stated.
“An enormous value of winter storms is the aftermath of dwelling harm and accidents,” in response to Carolyn McClanahan, a licensed monetary planner and founding father of Life Planning Companions in Jacksonville, Florida. McClanahan is a member of CNBC’s Financial Advisor Council. “Folks needs to be preemptive in getting ready for this storm. Be sure to cowl pipes, usher in vegetation or cowl them, and refill on provides so you do not have to exit.”
Here is what to know concerning the potential monetary impacts and find out how to put together.
Winter storm insurance coverage claims common about $15,000
Winter storms may cause all kinds of harm to a house — from water harm attributable to frozen, burst pipes to a roof wrecked by tree limbs that buckle underneath the load of ice.
Happily, these with owners insurance coverage can typically recoup prices for harm from wind, snow, extreme chilly and freezing rain, stated Karen Collins, vp of property and environmental on the American Property and Casualty Insurance coverage Affiliation, a commerce group.
Customers carry snow shovels at a ironmongery shop in Philadelphia, Jan. 23, 2026.
Joe Lamberti | Bloomberg | Getty Photos
The typical insurance coverage loss claimed for water harm and freezing was $15,400 from 2019 to 2023, in response to the Insurance coverage Info Institute. The typical for wind and hail was about $14,700.
Shoppers filed more than 20,000 claims for frozen pipes and winter water harm from January 2024 by way of June 2025, totaling over $628 million in paid losses, in response to an evaluation by insurer State Farm of its closed and paid owners claims. The typical declare cost exceeded $30,000, it stated.
Protection for policyholders will rely on the superb print, nonetheless.
For instance, most householders insurance coverage covers “sudden and unintentional” water harm from a burst pipe if the home was properly heated and wasn’t left unoccupied, in response to the Massachusetts Division of Insurance coverage.
Specialists suggest retaining your own home heated to at the least 65 levels Fahrenheit to assist hold pipes from freezing.
“The temperature contained in the partitions the place the pipes are positioned is considerably colder than the partitions themselves,” in response to the Insurance coverage Info Institute. “A temperature decrease than 65 levels is not going to hold the within partitions from freezing.”
However retaining your own home heated could not all the time be potential.
Through the so-called “Texas Freeze” in 2021, the most expensive winter freeze occasion in U.S. historical past, a chilly spell led to widespread energy outages that prevented folks from heating their houses, in the end resulting in sizable insured losses from water harm and burst pipes, Collins stated.
Owners might help by insulating inside and exterior pipes, opening the water taps in sinks to permit a gradual trickle of water and assist stop freezing, and determine the placement of the primary water shut-off valve in case a pipe bursts and they should shut the water off, in response to the American Property and Casualty Insurance coverage Affiliation.
The draw back of stocking up
Throughout the nation, shoppers are stockpiling groceries forward of the acute chilly snap.
Whereas it might make sense to purchase sure objects because the climate worsens, stockpiling is never a good suggestion, specialists stated.
In lots of instances, “widespread stockpiling forward of a winter storm typically doesn’t make sense,” stated Amir Mousavian, professor of provide chain administration on the College of New England’s Faculty of Enterprise.
“Households ought to plan to have sufficient meals and important objects to get by way of just a few days in case journey is briefly restricted, however there may be little profit to purchasing far past that,” he stated.
Though there could also be some financial savings advantages to purchasing in bulk, “there may be additionally an actual danger that households overbuy perishable objects, resulting in waste and misplaced cash,” Mousavian stated.
Typically, any such stockpiling can hurt shoppers generally, he stated.
Empty cabinets at a Wegman’s grocery retailer in Fairfax, Virginia, on Jan. 22, 2026, as a significant winter storm is ready to hit a lot of america.
Stephanie Dhue | CNBC
Costs go up when provide is restricted however demand rises. Meals costs — greater than many different client items — could be particularly risky as a consequence of supply-and-demand components.
“Sudden surges in demand can pressure provide chains,” as seen through the Covid pandemic, Mousavian stated. “Trendy provide chains are extremely environment friendly, however they aren’t designed to soak up sharp, synthetic spikes in demand, and people spikes can in the end drawback shoppers.”
Journey disruptions could come at a value
Airways have already canceled thousands of flights because the winter storm looms.
A number of main airways, together with Delta and United, have already introduced change fee waivers for vacationers whose itineraries could also be affected by the approaching winter storm.
Profiting from these gives could possibly be clever for some vacationers, specialists stated.
For instance, in case you have a nonessential journey booked and also you’re in a position to reschedule it for every week or so from now, it might be a good suggestion to go forward and alter your flight, stated Nick Ewen, senior editorial director at The Factors Man.
A departures board reveals delayed flights at Orlando Worldwide Airport in Orlando, Florida, Nov. 9, 2025.
Andrew Wevers | Getty Photos
If an airline cancels your flight and you do not settle for any rebooking choices, then you could possibly get a full refund, Ewen stated.
Nonetheless, in the event you select to cancel the flight your self, it’s possible you’ll solely be entitled to a credit score or voucher with the airline, except you paid for a totally refundable flight. You’d additionally lose out on a full refund in case your unique flight is canceled, Ewen stated.
“In the event you’ve already proactively modified it, you are now on that new flight and that new itinerary, these new days, and then you definitely’d be topic to no matter coverage is in place for that new ticket,” he stated.
Be sure to have your airline’s app downloaded and notifications turned on so you’re knowledgeable about any adjustments to your flight, he stated.
For rental automobiles, most firms mean you can make adjustments or cancellations to your reservation as much as the time of pickup, Ewen stated. However that won’t maintain true in the event you booked by way of a 3rd celebration, similar to a journey web site or your bank card firm, the place you usually pay upfront.
Motels usually supply free cancellations as much as 24 or 48 hours prematurely of your keep, however it relies on your reservation. In the event you booked at a nonrefundable fee, you is probably not entitled to a full refund, however it’s price calling the resort and explaining the state of affairs, particularly if it is weather-related, Ewen stated.
“It isn’t a assure, however in the event you name [and] you clarify the state of affairs, it’s possible you’ll be eligible for them to be a bit bit extra lenient,” he stated.
Some bank cards supply journey interruption protection, although, he stated. If the resort will not refund you, you should still be capable of file a declare together with your bank card firm and get your a reimbursement so long as you paid with that card.
A separate travel insurance policy could supply further protections, too.
Put together for a much bigger heating invoice
Many households can count on larger heating prices as temperatures dip and extra energy is required to maintain houses heat.
When chilly climate hits, particularly over a big swath of the nation, there’s usually elevated vitality demand for area heating, in response to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That in flip raises demand for each electrical energy and pure fuel.
The spot value of pure fuel has risen sharply over the past week to $8.15 per million British thermal models on Jan. 22 from $5.19 every week earlier. Greater wholesale pure fuel costs typically contribute to larger wholesale electrical energy costs, in response to the EIA.
Shoppers have already felt the pinch of upper electrical energy prices. A few of that’s attributed to the development of data centers, which energy synthetic intelligence and place further demand on the electrical grid.
Based on the newest studying of the consumer price index, electrical energy costs had been up 6.7% in December from a yr earlier.
In the meantime, for houses that use heating oil, the per-gallon value was $3.66 as of Jan. 19, a drop from $3.93 a yr earlier, in response to the EIA.
Courtney Fieldman, utility program director for the Southwest Vitality Effectivity Program, provided the following pointers for saving vitality — and subsequently cash — through the frigid climate on its means:
- Optimize your thermostat. Through the day, when there may be nonetheless warming daylight, setting your own home’s temperature a bit decrease — to 65 to 68 levels Fahrenheit — can hold you snug, in addition to trim 10% off heating prices.
- Block drafts. Use towels, blankets and even rolled-up garments to seal gaps underneath doorways and home windows, and shut off unused rooms by shutting doorways and vents to maintain warmth the place you want it. These air leaks round home windows, doorways and attics can waste as much as 30% of warmth.
- Use pure warmth and lower nonessentials. Open curtains on sunny sides of your own home through the day and shut them afterward to lure the warmth in. Put on heat layers, flip off lights in empty rooms and use blankets as a substitute of area heaters if potential to keep away from further draw throughout peak hours.
Correction: This story has been up to date to mirror that the Nationwide Climate Service stated the storm would have an effect on greater than 170 million People.
