Why forecasters struggled to see this extreme winter storm coming

A cross-country skier in falling snow in the Saratoga Spa State Park on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Saratoga, New York.

Already, a bitter burst of cold is gripping much of the country, and in the next few days, it will reach at least 45 states and extend across two-thirds of the country. It is one of the most extreme winter storms in years. 

The National Weather Service on Thursday warned that “dangerously cold and very dry Arctic air” will spill into the continental United States and...