DALLAS (KRLD) — The national death toll from the weekend’s arctic blast and winter storm Fern has now surpassed 100 lives lost, with officials reporting the highest number of fatalities in states such as New York, Kentucky and Tennessee, while Texas has recorded multiple deaths tied to dangerous weather conditions, including drownings in icy water and fatal sledding accidents.
Federal, state and local emergency responders across the United States have been working through extreme cold, snow and ice to recover victims and assist communities still reeling from widespread impacts that began late last week and continued through the weekend.
Storm’s nationwide toll and impact
According to national reporting and state officials, at least a dozen states have reported weather-related deaths tied to the winter storm and subsequent deep freeze. In northern and eastern states, including New York, officials said at least ten people were found dead outdoors during the extreme cold, while Kentucky and Tennessee have confirmed multiple fatalities as well.
Emergency management agencies point to a variety of fatal conditions linked to the storm, including hypothermia, exposure to freezing temperatures, traffic collisions on icy roads, and other weather-related incidents as contributing factors in the rising death count.
Texas sees tragic, weather-related deaths
In North Texas, authorities confirm several storm-related fatalities that local responders and families are mourning:
In Bonham, three young brothers — ages 6, 8 and 9 — drowned after falling through the ice on a frozen pond Monday. Their mother attempted to rescue them but was unable to save her children, and all three were later pronounced dead by emergency personnel.
In Frisco, two 16-year-old girls died in a sledding accident when a sled being pulled by a vehicle struck a curb and tree during the icy conditions over the weekend. Both teenagers were transported to hospitals, where they succumbed to their injuries.
State data indicates multiple other storm-related deaths in Texas, including at least one person found deceased in Austin in what officials described as an apparent cold exposure incident.
These tragic losses contribute to the broader tally of winter storm fatalities, with Texas officials saying that at least nine people have died in the state due to extreme cold, accidents or weather-related exposure.
Extended impacts and response
Across the country, power outages, hazardous travel and emergency declarations have continued in the storm’s aftermath. Hundreds of thousands of residents from the South to the Northeast managed without electricity during sub-freezing temperatures, straining warming shelters and first-responder resources.
The National Weather Service issued extended cold warnings for wide swaths of the country, and officials have urged the public to remain vigilant as dangerously low wind chills and icy conditions persist.
Officials across impacted states continue to coordinate warming centers, road treatment operations, and outreach programs for the unhoused as part of ongoing recovery efforts. Agencies emphasize that even as snow and ice recede in some areas, prolonged exposure to cold remains life-threatening for vulnerable populations.
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