Over the weekend of January 24-25, 2026, Winter Storm Fern struck a vast swathe of the Eastern United States and Canada. The storm is likely to have had—and for some days to come will continue to have—a vast impact on businesses, governments and a host of human activities. According to preliminary estimates, the economic impact may exceed $100 billion, involving physical property damage, business interruptions, government-ordered closures, power outages, widespread airline cancellations (including ripple effects beyond the weather-affected region), supply chain interruptions, and interruptions of business and governmental services. Burst pipes, roof collapses from snow load, ice dams, prolonged power outages and inaccessible facilities can all lead to significant property damage and business interruption.
