When ice, not snow, brings freight to a standstill

That is the reality facing shippers and carriers as a sprawling winter system stretches from the Lower Midwest into the Southeast. North of Interstate 40, conditions resemble a familiar winter pattern: snow, cold, and manageable delays. South of it, Arctic air at the surface collides with warmer air aloft, creating a corridor of freezing rain and sleet. The result is ice that coats highways, distribution yards, and loading docks, conditions far more disruptive to freight than snow alone.

Scott Pecoriello, founder and CEO of WeatherOptics, says this setup is among the most challenging freight networks face. “This storm isn’t moving quickly across the country,” he said. “It’s lingering over several states at once. In the South, that duration alone creates problems. Road crews are limited, de-icing resources are thin, and temperatures are expected to remain below freezing well after the precipitation ends.”

For freight, that distinction matters. Snow slows trucks. Ice shuts them down. Roads may appear wet while behaving like glass, increasing the risk of crashes and strandings. Larger fleets often respond conservatively, parking equipment early and suspending service. Others attempt to operate around the edges of the storm, which is when trucks get stuck mid-route, appointments are missed, and localized disruptions escalate into broader service failures.

Shippers feel the impact almost immediately. Capacity doesn’t fade gradually; it disappears in pockets. Distribution centers across Georgia, the Carolinas, and parts of Tennessee are more likely to implement full closures than partial operations, especially if power outages or staffing shortages emerge. Even facilities that remain open face rolling delays as inbound and outbound schedules become increasingly unpredictable.