By SETH BORENSTEIN, Associated Press Science Writer

HOUSTON (AP) — Winter’s brutal grip on the U.S. East is not letting up, with coming days bringing subfreezing temperatures that will plunge deep into what had been a toasty Florida peninsula and a powerful blizzard forecast that may strike the Atlantic coast.

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Deep cold is forecast to stick around at least into the first week of February. Meteorologists are also watching what could become a “ bomb cyclone ” — a quickly intensifying storm that’s a winter version of a hurricane — forming off the Carolinas Friday night into Saturday.

“A major winter storm appears to be coming to the Carolinas,” said meteorologist Peter Mullinax of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Weather Prediction Center.

That storm could dump snow — at least 6 inches with white-out conditions — in the Carolinas, northern Georgia and southern Virginia. After that, it could turn and plow through the Interstate 95 corridor late Saturday into Sunday to dump loads more snow from Washington to Boston, further paralyzing much of the country. Or it could deliver a glancing blow, mostly striking places like Cape Cod.

Alternatively, it could just veer off harmlessly to sea. Meteorologists and forecast models aren’t yet settling on a single outcome.

“The confidence is much higher that in the coastal Carolinas and Virginia that there will be significant snowfall this weekend,” said James Belanger, vice president for meteorology at the Weather Channel and its parent company. “The real question is going to be the trajectory it takes” from there.

Private meteorologist Ryan Maue, a former NOAA chief scientist, said for the mid-Atlantic and north it’s a “boom or bust” situation. “If it happens (to go along the coast) it’s going to be a big-time event.”

Models still disagree on storm track

On Tuesday forecast models were all over the place, from out to sea to inward toward Philadelphia. By Wednesday morning they started to agree that “we’re likely to see some form of a powerful coastal storm somewhere east of North Carolina, off the Delmarva coast, but they still disagree as to where,” Mullinax said.

Vehicles move in I-575 during a winter weather event, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, in Kennesaw, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Chances of the storm veering away from the East Coast entirely had diminished Wednesday morning, but hadn’t disappeared altogether, Mullinax said.

Of all the options, “from D.C. up to New York is probably the most unclear,” Mullinax said. He said a mere 50-mile difference in the storm’s center will be critical. AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan Pydynowski said it may be hard for the southern mid-Atlantic to avoid some kind of snow, whether a little or a lot.

This storm will blow harder than the last one

This weekend’s storm will differ from the previous storm, which started with moist air from the Pacific that combined with a deep plunge of Arctic air from an elongated polar vortex supplemented by more moisture from the south and east, meteorologists said. The last storm had little wind. This one will generate high winds, even if the snow misses the Washington area, generating gusts that could still reach 40 mph (65 kph), plunging wind chills near subzero Fahrenheit, Mullinax said.

Rafael Tavares digs his car, which was encased about 20 inches of snow, during a winter storm, Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, in Lawrence, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

“It looks like a pretty strong and explosive storm so everybody is going to have some gusty winds,” Pydynowski said, even inland places that won’t come close to getting snow like Pittsburgh. Strong winds may take daytime temperatures in the teens there down to feeling like they are below zero, he said.

“This is what we’d consider more of a classic nor’easter,” Belanger said, describing a storm forming around the U.S. Gulf Coast crossing into the Atlantic and going up that coast.

Frigid air and warm water combine to make strong storm

In this case, one key is warmer-than-normal water in the Gulf of Mexico — partly from human-caused climate change — and the always toasty Atlantic Gulf Stream, said Bernadette Woods Placky, chief meteorologist for the nonprofit Climate Central.

Daniel Love walks home from the convenience store up Delta Avenue during a winter storm, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

When that happens the storm “pulls in more moisture and it gives it more strength,” she said.

Once the core of the storm nears the Carolinas its pressure will drop tremendously, enough to qualify for what meteorologists call “bombogenesis” or “a bomb cyclone,” That will give it the effect of a moderate-strength hurricane, including huge winds, but in the winter, Maue and Belanger said.

If the storm does come ashore, those winds and extra snow could cause massive snow drifts big enough to bury cars, Maue said.

Arctic chill sticks around and goes further south

What is more certain is that the Arctic chill in the Midwest and East will continue through mid-February, with only slight warmups that would still be below normal, meteorologists said.

And this new weekend storm “is going to take that cold and it’s going to spill right down the heart of the Florida peninsula,” Pydynowski said. Orlando is forecast to go well below freezing and only have a high of 48 F, smashing temperature records, while even Miami and Key West will flirt with record cold Sunday and Monday, meteorologists said.

The outlook for Florida was cold enough to raise concerns about damage to the state’s citrus and strawberries.

“We’re going into a brutally cold period,” Maue said.

Storms keep on coming

After this weekend storm, long-range models see another one at the end of the first week of February, Maue said. Meteorologists see the East stuck in a pattern of bitter cold and snowstorms because of the plunging Arctic air and warm water.

East Coast snowstorms don’t happen too often, but “when it happens, it happens in bunches,” said former National Weather Service director Louis Uccellini, who has written meteorology textbooks on winter snowstorms.

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

The normal Scandinavian stoicism one would expect from a veteran like Marcus Johansson was long gone when he left the rink following an early January morning skate for the Minnesota Wild in Anaheim. There was rain coming down in Southern California, and the weather was reflective of the mood striking the 35-year-old Swedish forward that day.

While Minnesota teammates Filip Gustavsson, Jesper Wallstedt, Joel Eriksson Ek and Jonas Brodin would be headed to the Winter Olympics to skate for Team Sweden next month, Johansson had gotten bad news. Despite a red-hot start to his 16th NHL season, and being an Olympic veteran, Johansson had been left off the roster.

Minnesota Wild left wing Matt Boldy (12) and Minnesota Wild left wing Marcus Johansson (90) celebrate Boldy’s goal against the Buffalo Sabres during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Adam Bettcher)

“Very disappointed,” Johansson said that day outside the visitors’ locker room at the Ducks home rink. “It’s obviously something you work hard for and dream about and, yeah, it’s tough to swallow.”

Three weeks later, in Minnesota, the weather isn’t any better, but a bittersweet turn of events means that Johansson won’t be getting time off during the NHL’s three-week Olympics break. Instead, he will be donning the blue-and-gold of Sweden for the games in Italy.

The roster spot he is filling came open when Brodin and Anaheim forward Leo Carlsson suffered injuries that will prevent their participation in the Olympics. Johansson called it a “good news, bad news” scenario.

“I was very disappointed, as I think you should be. And then you never wish for anyone to get hurt or anything bad to happen,” he said after posting an assist in the Wild’s 4-3 shootout win over Chicago on Tuesday. “But I’m gonna try and make the most of this opportunity, and I’m excited to go there and have a chance to compete for a gold medal, and I’m very honored.”

After posting 30 and 34 points in his previous two seasons, respectively, Johansson has had an offensive resurgence in 2025-26, with 35 points already for the Wild, and roughly one-third of the NHL season yet to be played.

“I know that he played really, really well in the World Championships last year for Sweden, and then obviously this year for us,” Wild coach John Hynes said. “And just to see how disappointed he was in that result, but as we talked about it, was said there’s a lot of hockey left and probably the rosters that get named probably aren’t going to be the rosters that go, with injuries, and he continued to play for us and certainly earned a spot.”

Johansson has been one of the Wild’s second-line wingers much of the season, with Matt Boldy on the other wing and Eriksson Ek at center. They have joked that perhaps Johansson and Eriksson Ek will be on a line for the Swedes, and get to face off versus Boldy if they face Team USA.

At the same time, there is an air of disappointment for Brodin, who won a World Juniors gold medal for Sweden in 2012 and was set to play in his first Olympics. He had surgery recently and is not expected back on the ice until perhaps early March, using the Olympic break to get healthy for what the Wild hope is a playoff run.

“Awful. Obviously, get a chance to play in the Olympics, and (it) would be his first,” Johansson said. “It is obviously special, and it feels like he can’t catch a break right now. And, yeah, he deserves to be there. And then I wish he was there with us, but (it’s) tough.”

Brodin has played 42 games for the Wild this season, with three goals and 12 assists. He missed training camp and the first game of the regular season while recovering from an injury suffered while skating for Sweden in the World Championship last spring after the Wild were eliminated in the opening round of the NHL playoffs.

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By MAKIYA SEMINERA and MORIAH BALINGIT, Associated Press Education Writer

As a continuation of President Donald Trump ‘s pitch to Americans on affordability and the economy under his administration, the U.S. Treasury and White House are celebrating the upcoming launch of a program they view as a key milestone: “Trump Accounts.”

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A provision of Trump’s tax legislation, Trump Accounts are meant to give $1,000 to every newborn, so long as their parents open an account. That money is then invested in the stock market by private firms, and the child can access the money when they turn 18.

A U.S. Treasury event Wednesday brings together an assortment of politicians and celebrities — from Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz to rapper Nicki Minaj — to discuss the program and its potential impact on the economy. Backers of Trump Accounts have said they’re a way to help children from low-income households build wealth.

Here’s what you need to know about Trump Accounts and how to claim them.

What is a Trump Account?

It’s a new savings tool where money is invested in the stock market on behalf of a child. The child can’t access the money until they turn 18 and can only use it for specific purposes, such as paying tuition, starting a business or making a down payment on a home.

After a parent opens an account, the U.S. Treasury will contribute $1,000 for newborns. Private banks and brokerages will manage the money, which must be invested in U.S. equity index funds that track the stock market and charge the accounts no more than 0.10% in annual fees.

Parents can contribute up to $2,500 annually in pretax income, much like they do for retirement accounts. Parents’ employers, relatives, friends, local governments and philanthropic groups can also pitch in. Yearly contributions are capped at $5,000, but contributions from governments and charities don’t count toward that total.

Who gets $1,000?

As part of the initiative’s launch, parents of older children are also encouraged to open accounts, but they won’t get the $1,000 bonus. That money is only reserved for babies born during the calendar years of the Trump administration.

To qualify for the $1,000 seed money, a baby must be a U.S. citizen, have a Social Security number and be born between Jan. 1, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2028. Any parent can open an account for a qualifying child, regardless of the parent’s immigration status.

It’s important to note that the child won’t be able to access the money until they turn 18, except in rare circumstances, so it can’t help with immediate expenses. And disbursements from the accounts will be subject to taxes.

What about older children?

Children born before 2025 won’t qualify for the $1,000 incentive, but parents can still open accounts for them as long as they’re under 18. Parents can still invest up to $2,500 pretax for those kids.

In December, billionaires Michael and Susan Dell announced a $6.25 billion donation that will allow some children who are 10 and under to receive $250 in seed money if their parents open an account. That money is reserved for kids who live in ZIP codes with a median family income of $150,000 or less and who won’t get the $1,000 seed money from the Treasury.

A few weeks later, hedge fund founder Ray Dalio and his wife Barbara pledged $75 million for kids under 10 in Connecticut, where Dalio lives. That would amount to $250 for 300,000 children in qualifying ZIP codes. Those large contributions are part of an effort by the U.S. Treasury — dubbed the “50 State Challenge” by Secretary Scott Bessent — to encourage wealthy philanthropic donors to pitch in.

Other corporations participating in the program include Uber, MasterCard, BlackRock, Visa and Charles Schwab, according to the Trump Accounts website.

How do I open a Trump Account for my kids?

The accounts won’t be open for contributions until July 2026, but parents of eligible kids can sign up using Form 4547 from the Internal Revenue Service. Parents can fill out the form when filing taxes this year or when the administration opens an online portal this summer, according to the Trump Accounts website.

Registering for a Trump Account is required for a child to receive the money. In May, parents who sign up will get information about how to finish opening the accounts.

What’s the idea behind the accounts?

Backers of the accounts say they want to introduce more people to the stock market and give even children born into poverty a chance to benefit from it. Supporters also say the accounts bolster capitalism at a time when openly socialist candidates are growing more popular.

About 58% of U.S. households held stocks or bonds in 2022, according to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, though the wealthiest 1% owned almost half the value of stocks in that same year.

Before Trump created the accounts, California, Connecticut and the District of Columbia were piloting “baby bonds” programs that are similar to Trump Accounts in some ways. Several other states, including Maryland, are weighing programs.

But those programs are targeted for youth growing up in poverty or foster care, plus children who lost a parent to COVID-19. Wealthier children don’t benefit. They’re also managed by the state, not private investment firms.

What do critics say?

Critics point out the accounts do little to help children in their early years, when they’re most vulnerable and most likely to be in poverty. The accounts, they say, also fail to offset cuts the Trump administration and congressional Republicans have made to other programs that benefit young people and their families, including food assistance and Medicaid. Republicans created the accounts in the same Trump tax bill that reduced spending for some of those programs.

And even with the contribution from the government, critics say the Trump Accounts will widen the wealth gap. Affluent families that can afford to make the maximum pretax contribution to the accounts will realize the greatest benefits. Poor families who can’t afford to set aside money for the accounts will benefit the least. Assuming a 7% return, the $1,000 in seed money would grow to roughly $3,570 over 18 years.

The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Flames engulfed a popular bar and restaurant west of Amery, Wis., this morning, with several area fire crews from western Wisconsin responding to the scene.

UW Wanderoos Bar and Grill, a popular haunt in the unincorporated town of Wanderoos, was reportedly fully engulfed by flames, with fire crews still working to secure the scene Wednesday morning. A backhoe was reportedly brought in to help demolish the smoldering structure.

The Wanderoos community sits between Amery and Osceola, Wis.

The bar and restaurant, located on the 1600 block of 70th Avenue once served as a country school house. According to a 2023 Amery Free Press article, the closed school first became a restaurant and bar in 1979 when it opened as “Enterprise Bar.”

A potential cause has not been released at this time.

The Pioneer Press is awaiting additional information from emergency personnel at the scene.

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