This winter has been unusually cold in parts of the Eastern United States, with temperatures dropping to levels not seen since 1985-86 in Baltimore. The coldest region was around D.C., which froze solid, a phenomenon rarely witnessed. In contrast, areas west of the Rocky Mountains experienced record warmth and little snowfall. Widespread ice cover on lakes like Lake Erie reached 96% coverage, breaking records. Rare ice formations were spotted near the tropics, with one massive fracture forming in Lake Erie stretching over 80 miles long. The unusual cold has also led to rare snow sightings as far south as Florida and Bermuda.
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2026/02/13/winter-persistent-cold-maps