By roughly 3 p.m. EST Saturday, more than 12,000 U.S. flights were either delayed or canceled<\/a> by the nor\u2019easter off the Southeast coast, according to FlightAware.\u00a0<\/p>\n That number included total disruptions from Friday through Monday.\u00a0<\/p>\n Drivers navigate icy road conditions Jan. 26 in Carrollton, Texas, as a winter storm moved through the region. (AP Photo\/Tony Gutierrez)<\/p>\n The surprising twist was the slew of cancellations in \u2014 among other places \u2014 South Carolina, Georgia and Florida.\u00a0<\/p>\n “The dangerously cold wind chills as low as 8 above zero could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes,” the National Weather Service<\/a> said in a warning for many parts of Florida.\u00a0<\/p>\n CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER<\/a><\/p>\n “Frostbite and hypothermia will occur if unprotected skin is exposed to these temperatures. … Young children, the elderly<\/a> and the homeless are especially vulnerable to the cold,” the NWS also said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Throughout the Southeast, children’s activities were affected. Even Disney and Universal closed their water parks.<\/p>\n A person walks down a residential street as snow falls in Brooklyn, N.Y., in January.\u00a0 (Angela Weiss\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park, located in Lake Buena Vista, was closed due to arctic temperatures. Universal’s Volcano Bay at Universal Orlando Resort was shuttered<\/a> Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 due to extreme weather, Fox Business reported.\u00a0<\/p>\n Zoo Miami was to remain open, but some animals have been no-shows.\u00a0<\/p>\n “They\u2019re being kept back just for the warmth that they need,” said Ron Magill, the zoo\u2019s communication director, as WSVN reported<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n “Sunday\u2019s forecast for Miami at 36 would tie the low mark set in 1909,” according to The Miami Herald.<\/a><\/p>\n Sunday\u2019s forecast for Miami, Fla., could tie the low mark set in 1909, officials said.\u00a0 (Giogrio Viera\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n Georgia shuttered numerous attractions, too. The Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta Botanical Garden, Zoo Atlanta, Center for Puppetry Arts and Michael C. Carlos Museum<\/a> were all reported to be closed on Saturday.<\/p>\n In North Carolina, the Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey circus performances scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at the First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro were canceled due to a state of emergency and snow emergency declared by local officials, according to the venue’s website.\u00a0<\/p>\n TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ<\/a><\/p>\n Here is a sampling of a few other highly anticipated events or activities that have been canceled or postponed, according to the latest information available Saturday afternoon.\u00a0<\/p>\n 1. Polar Plunge, Myrtle Beach, S.C.<\/p>\n Due to the deep freeze, the annual Polar Plunge in Myrtle Beach in which people run into the frigid Atlantic Ocean<\/a> to raise money for the local Special Olympics was taken off the schedule.\u00a0<\/p>\n CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE STORIES<\/a><\/p>\n Organizers cited forecasts of “significant snowfall, dangerously cold temperatures and hazardous travel conditions throughout the weekend.” Those interested can still donate to the effort.\u00a0<\/p>\n Snow-covered cars line the streets in winter in New York City.\u00a0 (Selcuk Acar\/Anadolu via Getty Images)<\/p>\n “We strongly encourage everyone to stay home, stay warm and stay safe while this storm moves through our area,” the event’s website noted.\u00a0<\/p>\n 2. Braves Fest, Atlanta, Ga.<\/p>\n Sports fans<\/a> looking forward to Braves Fest at Truist Park found themselves making other plans for the weekend.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Braves Fest event sponsored by Delta Air Lines was canceled due to weather.\u00a0<\/p>\n Organizers cited forecasts of “significant snowfall, dangerously cold temperatures and hazardous travel conditions throughout the weekend.”<\/p>\n “We were very excited to celebrate with the more than 76,000 fans who had claimed tickets for the event,” a statement on the Atlanta Braves\u2019 website said.<\/p>\n “However, given the anticipated impact throughout our region, we want to ensure the safety of our fans<\/a> who were planning to travel from near and far for the event.”\u00a0<\/p>\n 3. Aqueduct Racetrack weekend racing, Queens, N.Y.<\/p>\n The New York Racing Association (NYRA) canceled live racing this weekend at Aqueduct Racetrack.<\/p>\n The New York Racing Association canceled live racing Saturday and Sunday at Aqueduct Racetrack. (Victor J. Blue\/Bloomberg via Getty Images)<\/p>\n NYRA had previously canceled racing Wednesday through Friday, so there was no live racing all week.<\/p>\n Aqueduct Racetrack said it would be open for simulcasting, betting on races that run elsewhere.<\/p>\n 4. Penguin Plunge, West Hartford, Conn.<\/p>\n On Saturday, Connecticut was enduring glacial temperatures in the teens.\u00a0<\/p>\n The organizers of the Penguin Plunge fundraiser postponed their Sunday, Feb. 1 event, which would have been the first-ever in the town.<\/p>\n![\"Cars](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/texas-winter-storm-icy-roads.jpg\")
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