Winter Storm Fern, as it has been dubbed by The Weather Channel, has hit much of the U.S. Cold weather means snow, bitter cold temperatures, and shorter days, which disproportionately affect disabled people limiting mobility, access to essential services, and increasing health and safety risks.
For those who rely on electricity for medical reasons, a winter storm can quickly turn into a crisis if the power goes out. Ice-covered branches fall, winds knock down power lines, and suddenly the machines people need to breathe, eat, or monitor their health stop working. The roads become hazardous, transportation services are interrupted, and the cold itself can exacerbate health issues, even before an outage has started.
For many disabled people, winter presents risks that can limit their ability to leave home. This is especially true for those who cannot drive and must rely on sidewalks, curb cuts, and other pedestrian routes to get where they need to go. When snow accumulates or ice covers the ground, these paths can become unusable.
Joan Willshire, the former executive director of the Minnesota Council on Disability, explained this well when she told The Star Tribune in 2019 that snow and ice can trap some people in their homes. “Quite frankly, it’s getting to the point where it’s going to be an emergency here for us to get to work, to get medical appointments, to get groceries,” she said.
Even in cities with snow-removal laws, such as Minneapolis; enforcement is often inconsistent. More often than not, the job is left to disabled people who are unable to safely access their neighborhoods.
The environment adds another layer of difficulty. Mobility equipment is rarely made for rough conditions, and snow or ice can turn a simple sidewalk into an impossible barrier. Wheels slip, motors struggle, and the ground becomes unpredictable, limiting movement to whatever space is safe.
Even winter clothing adds complications. Coats restrict movement, gloves make it harder to grip or operate controls, and items meant to protect against the cold can interfere with the equipment needed for mobility. Staying warm and staying mobile often feel at odds, and neither choice comes without challenges.
For me, the trouble begins with my own body, practically instinctively. I have spastic cerebral palsy, and the weather impacts my spasticity. My body seems to have its own personal barometer. If it is a cold morning, the stiffness arrives before I even venture out. My legs feel heavier, my muscles are tightening, and simple movements become a slow struggle with limbs hardly willing to cooperate. The chill is more than uncomfortable; it feels like everything is frozen in place.
Winter isn’t just a backdrop to these challenges; it amplifies them. It turns every power outage into a potential crisis and each cold front into a reminder of how fragile our support systems can be. Disabled people and their families usually have to manage these risks on their own, with little to no assistance, relying on their own preparation, ingenuity, and strength to stay safe.
As winter drags on, it is essential to acknowledge that these challenges are not unusual. Rather, they are part of a larger pattern in which disabled people disproportionately bear the brunt of the worst impacts of extreme weather, infrastructure failures, and disasters. Moreover, preparing for a power outage is not just about electricity: it raises questions about equity, safety, and even the right to make it through the season with dignity.
Storms are a part of winter, but the challenges associated with them should not fall so heavily upon disabled people. Awareness is one thing; real change, however, needs communities, utility companies, and policymakers to understand what’s at risk and then take action.
Until then, disabled people will continue to do what we’ve always done. We are good at preparing for, adapting to, and facing a season that brings with it challenges many people probably don’t think about.
Sources:
Erdman, Jonathan. “How Winter Storm Fern Could Be Historic.” The Weather Channel, The Weather Channel, 24 Jan. 2026, weather.com/storms/winter/news/2026-01-23-winter-storm-fern-historic.
Graves, Ginny. “How to Prepare for Power Outages If Your Health Depends on Home Medical Devices.” NPR, NPR, 11 July 2024,
Macalus, Austen. “Winter Weather, Uncleared Snow Present Extra Challenge for Minnesotans with Physical Disabilities.” The Star Tribune, Star Tribune Media Company, 23 Feb. 2019, http://www.startribune.com/winter-weather-uncleared-snow-present-extra-challenge-for-minnesotans-with-physical-disabilities/506245922.