The origins of the storm were complex, with an area of low pressure developing on the backside of a cold front that had swept through the region on January 19.

Approximately 6,000 people were estimated to have lost power as a result of the nor'easter, mainly in New York and Pennsylvania and at least one injury was confirmed from a vehicle pileup due to the snow.

Beginning on January 14, meteorologists had anticipated that an area of low pressure would develop off the Northeastern United States and bring light snow to the region, but had lots of uncertainty in its strength and track.

[1] The anticipated feature was expected to develop as a frontal wave on the backside of an arctic front that would bring bitterly cold temperatures in its wake.

[5][7] Rapid strengthening continued, and the system peaked in intensity by 00:00 UTC on January 22 with a pressure of 954 mb (28.2 inHg), after it emerged into the Arctic Ocean.

[12] Delaware power grid operator PJM issued a cold weather alert ahead of the storm and arctic front on January 18.

[13] This was done in order to avoid a repeat of what happened after a winter storm in 2022 brought similarly bitter cold in its wake and caused massive demand to the power grid.

[13] While not caused by the storm itself, bur rather due to the freezing temperatures expected behind the nor'easter, president-elect Donald Trump announced on January 17 that his second inauguration ceremony would be moved indoors as a result, and would take place in the Capitol rotunda.

[17] Connecticut state governor Ned Lamont said residents should prepare for significant snowfall and advised people stay off the roads during the storm.

[23] Snowfall totals varied within the New York metropolitan area, due to precipitation mixing early on, with the highest being 8.1 in (21 cm) at Highland Mills.

[28] In the state of Massachusetts, most impacts weren't large, particurally due to the storm's timing with Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which officials said kept most residents of the roads and reducing possible accidents.