A meteorologist flagged what he calls a chilling pattern as winter storm Fern hits parts of America.
CBS weatherman Lonnie Quinn pointed out on air that some of New York City’s biggest snowstorms have struck at roughly 10‑year intervals – often in years ending in the number six – suggesting the forecasted storm this weekend in January 2026 could fit the trend.
‘New Yorkers might be scratching their heads and asking, ‘What’s with the sixes?’ Quinn said. ‘But look at this pattern: In 1996, the city was hit with 20.2 inches of snow – the fifth‑biggest storm in city history.
‘Ten years later, in 2006, we had our second‑biggest storm ever, dumping 26.9 inches. Another ten years on, in 2016, New York saw its biggest snowstorm ever, with 27.5 inches.’
But Judah Cohen, a meteorologist who studied at MIT, said Quinn’s theory has no scientific merit and amounts to coincidence rather than climatology.
‘I see no evidence that New York gets a blockbuster snowstorm every ten years, or specifically in years ending in ‘6,’ Cohen said. ‘Yes, 2006 set a record that 2016 then beat – but before that you have to go back to 1947, and that doesn’t fit the pattern.’
Cohen added that short stretches of extreme weather can be misleading when taken out of historical context.
‘People like cycles, but a single ten‑year stretch isn’t a basis for a trend,’ he said. ‘There is an 11‑year solar cycle, but that doesn’t map cleanly to 10‑year snow behavior. It’s not a thing.’
The storm has caused large portions of America to grind to a halt, with over 7,000 flights canceled over the weekend as of Saturday morning.
Millions of Americans have been advised to take precautions and avoid traveling this weekend as meteorologists predict heavy snow and frigid temperatures.
CBS weatherman Lonnie Quinn pointed out on air that some of New York City’s biggest snowstorms have struck at 10‑year intervals with years ending in ‘6’
Experts warn winter storm Fern will bring heavy snow, freezing rain and sleet across the country
Ice forecast for the weekend is pictured. The combination of ice and extreme cold is MIT climate scientist Judah Cohen’s biggest concern
Panic buying has left shelves completely empty at a Trader Joe’s store in Washington DC on Friday
Numerologist Gary ‘The Numbers Guy’ Grinberg argued the pattern of sixes is no coincidence.
Drawing on Chinese numerology and Zodiac symbolism, Gary said the word ‘snow’ contains the only vowel o – the 15th letter of the alphabet and 1 + 5 = 6, a number he strongly associates with snowfall.
MIT climate scientist Judah Cohen told Daily Mail the storm will unfold from Sunday morning into Monday
‘Six is the number strongest connected to snow,’ said Gary. The most direct link is that snowflakes naturally form as six-sided, hexagonal, crystals. Ancient Chinese observers recognized this distinct structure, referring to snow as ‘six-petaled’ flowers in classical poetry and texts.
While dismissing the numerology, Cohen warned that the incoming storm looks significant and people should be prepared.
‘This looks sizable and large in scope – from Texas and the Gulf Coast up through New England,’ he said.
For New York City, Cohen said around eight inches of snow is likely, though totals could climb higher if conditions cooperate.
Over a dozen states have issued disaster or emergency declarations ahead of winter storm Fern, which is predicted to spread from New Mexico to Virginia on Saturday.
By Sunday, it will move into the Northeast, bringing bitterly cold temperatures and hazardous travel conditions, according to the National Weather Service.
‘Eight inches is a good bet,’ he said. ‘If it stays all snow, 12 to 18 inches is possible. But New York City is near the ocean, and warm air aloft could mix in sleet or freezing rain and cut totals.’
He said the storm is expected to unfold over an extended period.
‘Timing‑wise, think Sunday morning into Monday morning. This isn’t a six‑hour event,’ Cohen said.
Employees of a hardware store Bethesda, Maryland, restock sleds and shovels on Friday as people prepare for the storm
Shoppers wait in line at a store in Lenexa, Kansas, as Americans stockpile ahead of the storm
Some areas are bracing for more than one foot of snow. This map shows the likelihood that your community will be hit with at least six inches of snowfall
The likelihood of ice, snow or rain across America this weekend is pictured in this map
The biggest concern, he added, may not be snow accumulation alone, but the combination of ice and extreme cold.
‘Ice is more crippling than snow,’ Cohen said. ‘If you lose power and then temperatures plunge, that’s dangerous. Heavy, wet snow and ice bring down power lines – and I’m more concerned about ice with this system.’
Cohen also cautioned against reading too much into apparent weather patterns, especially those driven by viral social‑media clips.
Grinberg, who is known as Gary ‘The Numbers Guy’ claims said the number six is strongly associated with snow in Chinese numerology and Zodiac symbolism
‘To each their own,’ he said. ‘I don’t want to dunk on anyone, but calling out a ‘six‑year pattern’ isn’t serious meteorology. Notice patterns if you want – just don’t confuse that with evidence.’
Beyond the debate over historical patterns, Winter Storm Fern is already shaping up to be one of the most far‑reaching weather events of the season.
More than 230 million Americans across 34 states are under a mix of watches, warnings and advisories as the massive storm system barrels east, according to federal forecasts.
Over a dozen states have issued disaster or emergency declarations ahead of the storm.
Fern is expected to sweep along a 1,500‑mile track through Monday. Today, the system is forecast to stretch from New Mexico to Virginia, before pushing into the Northeast tomorrow, bringing bitter cold, heavy snow and dangerous travel conditions, the National Weather Service said.
A Georgia Department of Transportation informational sign warns highway motorists of the incoming storm in Atlanta
Children play in the snow in Houston, Texas on Wednesday
A number of states have made emergency declarations as pictured in this map
Experts told the New York Times that conditions could become so severe it may be too dangerous to go outside, while prolonged power outages during extreme cold could also make staying indoors hazardous.
As anxiety builds, panic buying has already stripped store shelves bare in Washington, DC, as residents prepare to hunker down for the weekend, NBC News correspondent Gary Grumbach reported.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump weighed in on the approaching storm, blasting climate scientists while warning Americans of a ‘record cold wave.’
‘Rarely seen anything like it before,’ Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. ‘Could the Environmental Insurrectionists please explain – WHATEVER HAPPENED TO GLOBAL WARMING???’
