No one is using the word extinction to describe the current ice storm sweeping the South. But the National Weather Service is using words like: “Catastrophic … crippling … paralyzing … choose your adjective.”

+ Hundreds of thousands of people have already lost power and thousands of flights have been cancelled. And in Atlanta, where a much lighter storm crippled the city two weeks ago, people are staying home. Here’s the latest on the storm from CNN.

+ Slate: Today’s the day Atlanta could lose one-quarter of its trees.

+ It’s sunny in Sochi. It’s freezing in Atlanta. It’s all about Global Weirding.

+ According to a recent study, there could be a link between the weather and suffering a stroke.