DALLAS — A severe winter storm impacted the U.S. South on Thursday, delivering significant snowfall and icy conditions, which prompted school closures and flight cancellations. The storm moved eastward through Oklahoma and Texas, leading officials to advise residents in particularly affected areas to stay off the roads.
In response to the hazardous conditions, Arkansas Governor Sarah Sanders activated the National Guard to assist motorists stranded by the storm. Schools across a vast area from Texas to Georgia closed their doors for Thursday and Friday, affecting millions of students.
The National Weather Service reported that certain areas in central Oklahoma and northern Texas received between 6 to 7 inches (approximately 15 to 18 centimeters) of snow before the storm crossed into western Arkansas. In Little Rock, Arkansas, heavy snowfall caused complications, while further south into Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, a mix of sleet and freezing rain made travel extremely dangerous.
Truck driver Charles Daniel, navigating through central Oklahoma’s slick roads, noted, “I have not seen any accidents, but I have seen a couple of people get stuck out on the road and sliding around. People do not need to be driving.”
School closures affected more than 1 million students in Texas and Oklahoma, with additional cancellations in Kansas City and Arkansas. Meanwhile, frustration grew in Virginia’s state capital over a boil-water advisory linked to a previous winter storm that had disrupted local water systems.
Flight cancellations in Dallas were significant, with hundreds of departures affected by late Thursday morning. Tracking service FlightAware reported over 3,800 delays and 1,800 canceled flights nationwide.
The polar vortex, typically confined around the North Pole, occasionally shifts southward, affecting regions in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Some climatologists suggest these occurrences may be increasing as a result of global warming, which makes such extreme weather patterns paradoxically more common.
This cold front also coincided with unusual January wildfires in the Los Angeles area. Paul Kirkwood, a meteorologist from the National Weather Service, indicated that this storm will not only influence Dallas but could also create a significant “swath of snow” affecting areas in Mississippi, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and both North and South Carolina.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a reminder to residents to avoid driving unless necessary. Teacher Carmen Munoz, taking advantage of the school closure, chose to relax in a downtown Dallas park, safeguarding herself from risky road conditions. “I’ll be home, drinking coffee,” she commented.
As the weekend approached, road conditions were expected to remain perilous, particularly with an estimated 75,000 fans anticipated at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington for the college football championship semifinal. Arlington’s spokesperson announced that crews would be on standby to manage any hazardous road issues.
The midwinter storm was projected to head northeast by Friday, bringing heavy snow and freezing rain to the Virginia and North Carolina coasts. This could result in as much as 8 inches (around 20 centimeters) of snow across Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia through Saturday, according to weather forecasts.
In Georgia, Governor Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency to prepare for expected snow and ice starting Friday morning. The National Weather Service cautioned that significant snow and ice accumulation could make roadways especially treacherous and lead to possible power outages in metro Atlanta.
The Memphis-Shelby County Schools in Tennessee, which serve more than 100,000 students, announced a closure of all schools and administrative functions for Friday due to the anticipated heavy snowfall. With forecasts predicting up to 8 inches (about 20 centimeters) for the area, officials opened two warming centers around the clock for those needing shelter from the cold.
Parts of South Carolina readied for their first winter weather event in three years. The state’s Department of Transportation began treating major highways with brine and salt starting Thursday, and local school systems planned to either close early or shift to online learning on Friday.
In North Carolina, Governor Josh Stein declared a state of emergency before the storm, forecasting up to 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) of snow in various regions, with greater amounts expected in the mountainous areas. The chance of sleet and freezing rain also remained.
Due to the storm’s impending arrival, a public outdoor inauguration ceremony for Stein and other elected officials in Raleigh scheduled for Saturday was canceled, with associated celebrations for Friday and Saturday nights being postponed as well.
Additionally, Richmond, Virginia, remained under a boil-water advisory as officials worked to restore the water reservoir system, which had been knocked offline by a storm-induced power outage earlier in the week. The city distributed bottled water at numerous locations, prioritizing delivery to elderly residents and those unable to reach supply sites.
