ATLANTA — In the aftermath of a harsh winter storm that swept through the Southern United States, flight cancellations escalated and officials cautioned against hazardous road conditions. The storm, which produced frigid temperatures and wet snow, prompted school closures and significant travel disruptions.
By Saturday, the storm was moving into the Atlantic Ocean, leaving behind snow showers that were forecast for the Appalachian Mountains and New England. With nightfall, temperatures were anticipated to drop sharply in the South, increasing the likelihood of refreezing meltwater, which could create dangerously icy roads.
Scott Carroll, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Atlanta, remarked that “everything’s not going to completely melt,” especially on secondary roads where slush would likely remain.
While main roads were generally clear, overall traffic remained light on Saturday. The Atlanta Hawks postponed their scheduled game against the Houston Rockets due to icy conditions affecting travel.
Major airports, particularly Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Charlotte Douglas in North Carolina, continued to experience flight disruptions. Friday’s inclement weather led airlines to further cancel and delay flights. As reported by FlightAware, approximately 1,000 flights at Atlanta’s airport were either canceled or delayed by Saturday afternoon, and security lines stretched significantly in the terminal.
Sarah Waithera Wanyoike, a resident of Lilburn, just outside Atlanta, recounted her frustrating experience. She arrived at the airport early Friday for a flight to Zimbabwe only to have her plane board but remain grounded for an exhausting six hours before returning to the gate. Her luggage stayed on the aircraft, and she opted to remain at the airport rather than risk missing a connecting flight due to ongoing announcements. “People slept with their babies on the floors last night,” she shared on Saturday.
Delta Air Lines, the leading airline at Atlanta’s airport, indicated that it was striving to stabilize operations and expected to restore reliable service throughout the weekend.
In Richmond, Virginia, the city lifted a boil-water advisory on Saturday morning that had been in effect for nearly a week, following a storm that disrupted power and damaged the local water system. Mayor Danny Avula confirmed through lab tests that the water was now safe to consume and stated that similar advisories were lifted in some nearby counties as well. The temporary malfunction had impacted over 200,000 residents, many of whom experienced low water pressure.
Additionally, freezing rain resulted in over 110,000 power outages across Georgia on Friday evening. By Saturday, utility crews had restored power to most, with only a few thousand still affected. The National Weather Service reported minor ice accumulation around Atlanta due to the freezing rain.
Parts of western North Carolina received up to 4.5 inches of snow within a 24-hour window by Saturday morning, while sections of middle Tennessee saw accumulations nearing 6 inches. Earlier in the week, the storm had already spread heavy snow and icy roads across Texas and Oklahoma, prompting Arkansas and North Carolina to activate National Guard troops to assist stranded motorists and governors to declare states of emergency.
In Nashville, businesses and churches began to clear away the snow that blanketed the city in order to reopen during the weekend. At the Judah Temple of Praise, congregants worked to remove snow from the sidewalks and parking lot in preparation for Sunday services. Elder Myyah Lockhart emphasized, “We’re not going to use the excuse of a parking lot covered in snow to not show up and praise our God tomorrow.”
Andy Atkins, co-owner of a food truck in Nashville, cleared snow from picnic tables and the sidewalk to welcome back customers after shutting down the previous day. He acknowledged, “Having a day off is good for the soul, but is bad for the pocket, you know.”
In Alabama, school cancellations affected millions of children from Texas to Georgia and as far east as South Carolina, providing an unexpected snow day. However, education officials in northern Alabama hinted that schools might remain closed on Monday if secondary roads did not thaw.
The storm deposited over a year’s worth of snowfall in certain areas, with some regions in Arkansas seeing up to a foot of snow, and Little Rock recording nearly 10 inches. In Memphis, Tennessee, more than 7 inches fell, while central Oklahoma and northern Texas experienced similar amounts.
The polar vortex, characterized by frigid air usually circling the North Pole, has occasionally drifted southward into parts of the United States, Europe, and Asia. Some climatologists suggest that these occurrences might be increasing as a result of global warming.
This cold snap coincided with unusual January wildfires raging through the Los Angeles area.
Intense winter storm that blanketed snow across the Southern US continues to hold strong
