DALLAS — A severe winter storm has swept through Texas and Oklahoma, leaving a trail of heavy snowfall and icy roads as it moves eastward into southern states. The weather event prompted several governors to declare states of emergency and led to widespread school closures across the impacted areas.
In Arkansas, Governor Sarah Sanders activated the National Guard to assist motorists who became stranded due to the icy conditions. As the storm progressed, it resulted in school cancellations for millions of students from Texas to Georgia and even extending eastward to South Carolina.
According to the National Weather Service, the northern regions of Arkansas and much of Tennessee were predicted to receive some of the heaviest snowfall, with amounts ranging from 6 to 9 inches (approximately 15 to 22 centimeters). Meanwhile, southern areas like Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama experienced a mixture of sleet and freezing rain, making travel perilous for drivers.
The storm previously dumped as much as 7 inches (around 18 centimeters) in regions of central Oklahoma and northern Texas before moving onward to Arkansas. Charles Daniel, a truck driver in central Oklahoma, noted that while he hadn’t seen accidents, he observed others struggling on slick roads. “People do not need to be driving,” he cautioned.
In the aftermath of the storm on Thursday, over 4,500 flights were delayed and approximately 2,000 cancelled, with additional disruptions anticipated on Friday. In the Atlanta metro area, snow began accumulating before dawn, causing significant flight cancellations and delays at the city’s airport. Air traffic controllers declared a ground stop due to the heavy precipitation near Atlanta, which is the busiest airport globally and a key hub for Delta Air Lines.
Additional airports experiencing significant flight issues included those in Charlotte, North Carolina, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Nashville. The ongoing cold snap is linked to a polar vortex typically situated near the North Pole, which has been observed straying southward into various regions. Some meteorologists suggest such occurrences are increasing, paradoxically influenced by global warming.
This extreme cold coincided with unusual January wildfires in the Los Angeles area, creating stark contrasts in weather conditions across the country. Paul Kirkwood, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, stated that the storm, which affected the Dallas vicinity, would create a path of snow impacting multiple states including Mississippi, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has advised residents to refrain from driving if possible, especially with 75,000 fans anticipated at AT&T Stadium in Arlington for a college football playoff game. As the system continued moving northeast, it was expected to bring heavy snow and freezing rain to the Virginia and North Carolina coasts, with predictions of up to 8 inches (around 20 centimeters) in Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia through Saturday.
In Georgia, Governor Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency ahead of the snow and ice expected to hit northern parts of the state. Weather forecasts warned of snow accumulation in metro Atlanta, potentially making roads hazardous and leading to power outages. As a precaution, public school systems in the Atlanta metro area and northern Georgia cancelled in-person classes, impacting over a million students who were either given a snow day or instructed to learn remotely.
In Tennessee, the Memphis-Shelby County Schools district, which serves more than 100,000 students, announced all schools would be closed on Friday due to anticipated snowfall up to 8 inches (20.3 centimeters). Officials opened two emergency warming centers in response to the severe temperature drop, providing refuge for those in need.
Preparations were also underway in South Carolina for their first significant winter weather in three years. The state’s Department of Transportation utilized brine and salt to treat highways leading north. School systems in the area planned early dismissals or complete closures.
In North Carolina, Governor Josh Stein declared a state of emergency as the storm neared, predicting up to 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) of snow, along with sleet and freezing rain for various regions. The upcoming storm also prompted the cancellation of a public inauguration ceremony planned for Stein and other elected officials in Raleigh.
In Richmond, Virginia, city officials issued a boil-water advisory following a power outage that affected the water reservoir system. The city, home to over 200,000 residents, began distributing bottled water at multiple locations and also delivered water to elderly citizens and others unable to travel to these sites.
