Millions of individuals across the northern Gulf Coast prepared for an unusual winter storm on Tuesday, anticipating significant snowfall, sleet, and freezing rain as a wave of Arctic air sweeps through much of the eastern United States, causing temperatures to plummet.
According to forecasts from the National Weather Service, certain regions of southern Mississippi and southeast Louisiana, including New Orleans, could receive between 3 and 7 inches (7.5 to 15 centimeters) of snow and sleet. In Texas, major airports in Houston announced that flight operations would be paused starting Tuesday due to the dangerous travel conditions expected from the incoming winter weather system impacting a large area of the South.
Residents from Texas to northern Florida were busy insulating their pipes, ensuring their heating systems were functioning, and stocking up on essential supplies in anticipation of the storm.
Meanwhile, the East Coast was blanketed with a thick layer of snow, while people from the Northern Plains up to Maine were facing extremely low temperatures due to an influx of Arctic air that had caused temperatures to drop significantly below seasonal averages by Monday. Frigid wind chills were predicted to continue through Tuesday morning.
Approximately 40 million individuals, largely from the southern United States ranging from Texas to Florida, were affected by various weather warnings, with over 21 million under a winter storm watch, as stated by meteorologist Marc Chenard of the National Weather Service in College Park, Maryland. Additionally, around 170 million individuals from the Rockies to the east were under either extreme weather warnings or cold weather advisories.
Lakesha Reed, a catering manager at Beaucoup Eats in New Orleans, had arranged to fly out on Tuesday to prepare for a Mardi Gras event in Washington, D.C., but her plans were thwarted as flights were canceled due to the cold. The 47-year-old remarked on the unusual cold for her city, noting that early Monday temperatures remained in the 30s, uncommon for New Orleans.
“Driving in the rain is already tough for us,” she commented. “Last year, we were celebrating Mardi Gras in shorts.”
By Monday evening, the online tracking service FlightAware reported nearly 600 flight cancellations and almost 6,500 delays within the U.S. or associated with international travel, with over 1,700 cancellations anticipated for Tuesday alone.
Winter storm warnings were in effect from Texas to Florida as of Monday, with the expectation of heavy snowfall, sleet, and freezing rain continuing throughout the region until Wednesday. Furthermore, a state of emergency was declared Monday night in over a dozen counties in New York, where heavy lake-effect snow was forecasted around Lake Ontario and Lake Erie through Wednesday, with accumulations possibly reaching 1 to 2 feet (30 to 60 centimeters) alongside extreme cold temperatures.
To prepare for the storm, governors in Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama declared states of emergency, leading many school districts to cancel classes on Tuesday.
The storm began affecting Texas on Monday evening and was projected to move eastward, with heavy snowfall expected along the Interstate 10 corridor and sleet and freezing rain impacting southern Texas, southeast Georgia, and northern Florida.
Meteorologists cautioned that sub-freezing morning temperatures could pose risks to sensitive vegetation and unprotected plumbing in regions unfamiliar with such cold weather.
Authorities across Louisiana urged residents to stay indoors and avoid non-essential travel during the storm, as road conditions could become perilous due to ice. Warming shelters were being established to assist homeless individuals during the extreme weather, and the weather service indicated that significant snow and ice could lead to power outages.
In the meantime, supermarkets found themselves crowded as shoppers rushed to gather supplies.
“The past couple of days have seen a lot of commotion in stores, with everyone looking for supplies to prepare warm meals, probably something like gumbo,” noted William Jordan from New Orleans on Monday.
Much of the Eastern Seaboard was experiencing some of the coldest weather this winter, reminiscent of the previous cold snap, which was caused by a shift in the polar vortex—a ring of cold air that typically remains around the North Pole.
In Texas, Jonathan LeBron, plumbing manager at Nick’s Plumbing & Air Conditioning in Houston, mentioned that they started receiving numerous calls from concerned homeowners about potential frozen pipes.
“There’s definitely a bit of apprehension,” he said. “People remember the last major freeze we had three or four years ago and they want to ensure their homes are properly insulated.”
With projected temperatures in Houston dropping to around 18°F (minus 8°C) on Tuesday, the risk of pipes freezing and bursting becomes a real concern. Several inches of snow are also anticipated.
Meanwhile, Southern California continued to contend with dry conditions and strong Santa Ana winds, which pose ongoing risks in areas affected by previous wildfires, resulting in at least 27 fatalities and numerous homes destroyed.