A broad winter storm will blanket the Southern Plains and Southeast in snow and ice through Thursday morning, bringing scorching temperatures and creating travel disruptions for millions of travelers, meteorologists said.
As of Tuesday morning, more than 21 million people from southeastern New Mexico and Texas to West Virginia were under a winter weather advisory, the National Weather Service said.
The storm that started on Monday has already started wreaking havoc on air travel. Nearly 1,000 flights into, in or out of the US were canceled on Tuesday. According to FlightAware, an aviation tracking company. Most of the cancellations were reported in Texas, including more than 400 flights at airports in Dallas and Austin.
Several rounds of mixed precipitation, mostly freezing rain and sleet, are forecast for the middle of the week. More than a quarter of an inch of snow was expected from west Texas to west Tennessee, with isolated amounts of three-quarters of an inch.
“This amount of ice will lead to tree damage and scattered power outages in hard-hit areas,” meteorologists said in a weather advisory. “A half inch of snow or even more inland is possible from West Texas to Arkansas, making for treacherous travel as well.”
The Dallas Independent School District, with more than 150,000 students, He canceled classes on Tuesdayand the city’s mayor, Eric Johnson, Residents are advised to avoid unnecessary travel.
“First tip: don’t drive on icy roads,” he said on Twitter. “Period. It’s not worth it.”
and the Austin Independent School District He canceled classes on TuesdayAnd the city said it would offer shelters to those in need.
Other areas across the South are bracing for dangerous weather this week. Little Rock, Ark. Mayor Frank Scott Jr. said Monday on Twitter Inclement weather crews work 12-hour shifts. and in Nashville, Schools were scheduled to open Tuesday was delayed by two hours due to freezing rain in the forecast.
In West Virginia, the state Office of Emergency Management advised residents to prepare ahead of the storm, including weather policies and talking to employers. Collection of emergency supplies.
This winter has brought a mixed bag of weather to large parts of the South. last week, A hurricane tore through communities Southeast of Houston, destroying a senior assisted-living center and causing other damage. In Louisiana, three people were hospitalized with injuries after a storm damaged mobile homes northwest of Baton Rouge. Earlier this month, At least eight people were killed After a string of severe storms and tornadoes roared through Alabama and Georgia.