A severe winter storm that dumped large amounts of snow and covered roads with ice across much of Texas and Oklahoma moved east toward the southern U.S. states on Friday, complicating travel and causing an unusual day of snow. snow for many students.
Arkansas and North Carolina mobilized their national guard members to carry out tasks such as helping stranded motorists, while the governors of several states declared states of emergency.
School was canceled for millions of children in a wide swath of southern states, from Texas to Georgia and as far east as South Carolina.
The storm had already dumped more snow than some southern cities receive in a year. About 31 centimeters fell in parts of Arkansas, and in Little Rock, a city that typically averages about 9.6 centimeters a year, there are reports of almost 25 centimeters.
In Memphis, Tennessee, 6 inches of snow had already accumulated from Thursday night into Friday morning, with heavy, wet flakes still falling. The city normally records 6.8 centimeters a year.
Farther south and east, into Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia, a wintry mix of sleet, snow and ice made travel hazardous.
The storm dropped about 18 centimeters in some places in central Oklahoma and northern Texas.
And in the Kansas City metropolitan area, students returned to school in several districts on Thursday after three consecutive days of snow, only to have classes suspended again on Friday due to more snowfall.
Snow began falling in metro Atlanta before dawn, leading to the cancellation of hundreds of flights and delays of hundreds more at the city’s airport, according to flight tracking software FlightAware.
Controllers declared a ground stop before 8:00 a.m., meaning no planes could land or take off. Atlanta, a major hub for Delta Air Lines, is the busiest airport in the world.
Four passengers were injured after a Delta Air Lines plane bound for Minneapolis aborted takeoff Friday morning, according to a statement from officials at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Other airports with significant delays and cancellations included Charlotte, North Carolina, Dallas-Fort Worth and Nashville.
southern discomfort
There was a chance of up to 8 inches of snow falling in parts of Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia through Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.
Snow and ice is forecast to accumulate in the Atlanta metro area on Friday, causing hazardous roads and possibly power outages.
More than 1 million public school students in metro Atlanta and North Georgia had a snow day or had remote classes.
Parts of South Carolina were experiencing their first winter weather in three years. The state Department of Transportation made some preparations ahead of the storm’s arrival on interstates and other major roads from Columbia north, but vehicles were sliding off Interstate 95 south of the city. Some schools suspended classes on Friday.
And with snow, sleet and freezing rain forecast in North Carolina, an outdoor inauguration ceremony scheduled for Saturday in Raleigh for Gov. Josh Stein and other state elected officials was canceled. The storm’s path overlaps with much of the area of western North Carolina affected by Hurricane Helene last year.
The snowstorm is expected to arrive in Richmond, Virginia, on Friday night.
Connect with the Voice of America! Subscribe to our channels YouTube, WhatsApp and to newsletter. Turn on notifications and follow us on Facebook, x and instagram.
Add Comment