INTERNATIONAL

Historic Winter Storm Hits US : Historic Winter Storm Strikes Southern US

Historic Winter Storm Strikes Southern US
Houston, Jan 22 (NationPress) A vast area of the southern US prepared for a historic winter storm featuring heavy snow, sleet, and ice, resulting in dangerous travel conditions in a region not accustomed to extreme cold weather.

Synopsis

A large portion of the southern US is grappling with a historic winter storm that has brought heavy snow and icy conditions, leading to widespread disruptions and hazardous travel. The storm has triggered emergency declarations from multiple states.

Key Takeaways

  • 235 million Americans affected.
  • First-ever blizzard warning in southern Louisiana and eastern Texas.
  • Over 2,100 flights canceled.
  • Roads extremely hazardous; travel discouraged.
  • Governors declared states of emergency.

Houston, Jan 22 (NationPress) A vast area of the southern United States, stretching from Texas to Louisiana and Florida, prepared for a historic winter storm characterized by heavy snow, sleet, and ice, leading to dangerous travel conditions in a region that is not typically familiar with such extreme cold weather.

Approximately 235 million Americans found themselves impacted by the storm, which the US National Weather Service (NWS) referred to as "a generational winter storm event."

For the first time ever, the NWS issued a blizzard warning for certain areas of southern Louisiana and far eastern Texas, where heavy snowfall combined with strong wind gusts resulted in whiteout conditions, according to reports from the Xinhua news agency.

The NWS cautioned that roads overnight and on Tuesday would become "extremely hazardous, if not impossible" for many areas, advising against travel.

On Tuesday, schools, government facilities, and numerous shops and eateries closed across the region. Many roads became blanketed with snow or mixed with ice. Wind chills on Tuesday morning plunged temperatures into the teens across much of the Gulf Coast, with northern Texas experiencing single-digit temperatures.

Over 2,100 flights to and from affected airports, primarily in Texas and Louisiana, were canceled on Tuesday, as reported by the flight tracking site FlightAware. Several airports in Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida also halted operations due to the storm.

Significant portions of Interstate 10, the major highway for the Gulf Coast states, were closed on Tuesday due to perilous conditions.

Houston, the largest city in Texas, saw widespread snowfall of three to six inches, while some regions of southern Louisiana experienced over half a foot of snow by Tuesday afternoon.

In one area just north of Rayne, Louisiana, a remarkable 10.5 inches of snow was recorded before noon, as reported by CNN, with snow even blanketing sandy beaches along the Texas coast on Tuesday morning.

The governors of Gulf Coast states, including Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, and Mississippi, declared a state of emergency in response to this once-in-a-generation storm.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis stated at a press conference on Tuesday, "Our infrastructure is designed differently than states accustomed to this (winter weather)," cautioning that driving in icy conditions "can be very, very hazardous."

"Many of us have never faced this combination of bitter cold and significant snowfall in our lifetimes," remarked Louisiana climatologist Jay Grymes on Monday.

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