Winter storm dumps snow in the East as freeze warnings, travel delays abound
A major winter storm left behind heavy snow and bitter cold as it began to push off the Atlantic Coast on Thursday, leading to flight delays, snarled traffic and shuttered schools.
The system had far-reaching impacts this week, blanketing the storm-ravaged states of Kentucky and Tennessee while dumping about a foot of snow over parts of Virginia and North Carolina. It barreled across the country as a blast of Arctic air gripped the central and eastern U.S., setting new record low temperatures in multiple states.
School districts opted to cancel class or switch to virtual learning from Virginia to Oklahoma, citing the low temperatures and treacherous travel conditions. State officials asked residents to stay off the roads as dozens of traffic crashes were reported.
As of Thursday morning, more than 150 flights have been canceled at Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina. Dozens of delays and cancellations have been reported in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Dallas, Texas.
While snow piled up in the Mid-Atlantic region, cold weather advisories stretched across two thirds of the country, from Montana to Texas to the Florida Panhandle.
Snow totals
Below are the latest preliminary snow totals from the National Weather Service.
- Teton Village, Wyoming – 55.5 inches
- Sundell, Michigan – 16 inches
- Virginia Beach, Virginia – 13 inches
- Rochester, New York – 11 inches
- Moyock, North Carolina – 11 inches
- Sterling, Kansas – 10.5 inches
Kentucky to receive a respite after deadly flooding, snowstorm
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said while the state is dealing with dangerously low temperatures on Thursday, the snow and flooding that walloped the state in recent days are "almost over."
Beshear said the snow has begun to dissipate and that all the rivers across the state have crested. Last weekend, a massive rainstorm triggered widespread flooding across the state that damaged homes, forced evacuations and led to 14 deaths, Beshear said. Immediately after that storm, the state turned its focus on the snow and freezing temperatures.
As of Thursday morning, the state is moving from a search-and-rescue phase into a recovery phase, Beshear said. He asked people to stay warm until the blistering cold begins to move out of the state this weekend.
The governor thanked first responders and residents for how they handled the back-to-back storms. "I want to take a moment to recognize how in Kentucky, we always look out for our neighbors and I've seen this once again in response to this natural disaster," he said.
Artic air sends temperatures to record lows
In Nebraska, the cities of Omaha, Lincoln and Norfolk had lows of negative 12, negative 17 and negative 18 degrees, respectively, smashing several century-old records, the weather service in Omaha said Thursday morning. Wind chills in those cities were between 25 to 40 degrees below zero.
On Wednesday in South Dakota, a temperature of negative 38 was recorded in the city of Edgemont, setting a new historic low.
In Columbia, Missouri, Thursday's low of negative 6 degrees smashed the previous record set in 1929, according to the weather service.
Federal forecasters said states across the South, including Texas and Oklahoma, could see record lows on Thursday and Friday.
Vehicles frozen shut after water main break floods southwest Detroit
Crews in southwest Detroit were working to free cars from ice holding them in place after floodwaters froze amid a blast of Arctic air this week.
The cars were on several streets that were flooded following a major water main break on Monday, which triggered dramatic rescues and impacted over 400 homes in the area. At least 130 households were put up in hotels this week. Officials have not said what caused the break, but noted that temperatures were below freezing at the time of the incident.
Michael Muzzey was one of the residents whose cars and trucks were frozen shut and likely totaled. "There’s several cars on this street that are pretty much out of commission," he told WXYZ Detroit.
Freeze warnings active throughout the South
The National Weather Service issued freeze warnings for parts of Texas, northern Florida and southeast Georgia as Arctic air began to grip the region with bone-chilling temperatures.
The warnings were in effect until Friday morning, and told residents that subfreezing temperatures and wind chills in the teens could harm plants, burst water pipes and lead to hypothermia with prolonged exposure.
"Make sure outdoor animals have a warm, dry shelter, food, and unfrozen water," the weather service in Tallahassee said. "Make frequent checks on older family, friends, and neighbors. Ensure portable heaters are used correctly. Do not use generators or grills inside. Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold."
See where snow has fallen across the country
Contributing: Darcie Moran, Detroit Free Press