A once-in-a-generation winter storm has swept across the southern United States, leaving states like Texas, Louisiana, and Florida grappling with heavy snow, sleet, and ice. The unprecedented weather has created hazardous travel conditions in a region unaccustomed to such bitterly cold temperatures.
The U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) described the event as “a generational winter storm.” For the first time, the NWS issued a blizzard warning for parts of southern Louisiana and far eastern Texas, where heavy snowfall and strong wind gusts combined to create whiteout conditions.
“Roads overnight and today will be extremely hazardous if not impossible for much of the area, and travel is highly discouraged,” warned the NWS.
Schools, government offices, and numerous businesses were closed across the region. Many roads were covered with snow and ice, making travel treacherous. Wind chills dropped temperatures into the teens along the Gulf Coast, with single-digit values in northern Texas.
More than 2,100 flights into or out of affected airports, primarily in Texas and Louisiana, were canceled, according to flight tracking website FlightAware. Airports in Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida also suspended operations due to the storm.
Large sections of Interstate 10, the major thoroughfare along the Gulf Coast, were closed due to dangerous conditions. Houston, the largest city in Texas, recorded widespread snowfall ranging from 7 to 15 centimeters (3 to 6 inches), while parts of southern Louisiana saw over 15 centimeters (6 inches) of snow by the afternoon.
In one location just north of Rayne, Louisiana, about 27 centimeters (11 inches) of snow had been recorded before noon. Snow even blanketed the sandy beaches along Texas’s coast—a rare sight for the region.
The governors of Gulf Coast states, including Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, and Mississippi, declared states of emergency to address the severe weather. Residents are urged to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel as authorities work to clear roads and restore services.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
