A rare winter storm has unleashed heavy snow, ice, and wind gusts across the US Gulf Coast, bringing a region unaccustomed to such weather to a standstill. The storm has caused widespread disruptions, including school closures, power outages, and flight cancellations. Cities from Houston to New Orleans are facing challenges as residents grapple with the unexpected winter conditions.
A rare winter storm swept across the US Gulf Coast on Tuesday, unleashing heavy snow, ice, and powerful wind gusts upon a region where such weather phenomena are uncommon. As the storm progressed eastward, crews in Houston worked diligently to clear snow-covered highways, while downtown streets, blanketed in white, remained virtually deserted during the morning rush hour. In the heart of Houston, few ventured out into the snow, as some restaurants and bars remained closed.
The Houston metro rail operated but passenger numbers were noticeably low. Schools were shuttered on both Tuesday and Wednesday, anticipating approximately four inches of snowfall. 'I've lived in Texas my whole life, and I've never witnessed snow of this intensity,' said Ishan Bhaidani, a 29-year-old fintech consulting company owner in Houston. 'We typically experience more ice, but this type of fine snow is unprecedented.' Authorities in Houston were investigating two potential weather-related fatalities, including a homeless man discovered dead near an apartment complex, according to Harris County Sheriff's Office on X. Snowfall also reached New Orleans, where accumulations of up to eight inches were projected by the end of the day, threatening to equal a record set in 1895. The last measurable snowfall in the city was in 2009, according to the National Weather Service.'Stay home and avoid the roads,' urged a bundled-up New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell in a video message to residents on X, as wind gusts whipped snow into her face. The storm was anticipated to meander through Mississippi, Georgia, and Florida early this week. Mobile, Alabama, was forecast to receive up to five inches of snow, an occurrence not seen in over 60 years, according to the NWS. A snowstorm warning remained in effect for 31 million people, spanning from southern Texas eastward through Georgia and northwards to the Carolinas and Virginia, until Wednesday morning, the service reported. Hundreds of flights departing from and arriving at airports in the region faced delays or cancellations on Tuesday morning. Approximately 960 flights scheduled to depart from or arrive at Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport were canceled, according to Flightaware.com. Temperatures were expected to plummet on Tuesday to single digits Fahrenheit, well below freezing, across the region. Forecasters and local officials urged residents to take precautions against frostbite and implement measures to prevent their water pipes from freezing and rupturing.Across the South, the combination of snow, an inch of ice accumulation, and wind gusts reaching up to 40 miles per hour (64 kph) could significantly hinder road and air travel for several days. Additionally, there was a risk of power lines and trees being toppled, forecasters warned. In southeastern Texas, approximately 30,000 homes and businesses were without power, according to Poweroutage.us. 'While we encountered a few isolated outages, our overall system remained resilient,' stated CenterPoint Energy, the electricity provider for the Houston area, in a press release. Texas ports and pilots, who assist in guiding vessels, suspended some operations on Monday as frigid temperatures swept across the state. Atlanta, Georgia, and Montgomery, Alabama, opened warming centers and closed government offices in anticipation of the storm. Numerous school districts canceled classes, according to local news reports.Further north, most of the eastern two-thirds of the United States grappled with brutally cold temperatures as an Arctic front was forecast to persist at least through Tuesday. Chicago registered -5 degrees Fahrenheit (-21 degrees Celsius), Cleveland experienced 5 F, and New York City recorded 11 F, according to the NWS. These morning temperatures were comparatively mild compared to the -39 F (-39 C) recorded near Grand Lake, Colorado, the coldest spot in the US on Tuesday morning.
Winter Storm Gulf Coast Snow Ice Power Outages Flight Cancellations School Closures Record Snowfall
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