By Eduardo Medina
Following an unusual winter storm that battered the southern U.S. with unprecedented snowfall, the area faced a perilous new dilemma Thursday morning: icy roads that may not thaw out completely until the weekend.
From the bayous of Louisiana to the coastlines of the Carolinas, officials across much of the South conveyed a unified message. The storm’s aftermath was not concluded, they warned residents, and driving remained treacherous on untreated roads still coated with hazardous ice.
Although temperatures in some regions of Louisiana, southern Alabama, and Mississippi briefly exceeded freezing, nighttime temperatures dropped sharply in other areas including Georgia, northern Florida, and coastal towns in the Carolinas, causing the snow and ice to refreeze on roadways. Morning commuters encountered a heightened risk of black ice, the slick patches that can form unexpectedly and nearly invisibly as they blend with the asphalt.
“Ice poses dangers, and motorists must be vigilant,” remarked Richard Bann, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
The risk is amplified in a region that is not accustomed to extreme cold and where snow removal equipment is often inadequate. According to the National Weather Service, temperatures could dip to as low as 12 degrees Fahrenheit on Thursday morning in parts of southern Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and the Florida Panhandle, which prompted an extreme cold alert for the area until midmorning.
The storm has already wreaked havoc in the region, leading to numerous school closures this week, flight delays and cancellations at airports, and rendered travel nearly impossible. Hundreds of flights had been canceled by Thursday morning, with several Southeastern airports temporarily halting operations.
However, by Thursday afternoon, airports in the region, including those in Atlanta; New Orleans; Charleston, South Carolina; and Tallahassee, Florida, were mostly resuming normal operations.
Driven by a swirling mass of arctic air, the storm has resulted in at least 10 fatalities in Texas, Alabama, and Georgia.
Furthermore, cities recorded unprecedented snow totals: Mobile noted 7.5 inches; Pensacola, Florida, received 7.6 inches, surpassing its previous record of 3 inches set in 1895; and New Orleans recorded 8 inches, exceeding what Anchorage, Alaska experienced this month.
In Georgia, the State Patrol responded to over 3,000 calls, which included 370 traffic accidents since Tuesday evening, as per a statement from the agency.
In North Carolina, where eastern coastal areas received as much as 6 inches of snow, the state Department of Transportation dispatched over 1,300 trucks to clear the roads.
“It’s crucial to remember that sub-freezing temperatures will persist for several days. Any melting snow will refreeze each night,” Will Ray, director of the state’s emergency management agency, stated.
Numerous officials and utility companies urged citizens to conserve electricity.
“We are not out of the woods yet,” Baldwin EMC, an electric provider in southern Alabama, said in a social media message.
In Mobile, a coastal Alabama city, residents’ initial excitement about the snow shifted to worry regarding travel conditions, as many roads were labeled impassable.
“The snow has been lovely and enjoyable, but many issues may be lurking beneath all this snow and ice,” Eddie Tyler, superintendent of the Baldwin County Public Schools system, noted in a letter to parents after announcing school closures for the remainder of the week.
In Tallahassee, Florida, police officers employed pepper balls to break up a chaotic snowball fight. The Tallahassee Police Department confirmed in a statement that their officers responded to the scene after reports of individuals being struck by snowballs. They clarified that officers resorted to this tactic after being hit themselves and the crowd refused to disperse.
In Louisiana, the state transportation department announced that parts of Interstate 10 would reopen Wednesday night between the Texas border and Lake Charles, although a significant section of the highway remained closed in both directions as of Thursday morning.
The Georgia State Patrol reported having responded to over 100 vehicle accidents. In DeKalb County, Georgia, more than 100 vehicles were left stranded on icy roads, “hindering emergency response operations,” according to authorities.
Efforts to clear the roads have faced delays due to freezing temperatures. Even some fire trucks have gotten stuck.
“This is a serious situation,” declared Lorraine Cochran-Johnson, the county’s chief executive. “We are asking for everyone’s patience and cooperation as our teams work tirelessly to ensure public safety.”
