Heavy snowfall, accompanied by strong gusts of wind and icy conditions, hit the cities of Houston and New Orleans in particular. 31 million people are affected by the storm.
A rare winter storm swept across the Gulf Coast in the southeastern United States on Tuesday, January 21, bringing in its wake heavy snowfall, ice and gusty winds that hit the cities of Houston and New Orleans.
In central Houston, few people ventured outside in the snow, with some restaurants and bars remaining closed. The Houston subway was operating, but passengers were few and far between. Schools were closed Tuesday and Wednesday, with the city expecting about ten centimeters of snow. At the same time, the authorities cleared the highways, covered in a white coat. “I’ve lived in Texas my whole life and I’ve never seen snow this deep,” said Ishan Bhaidani, 29, who owns a consulting business in Houston. “Usually, it’s more icy, but this type of fine snow is a first. Houston authorities investigating two potentially weather-related deaths, including homeless man found dead near residencesaid the Harris County Sheriff on X.
ARATHY SOMASEKHAR / REUTERS
Snow was also falling in New Orleans, where up to eight inches was expected by Wednesday, threatening to tie a record set in 1895. The last time the city experienced a measurable snowfall was in 2009, according to the National Weather Service. “Stay at home and avoid the roads” said bundled-up New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell as wind whipped her face in a video message to residents on X.
31 million people affected
The storm is expected to pass through Mississippi, Georgia and Florida in the coming days. Up to thirteen centimeters of snow was forecast in Mobile, Alabama, where such accumulations had not been seen in more than 60 years, according to authorities. A snowstorm warning was in effect for 31 million people – from southern Texas east to Georgia, north to the Carolinas and Virginia – from Tuesday through Wednesday morning, according to the NWS Weather Service . Hundreds of flights to and from area airports were delayed or canceled Tuesday morning. About 960 flights were canceled at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport alone, according to Flightaware.com.
-Temperatures are expected to drop below freezing across the region. Forecasters and local officials urged residents to protect themselves from frostbite and take steps to prevent their water pipes from bursting. Across the South, snow, combined with an inch of freezing rain and wind gusts of up to 40 mph, could make road and air travel difficult for several days, also threatening to bring down power lines and trees, forecasters warned.
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30,000 homes without electricity
In southeast Texas, about 30,000 homes and businesses were without power, according to Poweroutage.us. “Although we experienced a few isolated outages, our system remained generally stable”CenterPoint Energy, which provides electricity to the Houston area, said in a statement. Texas ports and pilots, who help guide ships, suspended some operations Monday due to the extreme cold hitting the state.
In Atlanta, Georgia, and Montgomery, Alabama, warming centers were opened and government offices closed in preparation for the storm. Many school districts have canceled classes, according to local reports. Farther north, much of the eastern two-thirds of the United States was experiencing freezing temperatures while an Arctic front was expected to persist at least until Tuesday. It was -21°C in Chicago, -15°C in Cleveland and -12°C in New York, according to the NWS. These morning temperatures seemed mild compared to the -39°C recorded near Grand Lake, Colorado, the coldest point in the United States on Tuesday morning.
