Millions of people across the northern Gulf Coast are preparing for a rare winter storm that is expected to bring heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain to the Deep South as Arctic air grips much of the eastern U.S.
The National Weather Service has forecasted between 3 and 7 inches of snow and sleet for parts of southern Mississippi and southeast Louisiana, including New Orleans. In Texas, both Houston airports have announced the suspension of flight operations due to hazardous conditions expected from the severe winter weather.
Residents from Texas to north Florida are rushing to insulate pipes, check heating systems, and stock up on emergency supplies.
On the East Coast, a thick blanket of snow covers the region, while bitterly cold temperatures from the frigid Arctic air mass have plunged areas from the Northern Plains to Maine well below normal temperatures. Dangerously cold wind chills are expected to persist through Tuesday morning.
Around 40 million people, primarily across the southern U.S. from Texas to Florida, are under some type of weather hazard, with more than 21 million under a winter storm warning. Approximately 170 million people from the Rockies eastward are under either an extreme warning or a cold weather advisory.
Winter storm warnings extend from Texas to Florida, with heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain expected through Wednesday. A state of emergency has been declared across at least a dozen counties in New York due to heavy lake-effect snow expected around Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, with extreme cold temperatures.
Governors in Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama have declared states of emergency, and many school systems have canceled classes. The storm is expected to impact Texas starting Monday evening and spread eastward through Wednesday morning.
Forecasters warn that sub-freezing morning lows could threaten sensitive vegetation and exposed plumbing in areas unaccustomed to bitter cold. Officials across Louisiana are urging residents to stay home during the storm, as any road ice could make travel dangerous. Warming centers are being readied as towns seek to get homeless people off the streets.
Shoppers are packing supermarkets, stocking up on supplies as the severe weather approaches. The cold weather has prompted changes to the presidential inauguration ceremony, with Donald Trump taking the oath indoors at the Capitol Rotunda.
Elsewhere, an area from the Rockies into the Northern Plains is experiencing colder than normal weather, with wind chills as low as minus 55 degrees expected. The cold snap is attributed to a disruption in the polar vortex.
In Texas, homeowners are concerned about frozen pipes, with plumbing companies receiving calls to ensure proper insulation. Houston is expecting low temperatures that could cause water in pipes to freeze and burst.
In Southern California, dry conditions and strong Santa Ana winds remain a concern following recent wildfires that have claimed lives and destroyed homes.
