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The US Gulf Coast was wrapped in a
historic winter storm
that swept across Tuesday, bringing record-breaking snowfall to a region, which is usually sun soaked. The storm that stretched 1,500 miles from Texas to the Carolinas, left behind widespread travel chaos, stranded bikers, and thousands of cancelled flights.
The snowy chaos has resulted in deadly conditions across the region with at least 11 casualties, as per news agency CNN.
Snowfall records shattered
New Orleans: Many places in New Orleans received 25 centimeters, surpassing its record of 6.8 centimeters from 1963, the national weather service reported. There was also an unofficial report of 11.5 inches of snow in Saint Bernard Parish east of the city.
Milton, Florida: The small town of Milton near Florida received 24.9 centimeters of snowfall, smashing the state's lifetime record from 1954, according to news agency AP.
Houston: Houston city of Texas, experienced an unexpected snowfall of 10 centimetres, leaving the city unprepared being the region owning no snowplows. Furthermore, a preliminary report recorded 15 centimetres (6 inches) of snow in La Porte, southeast of Houston.
Charleston, South Carolina: Charleston experienced over 10 centimetres of snowfall, leading to closing the airport and the iconic Ravenel Bridge. Authorities explained the bridge was shut down due to ice forming on its cables, which could break off in large chunks and potentially damage vehicles.
Mobile, Alabama: Mobile Regional Airport recorded 15.7 centimetres of snow, surpassing the city's previous one-day record of 12.7 centimetres set on 24 January 1881.
Unofficial reports also noted over 23 centimetres of snow in Gulf Coast communities near Mobile. In southern Alabama, the small town of Babbie also reported a preliminary snowfall total of 28 centimetres, marking one of the highest.
Major threat to life
Fatal car accidents due to icy roads have been reported in Texas and Alabama. In Texas’ Zavala County, five people died after their vehicle skidded on a bridge, while in Alabama, another woman died in a collision on a snow-covered highway.
Hypothermia is also suspected in several deaths, including one in Milwaukee and another in Georgia.
The cold snap has further raised challenges for the homeless. In San Antonio, a woman was seen seeking refuge in their dog kennel, while New Orleans opened an additional warming centre after existing shelters reached capacity.
Houston also reported over 1,300 people using warming centres, with officials ensuring no one was turned away.
Disrupted travel
Air travel across the country was disrupted, with more than 1,800 cancelled flights.
Airports in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Florida were forced to shut down, while others, like New Orleans’ Louis Armstrong Airport, cancelled all departing flights.
Road conditions also remained hazardous in the regions. Louisiana shut down a 150-mile stretch of Interstate 10, and New Orleans brought in snow ploughs from Indiana to clear critical routes. In Alabama and Mississippi, roads were labeled “impassable,” where black ice remained a major threat.
The NBA and multiple college basketball conferences also postponed games in response to winter weather.
