Dangerous cold hangs on after weekend storm chaos
A major blast of winter weather is still gripping large parts of the United States after a weekend bomb cyclone dumped heavy snow, triggered thousands of flight cancellations, and pushed temperatures to dangerous lows from the Gulf Coast to New England.
Forecasters warned that the extra cold conditions will continue into Monday morning. While temperatures should slowly rise during the day, many areas will still feel bitterly cold, especially with strong winds.
Cold alerts cover millions across the eastern U.S.
Around 150 million people were under cold weather advisories and extreme cold warnings on Sunday across the eastern half of the country. Some southern states saw temperatures drop into the single digits.
Meteorologists said South Florida experienced its coldest air mass since December 1989, showing how unusual this cold wave has been.
North Carolina hit hard by heavy snow and dangerous roads
North Carolina saw some of the worst impacts from the storm. Wind chills were expected to fall close to 0°F early Monday, and lingering snow and ice were likely to refreeze overnight, making travel risky.
Snow totals were extreme in several areas:
- James City recorded about 18 inches
- Swansboro recorded around 17 inches
- Charlotte saw nearly a foot of snow, ranking as one of the city’s top five snow events ever
The storm also caused major travel disruption. A crash on Interstate 85 led to long backups, and the state reported more than 1,000 traffic collisions and two road deaths.
Thousands of flights canceled as storm disrupts travel
Air travel took a major hit. More than 2,800 flights were canceled in the U.S. on Saturday, followed by at least 1,800 more on Sunday.
Charlotte Douglas International Airport was heavily affected, with more than 800 cancellations tied to flights arriving or departing there.
Florida sees flurries, frozen fruit, and falling iguanas
The cold wave even reached Florida. The Tampa Bay area reported snow flurries, while temperatures dropped into the 20s in the Panhandle and the 30s in South Florida.
The cold stunned iguanas, causing many to fall motionless from trees. In many cases they recover when it warms up, but long exposure to extreme cold can kill them.
Farmers also battled freezing temperatures, with ice forming on strawberries and oranges. Some growers sprayed water on crops to help protect them.
Power outages continue after earlier ice storm in the South
The cold snap comes as many southern communities are still recovering from a previous winter storm. More than 81,000 customers in Tennessee and Mississippi were still without electricity by Sunday evening.
In Nashville, the local electric service said it expects most customers to have power back by Tuesday, with near complete restoration by next Sunday.
Mississippi officials described the earlier storm as the state’s worst winter storm since 1994. Warming centers opened across the state, and National Guard teams delivered supplies by truck and helicopter.
Winter weather linked to 119 deaths since late January
Officials reported 119 deaths connected to winter storms and extreme weather across the U.S. since late January, showing how deadly this stretch of winter has been.
More record lows, but gradual warming expected
Monday morning was expected to bring the last round of record low temperatures before conditions start improving later in the week.
Over the weekend, more than 100 daily record lows were set. Even as temperatures moderate, much of the area east of the Mississippi will still remain 5 to 15 degrees below normal.
Coastal damage reported in North Carolina
On North Carolina’s Outer Banks, residents described strong winds and heavy snow that made homes shake. Officials also reported that an unoccupied beachfront home collapsed in the Buxton area due to heavy surf.
Meteorologists said parts of the Carolinas may need several days to fully recover. Light snow could also return Tuesday and Wednesday in areas like the Ohio Valley and parts of the mid Atlantic
