Dallas, Texas – An arctic blast currently gripping much of the United States is bringing unprecedented snow and ice to the southern regions for the first time this winter. This new storm is the fourth in the past two weeks to threaten major impacts on areas east of the Rockies, making it a frenzied start to 2024. Previously, the southern states have experienced tornadoes and severe thunderstorms during the course of these storms. However, with the arrival of the arctic chill, the situation is set to change dramatically.
Over the next seven days, more than 75% of the US population will experience temperatures below freezing. As the arctic chill takes hold, daily cold temperature records could be shattered, with more than 250 records expected to be broken from Oregon to Mississippi. This icy cold weather is expected to make the upcoming Iowa caucuses the coldest on record, with below-zero high temperatures and wind chills in the minus 30s forecasted.
Cities such as Dallas, Nashville, and Memphis woke up to temperatures in the teens on Sunday. By Tuesday, the same levels of freezing temperatures are predicted for Atlanta, Montgomery, and Shreveport. In these southern cities, temperatures are expected to remain below freezing for at least 72 consecutive hours, which could lead to damage to exposed pipes and water main breaks.
This arctic blast also poses a significant challenge to Texas’s power grid, which is notorious for its vulnerability to extreme temperatures. The plummeting temperatures will increase power demand enough to prompt the state’s independent grid operator, ERCOT, to issue a weather watch. While ERCOT has assured that there will be enough power to avoid outages, the situation will test the grid’s resilience.
While Texas faces the challenges of extreme cold, a new system moving from the Rockies into the southern Plains is bringing snow, sleet, and freezing rain from Texas to Virginia. Winter storm alerts are in effect, spanning from Texas to Virginia and affecting more than 45 million people. As the storm progresses, a strip of sleet and freezing rain is expected from San Angelo, Texas, to Huntsville, Alabama. The threat of ice buildup on roadways, trees, and power lines poses a major concern.
The storm is projected to lay down a coating of snow ranging from 2 to 6 inches from Oklahoma to Virginia, just north of where the heaviest ice is expected. Memphis, which has yet to see measurable snow this year, could receive between 3 and 7 inches. The storm will eventually clear the South by late Tuesday and may track into the mid-Atlantic and Northeast, potentially increasing snow chances in those regions by Wednesday.
In summary, an ongoing arctic blast is bringing snow and ice to the southern regions of the United States for the first time this winter. With freezing temperatures affecting a significant portion of the country, records are expected to be broken and power grids will be tested. Winter storm alerts are in effect, and the threat of ice buildup poses hazards to roadways and infrastructure. The storm is expected to clear the South by late Tuesday and may impact the mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions thereafter.