Travel Near Gulf Coast May Be “Dangerous or Impossible” as Rare Winter Storm Brings Heavy Snow and Ice
A rare winter storm is forecast to bring heavy snow and ice to the Gulf Coast, threatening to shut down travel for days and cut power for an extended period in part of the region. The storm has already caused blizzard-like conditions from Louisiana to Texas, with millions bracing for its impact.
An unprecedented blizzard warning is in effect from the upper Texas coast to part of the Louisiana coast, with blizzard conditions occurring when visibility is one-quarter of a mile or less in snow or blowing snow with winds of 35 mph or greater for at least three consecutive hours.
The storm has ended over Texas as of Tuesday morning, but snowfall will continue to ramp up significantly farther to the east along the Gulf coast. The major southern United States cities of Houston, New Orleans, Lake Charles, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Biloxi, Mississippi, Mobile, Alabama, Savannah, Georgia, and Pensacola, Tallahassee, and Jacksonville, Florida, will all be adversely affected by the storm via substantial snow and/or ice.
This could be the biggest snowstorm in more than 100 years for parts of the western and northern Gulf coast, and possibly one that people may remember for decades. The storm has already caused roads and airports to shut down along the Gulf coast, including in the Houston area.
Travel will be dangerous or impossible for hours to days after the storm along vast stretches of the I-10 corridor, with a swath of 1-6 inches of snow with locally higher amounts extending from just inland of the upper Texas coast to the Carolina coast. An AccuWeather Local StormMax of 14 inches is most likely near and just north of Interstate 10.
The storm will also bring significant ice to parts of north-central Florida, with a significant ice storm possible near and west of Jacksonville and in part of southern Georgia, as well as in part of South Texas from Corpus Christi to Victoria and Laredo.
The southern United States is ill-equipped to handle such winter storms, with many highways, in addition to I-10, likely to be shut down for an extended period. Officials are urging motorists to stay off the roads, and schools could be closed for days, with some businesses taking a while to reopen.
Bitterly cold conditions in the wake of the storm can bring a rare concern to people in the Southern states – the risk of frostbite and hypothermia to those not properly dressed or without heat. The electrical grid in the central and eastern United States may be stressed as hundreds of millions reach to turn up the heat, with the risk of pipes bursting and causing tremendous water damage.