Storm drops snow across South, sparks worry
ATLANTA — The snow that blanketed parts of the Deep South on Friday delighted schoolchildren with an unexpected holiday but also revived panicky memories for many adults of past storms that trapped commuters on interstates for hours.
Businesses closed and commuters left work early as snow mixed with rain fell in downtown Atlanta, causing traffic jams on slushy roads far ahead of the usual rush hour.
“We’re surprised that this little snowfall would cause this much disruption to the entire city,” said Lucas Rachow, who stood outside with several colleagues holding suitcases as they waited for a ride to the airport.
Rachow was heading home to Switzerland after a business meeting and said he didn’t know if his flight had been canceled.
The National Weather Service said just 1 to 2 inches of snow accumulation was expected in Atlanta, with higher amounts possible in the city’s northern suburbs. It was enough to remind some residents of the 2014 storm that brought the city to a standstill and stranded motorists on roads overnight with just 2 inches of precipitation.
At a Jersey Mike’s sandwich shop in downtown Atlanta, manager Mike Thomas said the snow had driven away his clientele. He was calling his boss to see if they should close up early, just as the barbecue restaurant next door had done.
“I’m terribly slow,” Thomas said, just after what should have been the lunch rush.
Accumulations of 6 inches were reported in Mississippi and northern Georgia, while at least 5 inches fell in Alabama. Rare snow flurries were spotted in New Orleans.
The weather band also brought a rare snowfall to parts of South Texas.
“It’s the first snow of the season and any time you even mention snow in the South, you’re going to get people a little panicky,” said David Nadler, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s office south of Atlanta.
Temperatures were expected to sink below freezing across much of the region overnight Friday into this morning, and forecasters warned that black ice could make roads treacherous. Things were expected to thaw by this afternoon, with sunnier weather and highs reaching into the 40s and 50s.
By late afternoon Friday, a total of 688 flights had been canceled at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, said airport spokesman Reese McCranie.
That included 375 flights cancelled by Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines, which prepared for the storm by having crews de-ice planes and waived fees for some passengers scheduled to fly Friday.
Highway department officials were monitoring the elevated roadways and bridges that stretch across much of south Louisiana, warning motorists to stay home if possible. Some highways were shut down Friday, as snow fell in cities and towns that have little experience with it.
Short, squat snowmen — some already melting by Friday afternoon — dotted yards and parks around Baton Rouge, La. Josh Black, a 30-year-old Louisiana State University graduate student, took photos of one tiny snowman outside the State Capitol building.
Black, who hails from the Toronto, Canada, area, chuckled about southern Louisiana’s reaction to the snow.
“They canceled school this morning, which is funny to me, for an inch of snow that is going to melt in an hour,” he said, smiling. “This is like May or October where I’m from.”
Snowfall and icy roads in North Carolina closed government offices and schools, sent cars sliding off the road and altered the governor’s travel plans.
Forecasters said heavy snow was falling in the mountainous western part of the state with up to 6 inches likely in areas including Asheville. A winter storm warning was in effect through this morning for western counties.
The frigid temperatures behind a cold front combined with moisture off the Gulf of Mexico to bring the weather to parts of the South. It knocked out power to thousands and caused numerous accidents along slick roadways.
Snow and sleet fell Thursday in Laredo, Texas and other communities on the Mexican border. The weather band also brought snow to San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Houston and elsewhere.