Snow shuts down much of Deep South

ATLANTA — Snowfall shrouding much of the Deep South tapered off Saturday, but freezing temperatures kept roads slick and thousands without electricity throughout the region while planes remained grounded at the world’s busiest airport.

Forecasters warned that moisture on the roadways could freeze and cause black ice to form. The frigid temperatures behind a cold front combined with moisture off the Gulf of Mexico to bring unusual wintry weather to parts of the South.

Preliminary reports to the weather service showed up to 10 inches of snowfall in northwest Georgia, with 7 inches of accumulation in parts of metro Atlanta. Another 10 inches of snow was reported in Anniston, Ala., while up to 7 inches were reported in Mississippi.

Flurries were even reported in New Orleans.

“It’s very, very abnormal and rare that we would get totals like that this time of year,” said Sid King, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in the Atlanta area. “It’s really not even winter yet. I would not be surprised if we broke a lot of records.”

But the snow wasn’t expected to outlast the weekend. King said warming temperatures and sunny skies should melt most of it in time for shivering Southerners to return to work and school Monday.

Officials at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, which holds the world record for annual number of passengers, said delays and cancellations were expected.

“Passengers should monitor their airline’s media channels for flight info,” the airport said via Twitter.

Airport spokesman Reese McCranie said more than 400 were canceled Saturday. On Friday, there were nearly 1,200 cancellations.