Swath of South faces wintry mess: Snow, sleet, freezing rain

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) >> A massive storm brought snow, sleet, and freezing rain across a wide swath of the South on Sunday — causing dangerously icy roads, immobilizing snowfalls and power losses to hundreds of thousands of people.

Accidents on snow-covered interstates caused major delays, hundreds of flights were canceled and drivers in North Carolina and Virginia got stuck in snow or lost control on icy patches. Meanwhile, kids and the young at heart took advantage of the early winter snow with snowball fights, sledding and snowmen.

Police in North Carolina and Virginia said they’d responded to hundreds of snow-related traffic accidents as of Sunday afternoon.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper strongly urged residents to stay off the roads Sunday, asking drivers not to put lives of first responders needlessly at risk. Cooper said emergency crews, including the National Guard, worked overnight to clear traffic accidents on major roadways. One tractor trailer ran off a road and into a river, Cooper said.

“Stay put if you can,” Cooper said. “Wrap a few presents, decorate the tree, watch some football.”

Governors and local officials in several states declared emergencies ahead of the storm crossing several Southern states, which hit portions of North Carolina and Virginia particularly hard.

Officials warned residents to prepare emergency kits and stay off roads in impacted areas. Schools districts in North Carolina and Virginia announced they’ll be closed Monday.

“Virginians should take all necessary precautions to ensure they are prepared for winter weather storm impacts,” said Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam.

The National Weather Service said a “prolonged period of snow” began late Saturday and would last until Monday in the region, with the heaviest snow expected in northwest North Carolina and southern Virginia. Some areas of North Carolina and Virginia saw more than a foot (30 centimeters) of snow by Sunday afternoon.

More than 300,000 power outages were reported across the region with the majority of those — about 240,000 — in North Carolina, according to poweroutage.us. Parts of Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia also saw outages.

Charlotte Douglas International Airport, the sixth busiest airport in the country, said American Airlines reduced its operations, with more than 1,000 flights canceled on Sunday.

American Airlines also issued a travel alert for nine airports throughout the Carolinas, Tennessee, and Virginia, meaning passengers may be able to change travel plans without a fee.

Travelers were advised to check their flight status before heading to the airport. Cancellations were reported on flights from as far as the Midwest.

/CHUCK BURTON—ASSOCIATED PRESS A man jogs with his dog down a snow-covered street in Greensboro, N.C., Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018. A massive storm brought snow, sleet, and freezing rain across a wide swath of the South on Sunday - causing dangerously icy roads, immobilizing snowfalls and power losses.

ALLEN G. BREED—ASSOCIATED PRESS A car drives slowly down Old NC 98 in Wake Forest, N.C., on Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018. A storm spreading snow, sleet and freezing rain across a wide swath of the South has millions of people in its path, raising the threat of immobilizing snowfalls, icy roads and possible power outages.

KATHY KMONICEK—ASSOCIATED PRESS Josie, an English Retriever plays in the snow as her owners, Dawn and Mark Lundblad walk a snow-covered Sandy Cove Drive, Sunday, December 9, 2018 in Morganton, N.C. Over a foot of snow fell in the area creating a winter wonderland.

ANDRE TEAGUE—ASSOCIATED PRESS Dion Wiles takes advantage of the deserted streets to capture photos of the snow Bristol, Tennessee and Virginia state line early Sunday morning, Dec. 9, 2018. A storm spreading snow, sleet and freezing rain across a wide swath of the South has millions of people in its path, raising the threat of immobilizing snowfalls, icy roads and possible power outages.