Winter storm to hit Florida, North Carolina
SAVANNAH (AP) — Brutal winter weather that’s brought subzero temperatures to parts of the US is threatening to dump snow and ice across parts of the South that rarely see flurries, much less accumulation.
The National Weather Service said a wintry mix of snow and freezing rain is expected today until the weekend, mainly in Florida and North Carolina. It warned that icy roads and low visibility could make driving treacherous across the region.
In Savannah, a coastal city that hasn’t seen measurable snowfall since February 2010, up to two inches of snow and sleet were forecast. As city officials filled dump trucks with sand to spread on major streets, Mayor Eddie DeLoach urged residents to stay home and keep off the roads.
“The streets will be slick,” DeLoach told a news conference on Tuesday. “We could have some serious issues for folks who aren’t used to driving in this kind of weather.”
Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal declared a state of emergency through Friday for 28 counties because of the frigid weather.
The weather service said up to an inch of snow could fall as far south as Tallahassee, Florida. Accumulation of three to five inches was possible in eastern North Carolina.
In other parts of the US, dangerously cold temperatures have been blamed for at least a dozen deaths as well as freezing a water tower in Iowa, halting ferry service in New York.
The National Weather Service issued wind chill advisories and freeze warnings Tuesday covering a vast area from South Texas to Canada and from Montana through New England.
Indianapolis early Tuesday tied a record low of -24 Celsius for Jan. 2 set in 1887, leading Indianapolis Public Schools to cancel classes. And the northwest Indiana city of Lafayette got down to -28 Celsius, shattering the previous record of -21 Celsius for the date, set in 1979, the National Weather Service said. After residents there began complaining of a hum, Duke Energy said it was caused by extra power surging through utility lines to meet electricity demands.
“The temperatures are certainly extreme, but we’ve seen colder,” said Joseph Nield, a meteorologist in Indianapolis, noting that the all-time low temperature in Indiana was -38 Celsius in 1994.