WINTRY BLAST
State-by-state look at winter storm hitting U.S.
From California to Ohio, a big chunk of the U.S. is getting a blast of wintry weather. Some areas are experiencing frigid temperatures. Some are seeing snow and ice. The conditions are making travel difficult, raising concerns about citrus crops and prompting the cancellation of fights, holiday festivities and football games. Even one outdoor ice rink in cold-accustomed South Dakota is shutting down.
ARIZONA
A storm rolling in over the weekend will keep northern Arizona in the grips of freezing temperatures, bringing more snow and making travel a little tricky.
Phoenix residents could see a dusting of snow in the surrounding mountains. Several inches of snow could fall in the higher terrain.
The cold weather is normal for this time of year, but the duration of chilly temperatures that will dip below zero in some parts of northern Arizona is what makes the recent and upcoming days “on the cold end of normal,” said David Blanchard, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Flagstaff.
Tucson street crews were busy Thursday preparing for the weather by coating about 70 bridge decks with magnesium chloride to keep ice from sticking to roadways.
ARKANSAS
The National Weather Service issued an ice storm warning for the Interstate 40 corridor and other areas in Arkansas, as a storm that’s expected to cripple much of the state into the weekend brought sleet that left roadways slick with ice and slush.
Forecasters say significant ice accumulations were expected across central Arkansas late Thursday through Friday.
COLORADO
In northwestern Colorado, temperatures dropped to near 30 degrees below zero.
National Weather Service meteorologist Matthew Aleksa said the temperature in Meeker hit 29 below zero just before sunrise Thursday, and Craig was at minus 27 degrees.
“Those are the actual temperatures, not wind-chill temperatures. It’s going to stay cold,” Aleksa said.
Some mountain areas reported up to a foot of snow. The Colorado Department of Transportation said U.S. Highway 550 was closed between Silverton and Ouray in western Colorado to prevent avalanches on Red Mountain Pass.
In Denver, homeless people lined up in 9-below-zero temperatures before dawn, waiting for the St. Francis Center day shelter to open so they could get off the streets.
The National Weather Service said Denver’s airport tied a record low Thursday of minus 15 set in 1972, but the airport was also closer to Denver 41 years ago.
DAKOTAS
Some organizations in the Dakotas canceled holiday events, and one city decided it was even too cold for ice skating.
A “Christmas at the Zoo” fundraising event in the North Dakota city of Minot and “Parade of Lights” events in the South Dakota cities of Yankton and Sturgis were among those called off. Many schools announced late starts, and officials in Rapid City, S.D., shut down an outdoor ice rink.
The National Weather Service posted advisories for the two states saying wind chills could make the temperature feel as low as 40 degrees below zero into the weekend.
IDAHO
About 4,500 customers in southeastern Idaho lost power for several hours after an overnight outage during which temperatures fell below zero. Power was restored about 8 a.m.
Two school districts canceled classed Thursday due to outages and the low temperatures, which hovered at minus 7 degrees in Rexburg about 7 a.m.
ILLINOIS
Icy, cold weather led to dozens of vehicle accidents in southern Illinois, and some schools and day cares were closed for Friday.
Illinois State Police told the Belleville News-Democrat they had responded to 35 accidents in Madison and St. Clair counties.
More than a dozen counties south of Interstate 70 in southern Illinois were under winter storm warnings from the National Weather Service. Parts of Illinois could see up to 8 inches of snow.
The electric utility Ameren Illinois says it has trucks ready to respond to outages.
INDIANA
The Indiana Department of Transportation was preparing for freezing rain, sleet, ice and snow to hit parts of the state Thursday night and Friday.
The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for much of southern and central Indiana
MISSOURI
Most of southern Missouri was under winter weather warnings, with up to 8 inches of snow possible by Friday evening.
Even more problematic: Sleet and freezing rain accumulations of up to a quarter-inch were expected in areas south of Interstate 44 in addition to the snow, creating a strong potential for downed power lines and very slick driving conditions.
“Certainly power outages are going to be a real threat,” said Scott Truett, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in St. Louis. As for driving, snow on top of ice “is a very bad combination,” Truett said.
Adding to Missouri’s woes was the frigid cold. Highs were mostly expected to reach only into the 20s or low 30s, a sharp decline from highs in the 60s in many places just 24 hours earlier. St. Louis reached 69 degrees on Wednesday; afternoon temperatures on Thursday were 40 degrees colder.
NEVADA
In northern Nevada, Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong said extreme cold was likely what killed a 53year-old transient who was found dead behind a convenience store Thursday.
Carson City’s low temperature bottomed out at 18 degrees overnight, and the high hasn’t exceeded 25 for two days, according to the National Weather Service.
In northeast Nevada, the low Thursday reached a record 23 below zero in Ely, near the Utah line. A hard freeze warning remained in effect as far south as Las Vegas until 9 a.m. Friday.
NEW MEXICO
A storm system that swept through parts of New Mexico on Thursday dumped up to 6 inches of snow across the state, closing some schools and causing dangerous driving conditions and traffic accidents, including one that critically injured a sheriff’s deputy.
New Mexico State Police says Sandoval County sheriff’s deputy Robert Baron, 47, was transported to University of New Mexico Hospital after he was struck by a vehicle while directing traffic on Interstate 25 near the San Felipe Pueblo.
The weather forced school closures in Santa Fe and in Albuquerque’s eastern mountains. Schools in other municipalities, like Las Vegas, N.M., opted for a two-hour delay.
OHIO
Temperatures in parts of Ohio were expected to drop by 40 degrees or more as an icy blast of wintry weather bore down on the state Thursday. Temperatures could plunge into the teens by the weekend. Forecasters predicted the cold front would bring a mix of freezing rain and sleet, as well 2 to 6 inches of snow along the Interstate 70 and 71 corridors from Cincinnati through Columbus.
OKLAHOMA
Freezing precipitation fell in parts of southern Oklahoma on Thursday morning, prompting officials to postpone high school state football championship games and cities to cancel holiday festivities across the state.
The brunt of the wintry storm bringing snow and ice will be felt overnight and into Friday morning, National Weather Service forecaster Daryl Williams said.
The Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association said the 6A state football title game between Jenks and Union has been rescheduled from Thursday in Stillwater to Dec. 12 in Tulsa. Other games would be rescheduled for next week.
Holiday events during the next few days were also cancelled in several cities.
In Moore, officials canceled the Christmas in Old Town event featuring horse-drawn carriage rides and a tree-lighting ceremony, which was to take place Friday night. City spokesman Jayme Shelton said organizers feared putting residents in potentially unsafe situations.
TEXAS
A storm brought sleet and freezing to the West Texas region on Thursday, coating roads with a layer of thin ice and prompting the postponement of Saturday’s Texarkana Bowl.
The freezing precipitation was expected to transition to snow later Thursday. Temperatures in West Texas were expected to stay in the 20s Thursday and Friday.
American Airlines and American Eagle canceled nearly 500 flights Thursday. Fort Worth-based American said the cancellations were a precaution in anticipation of deteriorating travel conditions.
The Texarkana Bowl between Harding University and Texas A&M Commerce was postponed because the area was under an icestorm warning. Bowl officials and representatives of both schools were working to reschedule the game, which was originally to be held Saturday.