National Guard called after Southeast storm
At least 3 killed; some areas deluged with up to 2 feet of heavy, wet snow
More than 200,000 homes and businesses remained without power across the Carolinas, Virginia and Tennessee on Monday as a winter storm that spent the past week creating chaos across much of the nation crept out to sea.
Three deaths were reported after some areas were deluged with up to 2 feet of heavy, wet snow or a wintry mix that snapped tree limbs and downed power lines across the region.
Thousands of flights were canceled or delayed from Texas to the Carolinas in recent days, and almost 400 were canceled Monday in and out of Charlotte Douglas International Airport alone.
The North Carolina National Guard helped dig out areas in the state’s western mountains.
“North Carolina has gotten through the worst of the storm, but we need to stay vigilant,” Gov. Roy Cooper said at a news conference Monday. “Unfortunately, the snow has turned into a nightmare and a tragedy for some, claiming three lives. We mourn them and offer our deepest sympathies to their loved ones.”
Cooper warned that utility companies projected widespread power outages that could last for days in some areas. More than 100,000 customers were in the dark Monday.
The worst of the storm roared through the mountains in the western part of the state, where the National Guard dug out emergency vehicles and delivered water to residents in need.
A team of soldiers rescued a group of snowed-in families north of Wilkesboro, shuttling them to a shelter.
“Our soldiers are and will continue to assist NC Emergency Management, other state agencies, and the citizens in the western regions as long as we are needed,” the National Guard said in a statement.
Police in Matthews, southeast of Charlotte, reported that a driver was killed when a tree fell on his vehicle. A man suffered a fatal heart attack after shoveling snow in Yadkin County, near Winston-Salem, and a woman in Haywood County, near the Tennessee border, died when her oxygen was cut off in a power outage.
Whitetop, Virginia, near the North Carolina border, was hit with 24 inches of snow, AccuWeather meteorologist Courtney Travis said. Swansonville,
150 miles to the east, had 20 inches. In North Carolina, the tiny mountain town of Piney Creek saw 20.5 inches.
Bigger cities also were hit hard. In Virginia, Roanoke had 15 inches. Blacksburg got 13 inches, forcing a late opening for Virginia Tech. The state capital, Richmond, was buried under
10 inches, and state offices were closed.
The Virginia Department of Transportation warned of accidents across much of the state.
“Crews around much of the commonwealth remain fully engaged around the clock to treat and plow snow-covered roads,” VDOT reported. “Please avoid unnecessary travel as icy conditions persist. If you must travel, use extra caution, be alert and take it slow.”
The storm rolled out of Southern California early last week after slamming the region with heavy rains that triggered mudslides on wildfirescarred hillsides. It continued east, leaving a swath of power outages, delayed and canceled flights and dangerous road conditions.
In Texas, Lubbock was blasted with more than 10 inches of snow. Hundreds of miles to the southeast, the storm brought more than 6 inches of rain to areas around Houston. College Station, home to Texas A&M University, reported 4 inches of rain, shattering a record set in 1931, the National Weather Service said.
Some areas in Tennessee and Kentucky saw a quarter-inch of ice, which made roads impassable. Then the storm rolled into the Carolinas and Virginia as a snowmaker.
“Things are winding down,” Travis said. “It was a long-lasting, still-going storm ... but by (Monday) evening, the storm will finally be pulling away.”