AUSTIN, Texas — More than 230,000 homes and businesses across the state were without power Wednesday and more than 1,800 flights were canceled amid treacherous, icy conditions and a relentless blast of brutal cold that killed at least six people.
A winter weather system, now in its third day, has blown deep into the heart of Texas from Minnesota and New York. Wrecks on slick roads were reported throughout the week in Texas, Arkansas and states across the region. In Travis County, Texas, authorities said Tuesday they were responding to a new crash every three minutes.
And in some areas Minnesota, a wind chill advisory Amid wind chills as low as 35 degrees below zero prevailed Wednesday morning. Officials warned that these conditions could cause freezing within 10 minutes.
Weather Development:
►A cold storm warning remains in effect until Thursday East central, southeastern and southern Oklahoma.
►New York’s LaGuardia Airport was grounded for the second morning in a row due to winter weather.
What is wind chill? Understanding the wind chill index and how it is calculated
A winter storm warning remains in effect for parts of Texas
A blizzard warning remains in effect until Thursday morning Parts of it North and Central Texas The National Weather Service in Fort Worth warned that mostly freezing and sleet is expected in the region. The weather service warned that “significant” snowfall is expected, with accumulations reaching an inch and a half.
Some winter storm warnings The weather service said it will be lifted by Wednesday afternoon. But ice in the area is likely to cause power outages and tree damage, and officials warned drivers should keep extra flashlights, food and water in their vehicles.
“The state of Texas is working around the clock to keep Texans safe and warm during this severe winter weather and flooding event,” said Governor Greg Abbott. “Texans are advised to be aware of the weather and stay off the roads if possible.”
What’s the difference? Snow and freezing rain vs. hail
Austin is struggling with outages, and the snow is coming
About a third of Texas power outages were in the Austin area early Wednesday morning. Although Austin could see temperatures reach 33 degrees for a few hours in the afternoon, forecasters warned of wind chills in the mid-20s.
The Austin area could see an additional 0.1 to 0.25 inches of snow Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service. There is a chance of freezing rain in the afternoon, although forecasters expect freezing rain to resume later in the evening and early Thursday morning.
A blizzard warning has been extended to Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee
A blizzard warning remained in effect for parts of eastern Arkansas, northern Mississippi and western Tennessee until Thursday. Up to an inch and a half of snow is possible.
Officials have warned that travel conditions will be difficult in the coming days. Interstate 40 in parts of Arkansas Tuesday was covered in snow.
The polar vortex moves towards the northeast
serious Arctic winds will target the northeast Later this week, AccuWeather meteorologists predict.
Temperatures in Boston are expected to drop to 10 below zero on Saturday morning.
In parts of Maine, temperatures could drop as low as 28 degrees below zero this weekend.
What is polar vortex? Take a deeper look at how this will affect winter weather in the US.
What is Lake Effect Snow?Here’s how it happens and how much snow it can bring.
Winter Storm Watch
National Weather Radar
Contributed by: Associated Press
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