After snow and cold temperatures, the Southeast is now facing icy roads

After a rare winter storm blanketed the southern United States with record snowfall, the region faced a dangerous new threat Thursday morning: icy roads which, in some areas, may not fully melt until the end of the week.

From the swamps of Louisiana to the beaches of the Carolinas, the situation left officials in much of the South with similar messages. The effects of the storm are not over, they told the residents, and cars are still a danger on the unpaved roads that are still very cold with slippery ice.

While temperatures briefly rose above freezing in parts of Louisiana, southern Alabama and Mississippi, overnight temperatures dropped in areas such as Georgia, northern Florida and the states -coastal communities in the Carolinas, causing snow and ice to melt on roads. Morning commuters face the threat of black ice, the itchy patches that can form unexpectedly and become almost invisible as they blend into the asphalt.

“Ice is frozen, and it can be dangerous for motorists if they’re not prepared,” said Richard Bann, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

The threat is worse in areas that are not used to extreme cold weather, and snow plows are not properly stored. Temperatures as low as 12 degrees Fahrenheit were possible Thursday morning in parts of southern Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and the Florida panhandle, according to the National Weather Service, which issued a severe cold warning for the region. until midnight.

The storm has already disrupted the region, with many schools canceling classes this week, airports delaying or canceling flights and making travel nearly impossible. Hundreds of flights have been canceled as of Thursday morning and several airports in the southeast have suspended operations.

South Carolina’s Charleston International Airport was closed Wednesday due to icy and snowy conditions, and it was unclear early Thursday when it would reopen. At New Orleans International Airport, all flights departing before noon Thursday were canceled, although airlines planned to resume operations in the afternoon.

Florida’s Tallahassee International Airport and the regional and international airports in Mobile, Ala., were expected to begin operations Thursday afternoon.

Driven by swirling Arctic winds, the storm also killed at least 10 people in Texas, Alabama and Georgia.

And the city got a lot of snow: Mobile reported 7.5 inches; Pensacola, Fla., received 7.6 inches, breaking the three-inch record set in 1895; and New Orleans saw eight inches, more than Anchorage got this month.

In Georgia, the State Patrol has responded to more than 3,000 calls, including 370 vehicle crashes, since Tuesday evening, the agency said in a statement.

In North Carolina, where eastern coastal communities received up to six inches of snow, the state Department of Transportation deployed more than 1,300 trucks to clear roads.

“It’s important to remember that below freezing temperatures will remain for the next few days. Any snow that melts will recede each evening,” said Will Ray, director of the state’s Office of Emergency Management.

Many authorities and companies have urged residents to help save electricity.

“We’re not out of the woods yet,” South Alabama-based electric utility Baldwin EMC said in a social media post.

In Mobile, a port city on the Alabama coast, residents’ first jubilee over snow turned into travel concerns, as many roads were deemed impassable.

“Snow has been great and fun, but there can be many problems hidden under this snow and ice,” Eddie Tyler, superintendent of the Baldwin County Public School system, wrote in a letter to ‘parents after canceling the school for the school. one week left.

In Tallahassee, Fla., police used pepper spray to break up a snowball fight. In a statement, the Tallahassee Police Department confirmed that officers were called to the scene of a winter disturbance after people complained of being hit in the head with snow. In a statement, police confirmed that officers used the same tactic when they were also hit in the face, and the crowd refused to stop.

In Louisiana, the state Department of Transportation said a portion of Interstate 10 would reopen Wednesday night between the Texas border and Lake Charles, but the portion The highway was closed in both directions on Thursday morning.

The Georgia State Patrol said it responded to more than 100 vehicle crashes. In DeKalb County, Ga., more than 100 vehicles were stuck on snowy roads and “hindering emergency efforts “, said the official.

Progress on clearing the road has been delayed, officials said, due to cold temperatures. Even some fire trucks got stuck.

“This is a big deal,” said Lorraine Cochran-Johnson, the district’s chief executive. “We ask for everyone’s patience and cooperation as our crews work around the clock to ensure public safety.”

Ali Watkins SY Ceylan Yeginsu contributed to the report.