Thousands of flight cancellations and delays were reported Tuesday following a deadly winter storm in the eastern US. FlightAware tracked over 2,100 delays and cancellations, predominantly affecting major East Coast airports, but also impacting southern states grappling with frigid temperatures. Washington National Airport, after closing runways overnight, reported significant disruptions. Similar problems were experienced at the Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. Continued snowfall in the region was expected through the week.
While eastern US weather improved, a new front of disruptive wintry weather is forecast to sweep through Texas and the Southern Plains. This poses significant concerns for hazardous driving conditions, beginning late Wednesday and lasting into Thursday morning. The National Weather Service issued warnings, citing the potential for snow, sleet, and freezing rain. This follows a reported death in Houston linked to the cold weather.
In response, Texas Governor Greg Abbott activated state emergency response resources to manage the expected impacts. Numerous power outages are also affecting the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, with Virginia reporting over 57,000 customers without power. Dominion Energy reported restoring power to over 70% of its customers but continued work was underway. Outages extended beyond the affected states to include California, dealing with significant fire weather conditions.
Driving conditions were severely hampered, leading to hundreds of reported crashes, including a fatal snow tube accident in Illinois resulting in the death of a juvenile. Numerous schools remained closed Tuesday due to dangerous road conditions. The extended disruption underscores the significant impact of this winter weather event across various sectors, from transportation to infrastructure.
