Texas hit by ice storm as frigid weather returns to winter-weary east
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/feb/23/frigid-temperatures-return-snow-weary-us-east-coast Version 0 of 1. An ice storm that hit wide parts of Texas and neighbouring states on Monday, knocking out power to thousands of people, causing hundreds of traffic accidents and more than 1,300 flight cancellations nationwide. Along the east coast and in northern states, millions of people were in store for another bone-chilling blast of arctic air on Monday following a weekend snow storm, the National Weather Service (NWS) said. Related: The Great Lakes freeze – in pictures The NWS issued a winter storm warning for large parts of northern Texas, including Dallas, southern Oklahoma and western Arkansas. The storm that packed high winds and dumped freezing rain covered highways in the area with sheets of ice and authorities advising commuters to stay off the roads. At Dallas/Fort Worth international airport, one of the busiest in the US and a hub for American Airlines, more than 1,000 flights were canceled as of 9am CST (11am EST), according to tracking service FlightAware.com. In Tennessee, at least 22 people have been killed in the past few days due to icy, winter conditions, the state’s Emergency Management Agency said. Most of the deaths were caused by hypothermia and vehicle accidents. Eleven people have died in Kentucky due to the snow and ice that began pummeling the state on 16 February, officials said. Schools were closed on Monday around Dallas and Fort Worth, one of the largest US metropolitan areas, while traffic on highways was sparse. Iced-over trees knocked down power lines, leaving thousands without electricity, officials said. The trial of the man accused of killing Chris Kyle, the former Navy Seal who was the inspiration for the movie American Sniper, was postponed on Monday due to ice that coated the Texas city of Stephenville. In Louisiana, Governor Bobby Jindal issued a state of emergency late on Sunday due to the storm and potentially hazardous travel conditions, and schools and state offices in 23 parishes were closed, his office said. Arctic air returned to northern New England and parts of New York state on Monday after a brief flirtation with sunshine and slightly warmer temperatures. National Weather Service forecaster Jim Hayes said temperatures would be 25-30F below normal across much of the country on Monday. Anything from rain to sleet to snow was possible in many areas. Wind chills were expected to send temperatures diving below zero throughout northern New England and northern New York any time from Monday afternoon into the night. Winds could cause Bennington, Vermont, to drop to -17F (-27C), while Lake Placid, New York, could be a teeth-chattering -30F (-34C). Related: Boston braves yet another wintry blast as snow and ice slam eastern US again Temperatures falling overnight into Monday morning were expected to make travel dangerous for motorists, particularly those who encountered black ice, which can appear to be just a wet surface. Three police officers – two off-duty New York police department officers and one from Long Island’s Suffolk County – suffered injuries in weather-related accidents on Sunday morning. Icy roads contributed to the crashes, according to Newsday. A man was killed on Sunday when he fell through a skylight on the roof of a building in Canton, Massachusetts, south-west of Boston. Police said he was one of two people on the roof assessing snow removal needs, when he fell through a skylight covered by the snow and plummeted 40ft. On Wednesday, a worker at a Canton company was fatally injured when he fell while removing snow from a roof. A local woman suffered non-life threatening injuries when she fell from her roof on Saturday. Authorities say the incidents highlight the hidden dangers that come with this winter’s weather. Related: Niagara Falls freezes over as polar vortex drops temperatures – pictures Boston’s transit agency was slowly returning to normal after a series of crippling snowstorms and frigid temperatures. Most subway and trolley branches had service restored on Sunday, just in time for the Monday morning commute. Buses were running on a regular weekday scheduled, but delays were expected. Commuter rail passengers were being told to expect delays and cancellations. The Great Lakes, meanwhile, were going the way of the Niagara Falls and Sioux Falls and freezing over. Lake Erie is nearly totally frozen, and lakes Huron and Superior are nearly 80% frozen, the New York Daily News reported. More than 2ft of snow fell in Colorado. The storm caused church services and flights to be canceled. This year, Denver International Airport had about 30in of snow before the storm began, and officials expect another 14in by Monday morning. Another round of snow is expected midweek, lasting through next weekend. |