A polar vortex has brought subfreezing temperatures to parts of the southernmost US, threatening snow in Texas and Oklahoma, and causing a power outage in Virginia’s capital. The cold front moved southward Tuesday, prompting a cold weather advisory for the Gulf Coast.
Residents are struggling to clear streets and highways as 11 inches of snow have accumulated in Kansas City. Carol Grayson, a frigid northern Virginian, wished she had a metal shovel to carve through frozen snow up to her knees. “We’re not used to it here, and we’re just not prepared,” she said.
A low-pressure system is expected to form near South Texas on Wednesday, bringing several inches of snow to the Dallas area and lower Mississippi Valley. Crews in Texas are preparing for the storm, which could bring up to 4 inches of snow on Thursday.
The polar vortex has caused hundreds of car accidents, thousands of flight cancellations and delays, and led communities to set up warming shelters. Transportation has been tricky, with a Kentucky truck stop jammed with big rigs forced off the snow-covered Interstate 75 just outside Cincinnati.
Around 200,000 customers are without power across several states, including Kentucky, Indiana, Virginia, West Virginia, Illinois, and Missouri. A weather-related power outage in Virginia’s capital caused a temporary malfunction in the water system, prompting a boil-water advisory for over 200,000 residents.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/wind-chills-snow-texas-oklahoma-arkansas-3d4a3826d070d9e84d69bbf2800198a2