This is because states with typically mild winters – including Texas, Oklahoma, Mississippi and Kentucky – have already shut down dangerous roads, power outages and water due to the winter storms. The weather resulted in at least 26 deaths, including three people who died in carbon monoxide-related incidents and one driver who was hit by a snow plow.
The icy temperature is predicted to ease next week, but the temperature will be 25 to 40 degrees lower over the weekend as a storm system developing near Texas will bring the next round of winter weather, CNN meteorologist Michael Guy said.
With demand for electricity at an ‘overall peak’, New Orleans had to prepare for the ongoing power outages until Wednesday at midnight, according to NOLA Ready, the city of New Orleans’ emergency preparation campaign.
In the state with nearly 3 million of the country’s outages, Bill Magness, chief executive officer of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), said he did not know for sure when power could return to customers.
“We can not allow ourselves to tumble into a situation, by acting prematurely – I hate to say it because it was such a long event – but by acting prematurely to shut it down completely. the eclipse ends up last, you know, indefinitely, ‘Magness said.
Injuries and destruction
Along with interruptions, the severe weather caused destruction, injuries and even death.
Tulsa, Oklahoma, according to the Waterline Break Board on the city of Tulsa’s website, interrupted more than 100 water mains and service supplies due to the Arctic conditions.
“Water breaks in Tulsa create dangerous conditions,” Tulsa police tweeted with a photo of a parked patrol car that crashed when a water pipe broke and the water around the wheels of the vehicle froze.
As of Monday, 123 people had been hospitalized across the country with weather-related injuries.
Officials warned residents that the conditions make the roads treacherous, and that fatal traffic incidents have been reported.
One person in Medina County, outside of Cleveland, was killed when a snow plow hit their vehicle, Ohio Transportation Director Jack Marchbanks announced Tuesday.
According to the director, eleven snow plows have been hit in Ohio in the past two weeks, compared to eight hits last winter. “So it’s very treacherous out there,” Marchbanks said.
In North Carolina, the larger weather system produced a tornado that tore through Brunswick district Monday, killing three people and injuring 10 others, officials said.
“We have had a very minimal warning,” Edward Conrow, director of emergency services in Brunswick County, told reporters at a news conference on Tuesday. “We had a tornado warning of the national weather service being broadcast, but by then the storm was already on the ground and causing damage.”
Covid-19 vaccinations delayed again
Weather hazards have also caused roadblocks in the country’s fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
States stretching from Colorado to Georgia have delayed their shipments or vaccinations appointments due to the weather conditions.
The consequences for a vaccine distribution center in Tennessee will delay the delivery of doses to Colorado and other states, according to the Colorado State Joint Information Center. Ohio expects direct deliveries from Pfizer and Moderna that will delay one to two days due to the severity of the weather, Gov. Mike DeWine said Tuesday.
Many health care providers in Georgia plan to schedule their vaccinations due to the delays, but when they can reschedule will depend on when resumption of shipment, which may come next week, the Georgia Department of Public Health said Tuesday.
Vaccinations delivered to Illinois will be sent to the “Strategic National Inventory, Store and Stage Website”, according to a state press release.
The mayor of Texas spent 38 hours without heat and water
Texas has been hit hardest by the storm, and many people are suffering from the icy temperatures with no power to heat their homes.
Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price told CNN on Tuesday night that she was without power or water for about 38 hours.
“It came to a record low last night, two degrees below,” Price said. “So it’s very cold, and it’s Texas, North Texas. We do not get this kind of weather. People do not always have the clothes for it and certainly do not ride very well in it.”
“If people have neighbors they know they do not have heat, and maybe they have it, offer to take it in, let’s look out for each other, let’s try to do the right thing by helping, share what we have, “insisted the mayor. residents. Price says the city has the means to open more shelters if necessary, and will evaluate the situation hour by hour.
Mayor Dillon Meek, Mayor of Waco, Texas, is offering 15 hotel rooms for six nights to residents who are homeless and cannot be served by shelters.
“It is not a sustainable solution, but helps vulnerable people to hide in single-digit temperatures.”
CNN’s Chris Boyette, Gisela Crespo, Rebekah Riess, Jessica Myers, Andy Rose and Dave Alsup contributed to this report.