Nearly 1,000 flights canceled due to ice storm in the US 0:50
(CNN Spanish) --
A winter storm is affecting parts of the southern and central United States, which has already caused the closure of roads and schools due to dangerous weather conditions.
More than 40 million people, from southeastern New Mexico to West Virginia, are under various forms of winter weather warnings, including warnings of dangerous ice dams that are already turning roadways into a nightmare, especially in Texas.
Millions of people in the southern and central US are preparing for an ice storm
The danger on the roads became even more latent after the Fire Department in Austin, Texas, confirmed on Tuesday the death of a person after a multiple collision of 10 cars.
In Arlington, the death of a person on a highway was also confirmed.
While storm-impacted areas will see various cold-related threats (such as snow, sleet, or freezing rain), the main concern is ice.
The winter storm is expected to bring dangerous conditions this Tuesday and Wednesday.
advertising
The US states affected by the winter storm
Texas
Texas will face widespread icing conditions, with the heaviest accumulation likely arriving this Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday morning.
By Thursday morning, large parts of Texas will have between 0.25 to 0.75 inches of ice accumulation.
Several Texas cities - including Dallas, San Antonio, San Angelo and Waco - are under winter storm warnings.
Drivers in Dallas, San Antonio and Austin can expect dangerous road conditions.
Tuesday is expected to be the toughest day for driving as bridges and highways in Texas will be frozen, according to the Fort Worth weather service office.
Roads across the state have been closed as emergency crews are deployed to help motorists.
A mix of ice covers Highway 114 in Roanoke, Texas, on Monday.
(Credit: Lola Gomez/The Dallas Morning News via AP)
Significant icing of around 13 millimeters is also forecast on highways in Austin, San Angelo and Dallas, while San Antonio may see up to 2.5 millimeters of ice.
Several Dallas-Fort Worth and Austin area school districts will remain closed Tuesday and more than 400 flights departing from Texas airports have been cancelled.
Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi
Brief icing will occur in Oklahoma City, the capital of Oklahoma, Tuesday morning, while significant icing will occur in central Arkansas and western Tennessee in the afternoon.
Oklahoma City residents are under a winter weather advisory through Wednesday afternoon, with the possibility of up to 0.2 inches of ice.
In Arkansas, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders declared a state of emergency Monday and activated state National Guard winter weather support teams to be prepared to assist in the storm response.
"I urge Arkansans experiencing winter weather to avoid travel if possible and heed warnings from local officials," Huckabee Sanders said on Twitter.
In Dyer County, Tennessee, icy conditions prompted authorities to close the Interstate 155 bridge, according to the highway patrol.
Among the cities under an ice storm warning are Memphis, Tennessee, and Little Rock, Arkansas.
In general, the formation of 6 millimeters of ice is possible in a band that includes southern Oklahoma, Arkansas, northwestern Mississippi and parts of Tennessee.
Here's the #weather snapshot for #Tuesday:
- The lead story will be the extensive and dangerous ice event with some sleet from Texas to the Tennessee and Lower Ohio Valleys
- A powerful system in the Southwest will produce cold rain showers, perhaps a thunderstorm and mountain snow pic.twitter.com/Pzd13Iq4Ea
— National Weather Service (@NWS) January 30, 2023
Kentucky, West Virginia
Up to 5mm is also expected on Tuesday in Louisville, Kentucky, while Charleston, West Virginia, could receive sleet up to 25mm and ice up to 2.5mm.
Freezing rains have been reported in the southern United States since Tuesday morning, with ice accumulations of 2.5 to 7.5 millimeters recorded in parts of Kentucky, Arkansas and Texas since Monday.
With reporting from CNN's Tina Burnside, Joe Sutton, Raja Razek, Rob Shackelford and Derek Van Dam.