Ice, Snow Immobilizing the South
For expert analysis on how the snow and ice storm is currently impacting the South, click on this video.
The same snow and ice storm that shut down travel, downed tree limbs and left some without power in the South Sunday will continue hammering areas from Georgia into the Carolinas through tonight.
Snow will pile up from Virginia through northern Georgia westward into Tennessee and Kentucky through tonight. During this time, the heaviest snow will target the southern Appalachians, northern Upstate South Carolina and the piedmont of North Carolina with totals reaching up to half a foot.
Some areas in the mountains have already picked up more than 6 inches, and the additional snowfall through Wednesday will push totals well past a foot.
Meanwhile, a messy mix of sleet and freezing rain will glaze a zone from central Alabama through much of North Carolina into tonight. A thick coating of ice in these areas could snap tree limbs and cause significant power outages.
Travel is not advised in these areas being affected by ice through tonight. Roads will be extremely slippery, and travel along portions of Interstates 26, 24, 20, 85, 81, 77 and 75 could become treacherous to nearly impossible at times.
While major roads are expected to be cleared out relatively quickly in the storm's wake, side roads could be a mess for days.
The winter storm has delayed and canceled thousands of flights throughout the region, including at airports in Atlanta and Augusta, Ga., Raleigh and Charlotte, N.C., Nashville and Chattanooga, Tenn., and Montgomery, Ala.
According to CNN.com, a spokesman for Delta Air Lines reported the company has planned for roughly 1,400 cancellations system-wide today. This accounts for approximately 25 percent of Delta's planned flights for the day.
To view a larger version of this map, visit the AccuWeather.com Winter Weather Center.
Officials in Atlanta, Ga., moved Monday's inauguration of Georgia's new governor indoors, rather than hold it on the state Capitol steps. The A.P. reports that the inaugural gala was canceled in an effort to keep supporters off the snow-slick roads.
Into the middle of the week, the storm in the South will join forces with another system currently sweeping across the Plains and charge into the Northeast. This means that the I-95 corridor from Philadelphia to Boston could face another significant snowstorm.
Content contributed by Heather Buchman, Meteorologist
More Weather News
-
Memorial Day Weekend Heat Wave
May 23, 2012; 7:48 PM ET
Break out the fans and air conditioners and get the pools ready as a heat wave is poised for portions of the Midwest and mid-Atlantic this Memorial Day weekend.
-
Severe Storm Threat Wisconsin to Nebraska
May 23, 2012; 7:47 PM ET
Locally damaging storms will shift farther to the east and south in the Midwest into tonight.
-
.jpg)
Southwest Winds Elevate Fire Risk, Threaten Blowing Dust
May 23, 2012; 7:46 PM ET
High winds will slam portions of California and the Desert Southwest late this week, bringing the already high fire threat to extreme levels and ushering in cooler air.
-
Bud to Strengthen into a Hurricane in the Eastern Pacific
May 23, 2012; 7:45 PM ET
Bud may become the first hurricane of the season in the eastern Pacific, brushing the central Mexico coast with rain as it passes by.
-
Big Storms from Carolinas to the Delmarva
May 23, 2012; 7:43 PM ET
As a disturbance rolls slowly northeastward, thunderstorms from portions of the Carolinas to the Delmarva can be especially nasty into this evening.
-
Chile Drought May Be Dented by Rainstorm
May 23, 2012; 7:40 PM ET
A major rainstorm may be in the offing for drought-hit central and mid-southern Chile, including the nation's biggest population centers.
-
Everest Death Toll 4 from Weekend Rush
May 23, 2012; 7:38 PM ET
Another Everest climber was found dead this morning, bringing the weekend death toll to four, with one climber still missing.
-
India Heat Wave as Monsoon Eagerly Awaited
May 23, 2012; 7:35 PM ET
Sweltering heat, the hottest of 2012 in some areas, has spread discomfort across the Indian subcontinent, spurring anticipation of the coming rainy season
-
Still Rebuilding One Year After The Joplin, Mo., Tornado
May 23, 2012; 7:33 PM ET
-
East Daily Downpours This Week
May 23, 2012; 7:32 PM ET
A stalled weather pattern will bring a daily dose of disruptive downpours from portions of Florida to New England.
Daily U.S. Extremes
past 24 hours
| Extreme | Location | |
|---|---|---|
| High | 107° | Death Valley, CA |
| Low | 28° | Daniel, WY |
| Precip | 2.39" | Alexandria, MN |
WeatherWhys®
People need to pay close attention to the UV index during this time of year. On a sunny day late in the spring and into the summer, the UV is usually at least an 8, which is very high. Readings over 11 are considered extreme values in which only 10 minutes of full exposure to the sun will produce a sunburn.
This Day In Weather History
New Hampshire (1814)
A tornado crossed Merrimac, Litchfield, Londonderry and North Chester. The same storm produced hailstones that had an 11-inch circumference and weighed 1/2 pound.
Northeast (1989)
More rain in an already wet month. Monthly totals topped 11 inches at New York City, 9 inches at Bridgeport, Conn., and 8 inches at Baltimore (all three totals set records for May).
Rough Weather
.jpg)
Comments
Comments left here should adhere to the AccuWeather.com Community Guidelines. Profanity, personal attacks, and spam will not be tolerated.