| USA TODAY
The polar vortex, explained
Temperatures in the Midwest are nearing record lows as a powerful polar vortex drives a deep freeze in the eastern half of the United States. The bitter cold brings sub-zero temperatures to a quarter of the continental US.
USA TODAY
NEW YORK – A strip of land from central Texas through New York City was under a winter weather advisory Thursday when an ice storm caused frigid rain, dangerous conditions and power outages.
In Fort Worth, where the roads were slippery and icy, an accumulation of at least 50 vehicles led to multiple injuries on I-35 Thursday morning, Mike Drivdahl, a public information officer for the Fort Worth, USA Fire Department told TODAY.
Millions of people braced for a 1,500-mile trail as the storm swept into parts of Arkansas and Kentucky at night and Thursday morning. It can cause up to half an inch of ice buildup in some areas, the National Weather Service said.
“A mixture of sleet and sleet is expected to gradually come to an end today, but not before a long stretch of damaging ice build-up remains,” the weather service said.
The Ozarks to the I-64 corridor in eastern Kentucky could see half an inch of ice, according to the weather service.
“This amount of ice is likely to lead to dangerous travel conditions, power outages and scattered tree damage,” the weather service said in a forecast.
In the crash in Fort Worth, Drivdahl said first responders had to rescue several people from their vehicles using hydraulic tools. Injuries ranged from mild to critical and some were transported to area hospitals. Drivdahl said there was no immediate confirmation of fatalities. The incident took place around a toll strip separated by a concrete barrier that created a “funnel-like effect,” he said.
“I’m sure it will amount to some sort of chain reaction,” said Drivdahl. Sand and ice were needed to make the roads safe for first responders trying to access the crash site, he added.
Polar vortex brings freezing temperatures, snow and ice to the US.
Arctic air will bring very cold temperatures and the threat of snow and ice to the Ohio Valley and the mid-Atlantic Ocean until the end of this week.
Accuweather
According to the tracking website PowerOutage.us, more than 70,000 customers in Kentucky and 42,000 in West Virginia were without power on Thursday morning.
Through Friday, the storm is forecast to bring light snow across the Ohio Valley and Central Appalachians in the Mid-Atlantic Ocean, which could be 2 to 6 inches, according to the weather service.
More freezing rain on Friday is also possible for the Central Appalachians and in parts of Virginia and northern North Carolina, the weather service said.
“Accidents and icy conditions could potentially shut off sections of highways for extended periods,” said AccuWeather senior meteorologist Paul Walker.
In Kentucky, severe weather has closed schools, COVID-19 vaccination centers, and state offices. Louisville’s MetroSafe reported 10 crashes from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. on Thursday, resulting in a wreck on I-64 causing injuries. On Wednesday, there were 70 crashes from 1:00 PM to 10:00 PM, including 17 with injuries.
Memphis woke up in a city on Thursday morning to a fresh blanket of icy slush on the roads and sagging tree limbs heavily covered with frozen precipitation. From Wednesday evening to Thursday morning there was also a rare occurrence of “thunder ice” or a thunderstorm with sleet or ice.
Amid light snow on Wednesday evening, a plane carrying nearly 80 passengers slid off the runway at Pittsburgh International Airport, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported. There were no injuries.
A light layer of snow falling overnight also covered cars and sidewalks in New York City on Thursday morning.
The weather service said Gusts of wind can cause even more damage from Thursday to Friday, and bitterly cold temperatures were expected at weekends.
In Dallas, that cold blast of air could even lead to the first snowfall of the season in the Texas city on Sunday, AccuWeather said.
“Anytime you get a polar air mass in Texas, you always have to worry about snow and ice because at some point warmer air will try to return. And when warmer air collides with that colder air, you get clouds and precipitation, ”said AccuWeather chief meteorologist Bernie Rayno.
Meanwhile, the Pacific Northwest was also expected to see “impactful winter weather through Saturday,” the weather service said.
A low-pressure system is expected to enter southern Oregon tonight
at the same time interact with very cold air draining into the region. This combination could lead to heavy snowfall not only in typical mountainous locations, but also in the lowlands, “the forecast said.
Seattle and Portland could also see some snow: AccuWeather forecast 1-3 inches in both cities.
Contributors: Billy Kobin, Louisville Courier Journal; Micaela A. Watts, Memphis Commercial Appeal