Winter storm hits south, central US: 400 flights cancelled, roads, schools closed. Alert issued for Texas, Oklahoma to Kentucky, West Virginia

More than 400 flights have been cancelled, and roads and schools were closed in some parts of the south and central US due to a winter storm that brings the combination of ice, sleet, and snow on Tuesday, advising people to avoid traveling in hazardous conditions, according to reports.

38 million people in areas ranging from Texas and Oklahoma to Kentucky and West Virginia are under winter weather alerts, including warnings of treacherous ice on roads.

The National Weather Service release a statement, “In addition to potentially hazardous travel conditions, this amount of ice will lead to tree damage and power outages across the hardest-hit regions,” on Monday.


Ice accumulation up to 0.5 inches was reported in Little Rock, Arkansas on Tuesday, as freezing rain was reported across the South.

Here’s what to expect throughout the day – Brief icing is expected in Oklahoma City on Tuesday morning, with significant icing to hit central Texas, central Arkansas, and western Tennessee in the afternoon. Dallas, San Antonio, and Austin will experience widespread dangerous icy road conditions, with the heaviest accumulation likely from Tuesday afternoon to Wednesday morning.

Moreover, Oklahoma City is under a winter weather advisory until Wednesday afternoon, with up to 0.2 inches of ice expected. Louisville, KY may see up to 0.2 inches of ice, and Charleston, WV may see 1 inch of sleet and 0.1 inches of ice. The first wave of freezing rain will start to diminish as it approaches West Virginia by late morning.


What comes as response is the Texas’ Governor requesting increased resources from the state's emergency management division to prepare for a response until Thursday.

Several school districts in Dallas-Fort Worth and Austin are closed, with over 400 Texas flight departures cancelled. Texas' transportation department closed some roadways due to ice. Arkansas' governor declared a state of emergency, activating the National Guard's winter weather support teams for storm response.

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