A severe winter storm continues to wreak havoc across the southern United States, creating dangerous travel conditions and plunging regions unaccustomed to such extreme weather into a deep freeze. The meteorological onslaught follows closely behind another massive storm system that claimed over 100 lives just one week prior, compounding recovery efforts throughout affected areas.
Heavy snowfall blanketed North Carolina and surrounding states throughout Saturday, with authorities issuing urgent warnings for residents to avoid road travel entirely. The National Weather Service escalated concerns by cautioning that oceanfront structures faced imminent threat from the intensifying system.
Winter storm warnings remained in effect across the entire states of North and South Carolina, extending into portions of Georgia, eastern Tennessee, Kentucky, and southern Virginia. The severity of conditions manifested in 750 reported vehicle collisions in North Carolina alone on Saturday.
Accumulation measurements revealed staggering totals: Faust, North Carolina recorded 37 centimeters of snow, while West Critz, Virginia received 32 centimeters. Harrisburg, Tennessee reported over 23 centimeters of accumulation.
In Cape Carteret, North Carolina, powerful winds created whiteout conditions with snow blowing horizontally. The National Weather Service characterized travel as “treacherous and potentially life-threatening,” particularly for those who might become stranded.
Dramatic footage released by Gastonia, North Carolina police captured a high-speed train collision with a semitruck stuck on railway tracks, completely crushing the vehicle. Miraculously, no injuries were reported from the incident.
Air travel suffered massive disruptions, with Charlotte Douglas International Airport—a major American Airlines hub—canceling over 1,800 flights between Saturday and Sunday according to FlightAware data. The airport deployed a 300-member “snow team” to clear runways, taxiways, and surrounding infrastructure.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, among the world’s busiest aviation hubs, canceled more than 600 flights on Saturday with approximately 50 additional cancellations occurring in Sunday’s early hours.
The National Weather Service described the system as an “explosively deepening coastal cyclone” that would continue delivering moderate to heavy snow, high winds, and potential blizzard conditions throughout the Carolinas. An intense surge of arctic air trailing the storm pushed subfreezing temperatures as far south as Florida by Sunday morning.
Power outages compounded the crisis, with approximately 156,000 customers remaining without electricity early Sunday—primarily throughout southern states. Mississippi, Tennessee and Louisiana experienced the most severe power disruptions according to PowerOutage.us.