Rare winter storm hits US; 10 killed, 2,100 flights canceled
What's the story
A rare winter storm has paralyzed the southern United States, killing at least 10 people and forcing the cancelation of over 2,100 flights.
The National Weather Service (NWS) had warned of "heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain" from South Texas to Jacksonville in Florida.
Following the alerts, states such as Mississippi, Alabama, Florida Georgia and Louisiana declared emergencies.
Weather impact
Unprecedented blizzard warnings and record snowfall
The winter storm also prompted unprecedented blizzard warnings for coastal counties near the Texas-Louisiana border.
Major cities including New Orleans and Houston were blanketed in snow, resulting in highway closures and school cancelations.
In New Orleans, snowfall reached between 7-8-inch, breaking the previous record of 2.7-inch set in 1963.
Houston witnessed its first snowfall since a deadly winter storm in 2021.
Weather explanation
Cold snap attributed to polar vortex disruption
The NWS said dangerously cold temperatures would remain across much of the South and eastern US due to a disruption in the polar vortex.
This Arctic air mass is likely to bring sub-freezing overnight lows along the Gulf Coast.
In Texas, icy conditions caused a highway accident that killed five. Other storm-related deaths were reported in Alabama and Georgia, further underscoring this weather event's severity.
Widespread effect
Storm's impact extends beyond Gulf Coast
The storm's impact was felt beyond the Gulf Coast, with winter storm warnings from Texas to North Carolina.
Snow was recorded as far east as Orange Beach, Alabama.
The NWS said normal temperatures will slowly return by the end of the week.
However, wind chills could drop to dangerously low levels across parts of the Dakotas and Upper Midwest, suggesting a long spell of cold.