Rare US snowstorm: 4 dead; over 2,100 fights cancelled, schools closed as Texas and the South freeze
Blizzard-like whiteout conditions were even reported around New Orleans, Louisiana, where residents are experiencing their biggest snowfall since 1963.
More than 2,100 flights are cancelled across the United States as a historic and unprecedented snowstorm has ravaged the southern part of the country. The states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Florida are experiencing snowfall, which is over 10 inches in some areas.
The unprecedented weather conditions have brought roads and airplanes to a standstill. At least 4 deaths have been reported in Texas and Georgia and Milwaukee due to cold exposure, according to an ABC News report.
Houston's airports are closed, and Tallahassee International Airport will cancel all flights starting Tuesday afternoon. Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby Airport are expected to reopen on Wednesday, according to ABC News.
Port Houston said all of its facilities will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
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Blizzard-like whiteout conditions were even reported around New Orleans, Louisiana, where residents are experiencing their biggest snowfall since 1963.
Most airlines at the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport have cancelled flights.
Louisiana's schools and state offices have been closed, as have schools from Houston to New Orleans to parts of Georgia.
Louisiana governor warns of black ice
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Louisiana governor Jeff Landry has said that the measures taken tell ‘how severe this weather event is’.
"It's going to get dangerously cold over the next seven days. Even if the roads start to look clear, please stay off them. Black ice is a big problem -- you can't see it, but it's extremely slippery and dangerous," Landry said during a press briefing.
The mayor of Savannah, Georgia, pointed out that while the region is equipped to handle hurricanes and tropical storms, ice and snow are something that is difficult.
"Our reality is this, we can do hurricanes and tropical storms, alright? We don't do cold and we don't do ice well. If you don't have to go outside, don't. Stay home,"Mayor Van Johnson said on Monday.
