At least nine dead and 5 MILLION without power as winter storm Uri sweeps the nation: Wind turbines freeze, wind chills of -20 in Texas and killer tornado hits North Carolina

 At least nine people have died in the most brutal winter storm to sweep the United States in decades which has caused rolling power outages in Texas and sent icy tornadoes tearing across the South.

Three people were killed in North Carolina in the early hours of Tuesday when a tornado ripped through Brunswick County, destroying homes, downing power lines and snapping trees in half. 

In Kentucky, 43-year-old grandmother Angel Johnson died after she was ejected from her semi truck when she lost control and collided with a guard rail on the I-64. 


In Louisiana, a 50-year-old man died in Lafayette Parish after slipping and falling on an ice-covered sidewalk and striking his head. 

Two people have died in Texas from suspected cold exposure, including a 78-year-old man who fell in his front lawn, and a 60-year-old homeless man in Houston who refused shelter and was later found dead at an overpass. 

The youngest of the victims was in Tennessee, where a 10-year-old boy fell into a frozen pond and drowned. The boy's sister, six, also plunged through the ice and remains in hospital in critical condition. 

In Texas, wind turbines - which account for a fifth of the state's energy - have frozen solid and contributed to the state's power woes with temperatures plummeting to a bitter -20F.

More than 4 million people in the Lone Star State were without power last night and many residents took desperate refuge in their cars for warmth as their homes turned to ice blocks.

President Joe Biden declared an emergency in Texas on Sunday night to pledge federal aid to the state. 

In Georgia and Florida, several homes and buildings were damaged and at least four people were injured, following a series of tornadoes that touched down throughout Monday afternoon.

Three people were killed in North Carolina in the early hours of Tuesday when a tornado ripped through Brunswick County, destroying homes, downing power lines and snapping trees in half (pictured: damage left in Brunswick County after the tornado ripped through)

Three people were killed in North Carolina in the early hours of Tuesday when a tornado ripped through Brunswick County, destroying homes, downing power lines and snapping trees in half (pictured: damage left in Brunswick County after the tornado ripped through)

MISSOURI: Snowplows form a gangplow to clear the snow on Highway 270 in Des Peres, Missouri on Monday. St. Louis received about eight inches of snow as temperatures remained around zero for the day, with real feel temperatures about 16 degrees below zero

MISSOURI: Snowplows form a gangplow to clear the snow on Highway 270 in Des Peres, Missouri on Monday. St. Louis received about eight inches of snow as temperatures remained around zero for the day, with real feel temperatures about 16 degrees below zero

TENNESSEE: A 10-year-old boy in Tennessee tragically died after falling into a frozen pond (above) and drowning. His sister, 6, is currently in critical condition, after also falling in

TENNESSEE: A 10-year-old boy in Tennessee tragically died after falling into a frozen pond (above) and drowning. His sister, 6, is currently in critical condition, after also falling in

OREGON: Heavy snowfall caused a partial roof collapse at a Safeway supermarket in Troutdale, on SW Cherry Park Rd. There were no reported injuries

OREGON: Heavy snowfall caused a partial roof collapse at a Safeway supermarket in Troutdale, on SW Cherry Park Rd. There were no reported injuries

FLORIDA: In Georgia and Florida, several homes and structures were damaged and at least four people were hurt, following a series of tornadoes that touched down across Monday afternoon (Park City, shown above)

FLORIDA: In Georgia and Florida, several homes and structures were damaged and at least four people were hurt, following a series of tornadoes that touched down across Monday afternoon (Park City, shown above)

MISSOURI: A man uses a snow shovel as he attempts to clear his big rig, stuck in snow in downtown St. Louis during a snow storm on Monday

MISSOURI: A man uses a snow shovel as he attempts to clear his big rig, stuck in snow in downtown St. Louis during a snow storm on Monday

TEXAS: People try to free their cars from the snow in Waco on Monday after record snowfall blanketed the state and caused rolling blackouts

TEXAS: People try to free their cars from the snow in Waco on Monday after record snowfall blanketed the state and caused rolling blackouts

KANSAS: A man clears snow from a driveway in Prairie Village where temperatures are expected to drop to -9 degrees

KANSAS: A man clears snow from a driveway in Prairie Village where temperatures are expected to drop to -9 degrees

A map from poweroutage.us showed that nearly 5 million people were without power in Texas, and several hundred thousand in Louisiana and Oregon

A map from poweroutage.us showed that nearly 5 million people were without power in Texas, and several hundred thousand in Louisiana and Oregon

Drone captures damage to houses after tornado strikes Florida
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As nightfall threatened to plummet temperatures again into single digits in Texas, officials warned that homes in the state still without power would likely not have heat until at least Tuesday. 

'Things will likely get worse before they get better,' said Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, the top elected official in the county of nearly 5 million people around Houston.

One person was killed in Kentucky when they lost control of their semi truck along the I-64 and collided with a guard rail, police said. The victim, 43-year-old Angel Johnson (above), was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected out of the vehicle

One person was killed in Kentucky when they lost control of their semi truck along the I-64 and collided with a guard rail, police said. The victim, 43-year-old Angel Johnson (above), was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected out of the vehicle

The toll of the worsening conditions included the delivery of new COVID-19 vaccine shipments, which were expected to be delayed until at least midweek. Massive power outages across Houston included a facility storing 8,000 doses of Moderna vaccine, leaving health officials scrambling to find takers at the same time authorities were pleading for people to stay home.

Temperatures nosedived into the single-digits as far south as San Antonio, and homes that had already been without electricity for hours had no certainty about when the lights and heat would come back on, as the state's overwhelmed power grid began imposing blackouts that are typically only seen in 100-degree Fahrenheit

'We're living through a really historic event going on right now,' said Jason Furtado, a professor of meteorology at the University of Oklahoma, pointing to all of Texas under a winter storm warning and the extent of the freezing temperatures.

State officials said surging demand, driven by people trying to keep their homes warm, and cold weather knocking some power stations offline had pushed Texas' system beyond the limits.

'This weather event, it's really unprecedented. We all living here know that,' said Dan Woodfin, senior director of system operations at the Electric Reliability Council of Texas. He defended preparations made by grid operators and described the demand on the system as record-setting.

'This event was well beyond the design parameters for a typical, or even an extreme, Texas winter that you would normally plan for. And so that is really the result that we're seeing,' Woodfin said.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) sought to cut power use in response to a winter record of 69,150 megawatts on Sunday evening, more than 3,200 MW higher than the previous winter peak in January 2018.

About 10,500 MW of customer load was shed at the highest point, enough power to serve approximately 2 million homes, it said, adding that extreme weather caused many generating units across fuel types to trip offline and become unavailable.

'Controlled outages will continue through today and into early tomorrow, possibly all of tomorrow,' Dan Woodfin, director of systems operations at ERCOT, told a briefing.

The storms knocked out nearly half the state's wind power generation capacity on Sunday. Wind generation ranks as the second-largest source of electricity in Texas, accounting for 23% of state power supplies, ERCOT estimates.


Of the 25,000-plus MW of wind power capacity normally available in Texas, 12,000 MW were out of service on Sunday morning, an ERCOT spokeswoman said.

An emergency notice issued by the regulator urged customers to limit power usage and prevent an uncontrolled system-wide outage.

The spot price of electricity on the Texas power grid spiked more than 10,000% on Monday.

Due to the extreme cold across the region where it operates, Arkansas-based Southwest Power Pool said it had directed member utilities to implement rolling blackouts. 

Terrifying video shows electricity surging across a frozen power line in Louisiana amid a historic winter storm raging across the state
The incredible clip was taken by Chris Fitzmorris, owner of Fitz's Plumbing and Repair Services

Terrifying video shows electricity surging across a frozen power line in Louisiana amid a historic winter storm raging across the state


WASHINGTON: A woman clears snow from her driveway in Spokane on Monday as she tries to get to a morning appointment on time

WASHINGTON: A woman clears snow from her driveway in Spokane on Monday as she tries to get to a morning appointment on time

TEXAS: 4.38 million people in the Lone Star State are currently without power as of Monday night (pictured: In order to save electricity, the promenade lights and screens are turned off in front of American Airlines Center which was to host the Nashville Predators and the Dallas Stars NHL hockey game)

TEXAS: 4.38 million people in the Lone Star State are currently without power as of Monday night (pictured: In order to save electricity, the promenade lights and screens are turned off in front of American Airlines Center which was to host the Nashville Predators and the Dallas Stars NHL hockey game)

TEXAS: Treacherous driving conditions brought on by the storm have left roadways largely deserted outside Dallas

TEXAS: Treacherous driving conditions brought on by the storm have left roadways largely deserted outside Dallas

MISSISSIPPI: A sign warns motorists after a sudden heavy bout of snow and frozen rain on MS Highway 463 in Madison, north of Jackson

MISSISSIPPI: A sign warns motorists after a sudden heavy bout of snow and frozen rain on MS Highway 463 in Madison, north of Jackson

KENTUCKY: Snow falls at the United Parcel Service (UPS) WorldPort hub located at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Louisville

KENTUCKY: Snow falls at the United Parcel Service (UPS) WorldPort hub located at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Louisville

TEXAS: State officials said surging demand, driven by people trying to keep their homes warm, and cold weather knocking some power stations offline had pushed Texas' system beyond the limits

TEXAS: State officials said surging demand, driven by people trying to keep their homes warm, and cold weather knocking some power stations offline had pushed Texas' system beyond the limits

TEXAS: As nightfall threatened to plummet temperatures again into single digits, officials warned that homes still without power would likely not have heat until at least Tuesday

TEXAS: As nightfall threatened to plummet temperatures again into single digits, officials warned that homes still without power would likely not have heat until at least Tuesday

TEXAS: A rare winter snowfall measuring at least half a foot hit central Texas as the State Capitol and Congress Avenue becomes nearly impassable

INDIANA: Snow also began falling in South Bend, Indiana on Monday night as Storm Uri raged on

INDIANA: Snow also began falling in South Bend, Indiana on Monday night as Storm Uri raged on

'In our history as a grid operator, this is an unprecedented event and it marks the first time SPP has ever had to call for controlled interruptions of service,' Executive Vice President Lanny Nickell said in a statement.

In Dallas, officials told residents to refrain from calling 911 to report power outages as the 911 call center became overwhelmed with power outage calls.

Elsewhere, frozen roads in Austin caused an 18-wheeler to careen out of control. A man nearly lost his life, jumping out of the way just seconds before a car lost control and crashed into a police cruiser, according to CBS. 

A half-dozen Houston residents are being treated for carbon monoxide poisoning after using a charcoal grill to warm their home, officials said. 

Cy-Fair Fire Department revealed six people were transported to the hospital after using the grill for approximately four hours. Two were said to be in critical condition. Four children, between the ages of five and 10, were among those hospitalized.    

'Please remember to never run a generator or grill inside your home,' the department tweeted. 'These produce carbon monoxide, which is a deadly, colorless and odorless gas.'

TEXAS: Ice and snow blanket parts of a Grandview Avenue and Charles Walker Road on Monday in Odessa

TEXAS: Ice and snow blanket parts of a Grandview Avenue and Charles Walker Road on Monday in Odessa

TEXAS: Daniel Del Rio, left, and Robert Barrientos try to fix their 18-wheeler that broke down on Interstate 10 eastbound due to the cold weather in Houston

TEXAS: Daniel Del Rio, left, and Robert Barrientos try to fix their 18-wheeler that broke down on Interstate 10 eastbound due to the cold weather in Houston

OKLAHOMA: James Derrick, who is homeless, peeks out of his tent during record breaking cold weather in Oklahoma City

OKLAHOMA: James Derrick, who is homeless, peeks out of his tent during record breaking cold weather in Oklahoma City

TEXAS: A man shovels snow from under a car stuck on a hill in Austin on Monday morning with the help of friends

TEXAS: A man shovels snow from under a car stuck on a hill in Austin on Monday morning with the help of friends

KENTUCKY: Plows clear snow and ice from Interstate 64 during a winter storm in Louisville, amid the dangerous storm

KENTUCKY: Plows clear snow and ice from Interstate 64 during a winter storm in Louisville, amid the dangerous storm

TENNESSEE: Peyton McKinney uses a laundry basket for a sled as she enjoyed the uncharacteristically snow condition on Monday

TENNESSEE: Peyton McKinney uses a laundry basket for a sled as she enjoyed the uncharacteristically snow condition on Monday

 

KENTUCKY: Louisville is seen in the distance as ice coats a sidewalk along the Ohio River

KENTUCKY: Louisville is seen in the distance as ice coats a sidewalk along the Ohio River

MISSOURI: A man crosses a street as temperatures drop below 0 degrees Fahrenheit Monday, in downtown Kansas City

MISSOURI: A man crosses a street as temperatures drop below 0 degrees Fahrenheit Monday, in downtown Kansas City

TEXAS: Dan Bryant and his wife Anna huddle by the fire with sons Benny, 3, and Sam, 12 weeks, along with their dog Joey, also wearing two doggie sweaters, with power out and temperatures dropping inside their home after a winter storm brought snow and freezing temperatures to North Texas

TEXAS: Dan Bryant and his wife Anna huddle by the fire with sons Benny, 3, and Sam, 12 weeks, along with their dog Joey, also wearing two doggie sweaters, with power out and temperatures dropping inside their home after a winter storm brought snow and freezing temperatures to North Texas

MISSOURI: Valentine's hearts remain taped to a fence in Lafayette Park from Sunday during the storm on Monday after St Louis received around eight inches of snow

MISSOURI: Valentine's hearts remain taped to a fence in Lafayette Park from Sunday during the storm on Monday after St Louis received around eight inches of snow

The historic storm has caused a series of problems across the country.

In Vermont, firefighters scrambled to recuse a young man from frigid waters after he fell through the ice.

A 60-year-old homeless man in Houston who refused shelter and was later found dead at an overpass in east Harris County

A 60-year-old homeless man in Houston who refused shelter and was later found dead at an overpass in east Harris County

Roads in Tennessee roads were remarked to have turned into 'ice rinks' after frozen precipitation fell, causing a series of accidents across the state. 

Meanwhile, in Oklahoma, temperatures in part of the state dipped below 20 degrees for five days straight for only the third time ever. With another storm moving in, crews worked frantically to clear snow from the roads.

In Louisiana, the cold caused a transformer to blow, ripping a fireball through power lines.

Severe weather fueled by Storm Uri also damaged homes and other structures in Georgia and Florida, leaving at least four people hurt.

An 'extremely dangerous' tornado touched down in Georgia in Damascus on Monday afternoon, a small community in the southwest corner of the state. 

Early County Fire Department Capt. Bobby Wimberly said initial reports from units that responded indicated one person was injured and several homes destroyed.

'We don't know the full details yet, they're still on scene,' Wimberly told Weather.com at 5:30pm ET. 

Tornadoes also struck in Tallahassee and Panama City, where damage was reported at a park and at a resort. Officials said three people were transported to hospital after ceiling tiles fell at the Boardwalk Condo, amid the high winds.   

Another tornado also caused minor damage in Lake City, located in north Florida.

Historic snow storm in Texas leaves millions without electricity
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TEXAS: The Trinity River in Fort Worth is mostly frozen after a snow storm Monday that saw millions lose power

TEXAS: The Trinity River in Fort Worth is mostly frozen after a snow storm Monday that saw millions lose power

TEXAS:  The game lights and center screens are turned off at American Airlines Center which was to host the Nashville Predators and the Dallas Stars NHL hockey game

TEXAS:  The game lights and center screens are turned off at American Airlines Center which was to host the Nashville Predators and the Dallas Stars NHL hockey game

OHIO: A woman crosses Wooster Street as snow falls Monday night in Downtown Bowling Green

OHIO: A woman crosses Wooster Street as snow falls Monday night in Downtown Bowling Green 

MISSOURI: A man operates a small plow on a sidewalk of the normally busy Market Street in downtown St Louis

MISSOURI: A man operates a small plow on a sidewalk of the normally busy Market Street in downtown St Louis

TEXAS: A snow-covered Ann Richards Congress Avenue Bridge leads to downtown after a heavy snow on Monday

TEXAS: A snow-covered Ann Richards Congress Avenue Bridge leads to downtown after a heavy snow on Monday 

TEXAS: Alyssa Remi, 12, slides down a snow covered hill Monday in Houston as many made the most of the snowfall

TEXAS: Alyssa Remi, 12, slides down a snow covered hill Monday in Houston as many made the most of the snowfall

MISSOURI: Pedestrians cross Market Street during a snow storm in downtown St. Louis on Monday

MISSOURI: Pedestrians cross Market Street during a snow storm in downtown St. Louis on Monday

TENNESSEE: An SUV is seen driving its way down an unplowed road on Monday during low visibility, amid heavy snowfall

TENNESSEE: An SUV is seen driving its way down an unplowed road on Monday during low visibility, amid heavy snowfall

TEXAS: Baylor University students enjoy their snow day without classes while posing near a fountain on campus

TEXAS: Baylor University students enjoy their snow day without classes while posing near a fountain on campus

INDIANA: The courthouse in South Bend is seen above as snow began falling on Monday night

INDIANA: The courthouse in South Bend is seen above as snow began falling on Monday night

TEXAS:  Icicles form on a citrus tree from a sprinkler system used to protect the trees from the freezing temperatures on Monday, in Edinburgh

TEXAS:  Icicles form on a citrus tree from a sprinkler system used to protect the trees from the freezing temperatures on Monday, in Edinburgh 

TEXAS: A man snowboards down Congress Avenue after a heavy snow on Monday

TEXAS: A man snowboards down Congress Avenue after a heavy snow on Monday

IDAHO: Amy Shoemaker, of Lewiston, Idaho, walks alongside her youngest daughter Vera Shoemaker, 3, and pulls her older daughter, Ella Shoemaker, 6, in a sled as they eat popsicles while passing by the Normal Hill Cemetery, in Lewistone

IDAHO: Amy Shoemaker, of Lewiston, Idaho, walks alongside her youngest daughter Vera Shoemaker, 3, and pulls her older daughter, Ella Shoemaker, 6, in a sled as they eat popsicles while passing by the Normal Hill Cemetery, in Lewistone

MISSOURI: Icicles hang from Jeffery Hemmer's beard as he walks the 26th mile of his 40 mile rucking journey near his home in Fairview

MISSOURI: Icicles hang from Jeffery Hemmer's beard as he walks the 26th mile of his 40 mile rucking journey near his home in Fairview

TEXAS: Baylor University students sitting on a wood pallet are pulled by a car Monday in Waco

TEXAS: Baylor University students sitting on a wood pallet are pulled by a car Monday in Waco

TEXAS: A driver pours water on the roof of his icy car on the side of Grandview Avenue and Charles Walker Road

TEXAS: A driver pours water on the roof of his icy car on the side of Grandview Avenue and Charles Walker Road

TEXAS: Homes in the Westbury neighborhood are covered in snow in Houston, Texas, on Monday

TEXAS: Homes in the Westbury neighborhood are covered in snow in Houston, Texas, on Monday 

The National Weather Service (NWS) said that 'over 150 million Americans are currently under winter storm warnings, ice storm warnings, winter storm watches, or winter weather advisories as impactful winter weather continues from coast to coast'.

'This impressive onslaught of wicked wintry weather across much of the Lower 48 (states) is due to the combination of strong Arctic high pressure supplying sub-freezing temperatures and an active storm track escorting waves of precipitation,' the NWS added. 

Besides Texas, weather-related emergencies have also been declared in Alabama, Oregon, Oklahoma, Kansas, Kentucky and Mississippi. The NWS said record low temperatures were expected in much of the country.

'Hundreds of daily low maximum and minimum temperatures have been/will be broken during this prolonged 'polar plunge,' with some February and even all-time low temperature records in jeopardy,' the NWS said.   

TEXAS: State officials said surging demand, driven by people trying to keep their homes warm, and cold weather knocking some power stations offline had pushed Texas' system beyond the limits

TEXAS: State officials said surging demand, driven by people trying to keep their homes warm, and cold weather knocking some power stations offline had pushed Texas' system beyond the limits

OHIO: Jeremy Seidt, 44, packs snow that he shoveled off his driveway into an empty cat litter bucket as he works on making an igloo in the front yard of his Sharon Township home in Columbus

OHIO: Jeremy Seidt, 44, packs snow that he shoveled off his driveway into an empty cat litter bucket as he works on making an igloo in the front yard of his Sharon Township home in Columbus

MISSOURI: Snow plows clear a street as temperatures drop below 0 degrees Fahrenheit Monday in Kansas City

MISSOURI: Snow plows clear a street as temperatures drop below 0 degrees Fahrenheit Monday in Kansas City

MISSOURI: People clear snow off of cars on Monday in St Louis, Missouri, where the storm brought snow and brutally cold temperatures

MISSOURI: People clear snow off of cars on Monday in St Louis, Missouri, where the storm brought snow and brutally cold temperatures

OKLAHOMA: While en route to another call, the Oklahoma National Guard came across a single vehicle accident where a man and his dog collided with a barrier

OKLAHOMA: While en route to another call, the Oklahoma National Guard came across a single vehicle accident where a man and his dog collided with a barrier

OKLAHOMA: Volunteer Salvador Cariaga checks on a man suffering from homelessness who has been sleeping on the ground under blankets during record breaking cold weather in Oklahoma City

OKLAHOMA: Volunteer Salvador Cariaga checks on a man suffering from homelessness who has been sleeping on the ground under blankets during record breaking cold weather in Oklahoma City

OKLAHOMA: Snow blows around grass in Scissortail Park, in Oklahoma City, after a morning flurry

OKLAHOMA: Snow blows around grass in Scissortail Park, in Oklahoma City, after a morning flurry

TENNESSEE: Two boys ride a sled in Nolensville on Monday afternoon after Storm Uri brought freezing rain, snow and sleet to the area

TENNESSEE: Two boys ride a sled in Nolensville on Monday afternoon after Storm Uri brought freezing rain, snow and sleet to the area

In Texas, rotating power outages were initiated by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) early Monday morning, meaning hundreds of thousands went without electricity for short periods as temperatures fell into the teens near Dallas and 20s around Houston.

'We urge Texans to put safety first,' ERCOT tweeted as it urged residents to reduce electricity use. The council manages the flow of electric power in the state. 'Traffic lights and other infrastructure may be temporarily without power,' the council said.

The council described the rotating outages as a 'last resort to preserve the reliability of the electric system as a whole,' adding that utility transmission companies are tasked with determining how to reduce demand on the system.

'Every grid operator and every electric company is fighting to restore power right now,' ERCOT President and CEO Bill Magness said in a statement.

Around 5,000 Oklahoma Gas & Electric customers were without power overnight, and Entergy Arkansas logged about 3,000 outages. Both states have much smaller populations compared with Texas.

Officials in Houston had warned people to prepare for outages and hazardous roads - conditions similar to what residents might see in the wake of a Category 5 hurricane.

'There (have) been numerous reports of accidents from icing recently,' National Weather Service (NWS) lead forecaster Bob Oravec said Monday. 'I think there's going to be a big threat today as the system pushes northeastward.' 

More than 150 million people are still under winter weather advisories (depicted above)

More than 150 million people are still under winter weather advisories (depicted above)

Forecasters expect parts of Texas and Tennessee to get between 8 to 12 inches of snow through Tuesday

Forecasters expect parts of Texas and Tennessee to get between 8 to 12 inches of snow through Tuesday 

Snow and ice is expected to arrive in several southern states by Tuesday night and into Wednesday night

Snow and ice is expected to arrive in several southern states by Tuesday night and into Wednesday night 

TENNESSEE: Accumulating ice between a tenth and a quarter of an inch was possible across eastern Louisiana, Mississippi, central Tennessee, Kentucky and over into the West Virginia and Ohio border region, forecasters said. A truck was seen sliding sideways on a road covered in ice in Tennessee

TENNESSEE: Accumulating ice between a tenth and a quarter of an inch was possible across eastern Louisiana, Mississippi, central Tennessee, Kentucky and over into the West Virginia and Ohio border region, forecasters said. A truck was seen sliding sideways on a road covered in ice in Tennessee 


Houston has opened up more warming facilities for its city's homeless population. The city opened up one facility at the GRB Convention Center Sunday afternoon and now have more than 450 homeless sheltering there.

Officials said Monday that they still have the capacity for an additional 100 people. Each person entering the facility is being screened for COVID-19.

By midmorning, 3,000 flights had been canceled across the country, about 1,600 of them at Dallas/Fort Worth International and Bush Intercontinental airports in Texas.

At DFW, the temperature was 4F, about 3 degrees colder than Moscow. Accumulating ice between a tenth and a quarter of an inch was possible across eastern Louisiana, Mississippi, central Tennessee, Kentucky and over into the West Virginia and Ohio border region, Oravec said.

Officials said Bush Intercontinental Airport runways will remain closed until at least 1pm on Tuesday, as the region remains under the grip of subfreezing temperatures.  

The largest grocery store chain in Texas, H-E-B, also closed locations around Austin and San Antonio, cities that are unaccustomed to snow and have little resources to clear roads. The slow thaw and more frigid lows ahead was also taking a toll on Texas' distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.

State health officials said Texas, which was due to receive more than 400,000 additional vaccine doses this week, now does not expect deliveries to occur until at least Wednesday.

This satellite image shows the storm moving over parts of the southern US and Midwest on Monday morning

This satellite image shows the storm moving over parts of the southern US and Midwest on Monday morning 

Temperatures have plummeted in several parts of the US, particularly in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri

Temperatures have plummeted in several parts of the US, particularly in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri 

Several cities in the U.S. saw record lows as Arctic air remained over the central part of the country. 

In Minnesota, the Hibbing/Chisholm weather station registered -38F, while Sioux Falls, South Dakota, dropped to -26F.

In Kansas, where wind chills dropped to as low as -30F in some areas, Gov. Laura Kelly declared a state of disaster.

Most government offices and schools were closed for Presidents Day, and authorities pleaded with residents to stay home. Louisiana State Police reported that it had investigated nearly 75 weather-related crashes caused by a mixture of snow, sleet and freezing rain in the past 24 hours.

'We already have some accidents on our roadways,' Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said during a morning news conference. 'It is slick and it is dangerous.' 

The storm arrived over a three-day holiday weekend that has seen the most U.S. air travel since the period around New Year's. 

More than 1 million people went through airport security checkpoints on Thursday and Friday. However, that was still less than half the traffic of a year ago, before the pandemic hit with full force.

The southern Plains had been gearing up for the winter weather for the better part of the weekend. 

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for all of the state´s 254 counties. Abbott, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt and Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson each activated National Guard units to assist state agencies with tasks including rescuing stranded drivers. 

At least nine dead and 5 MILLION without power as winter storm Uri sweeps the nation: Wind turbines freeze, wind chills of -20 in Texas and killer tornado hits North Carolina At least nine dead and 5 MILLION without power as winter storm Uri sweeps the nation: Wind turbines freeze, wind chills of -20 in Texas and killer tornado hits North Carolina Reviewed by Your Destination on February 16, 2021 Rating: 5

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