- At least two plows were struck in Ohio, a DOT spokesman told The Weather Channel.
- Power outages were rising quickly in Memphis because of icing.
- Ohio State University canceled in-person classes at its main Columbus campus Thursday.
- One death was confirmed in New Mexico, where roads became treacherous.
Winter Storm Landon continued to dump ice and snow on the Plains, Midwest and Ohio Valley Thursday, which led to travel woes both on the ground and in the air.
(MORE: The Latest Forecast for Winter Storm Landon)
Here’s a look at what’s happening right now. For our live updates page from Wednesday, click here.
Roads Closed Due to High Water in San Antonio
Portions of at least three roads are closed after heavy rain in San Antonio. One of the closures is at Interstate 35 and Interstate 10, officials said in a briefing at around 8:30 a.m. CST.
“If you have to travel this morning, make plans now and travel slow,” city manager Eric Walsh said.
Four warming centers are open in the city.
Police responded to seven major crashes and six minor crashes related to rain overnight, Chief William McManus said. He said first responders also carried out one high water rescue and responded to 10 other weather-related calls.
Plows Struck in Ohio, Spokesman Says
Matt Bruning, a spokesman for the Ohio Department of Transportation, told The Weather Channel in a Thursday morning interview that two plows were struck by other vehicles while trying to keep streets clear. He did not say if those incidents led to any injuries.
“We just need people to stay home,” said Bruning. “That helps us tremendously.”
He added that the freezing rain was making it difficult to keep roads drivable in areas where accretion was occurring.
“There’s really not a lot we can do with freezing rain,” he said. “We’re rooting hard for snow in Ohio right now.”
Outages Rising Quickly in Memphis
PowerOutage.us reported a rapid rise in power outages in the Memphis metro area mid-morning Thursday as the icing worsened. By 9:30 a.m. EST, some 12,000 homes and businesses were without power. The weight of the ice was starting to bring trees down in the city.
Ohio State Cancels In-Person Classes in Icy Columbus
Due to the expected impacts of Landon, Ohio State University canceled in-person classes Thursday, but the campus remained open. Columbus Public Schools were also closed Thursday.
Thursday morning, the city of Columbus experienced dangerous icing in some areas.
1 Dead in New Mexico
The Weather Channel confirmed the death of one person in a weather-related accident along Sandia Crest Road in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, just east of Albuquerque. The crash occurred Wednesday, but no other details were immediately available.
DFW Airport Closed; Thousands of Flights Canceled Nationwide
Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in a ground stop Thursday morning, the Federal Aviation Administration announced. Wintry conditions were making it impossible for planes to take off or land. The ground stop was expected to last until noon EST.
(PHOTOS: Images of Winter Storm Landon)
About 4,000 domestic flights were canceled Thursday, according to the flight-tracking website FlightAware. DFW led with more than 900 cancellations. There were also more than 100 flights canceled into and out of Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, St. Louis’s Lambert International Airport and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.
More than 6,000 domestic flights have been canceled in total because of the winter storm.
Ice Weighing Down Trees Near Dallas
Trees were beginning to slump under the weight of accumulating ice northeast of Dallas Thursday morning, according to social media posts.
More than 50,000 Texas homes and businesses were without power Thursday morning, according to PowerOutage.us. This was the highest outage total of any state in the U.S. as of 8 a.m. EST.
Take Safety Precautions When Using Generators
While widespread outages weren’t yet occurring Wednesday evening, anyone using a generator is reminded to take the proper safety precautions to prevent deadly carbon monoxide poisoning. That includes these tips from the Consumer Product Safety Commission:
-If you lose power, use your generator outside your house only, at least 20 feet from your home or any other buildings.
-Never use a generator inside a home, garage or shed.
-Make sure you have working CO alarms in your home.
-Make sure you have working smoke alarms, too, and check the batteries.
Grills and similar equipment should also never be used inside a home.
At least 430 people in the U.S. die from accidental CO poisoning each year, and 50,000 end up in the emergency room, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
A car navigates a snow-covered street on Feb. 2, 2022, in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.
