Updated 8 p.m. ET Feb. 15, 2021.
A destructive winter storm Sunday hit the southern Plains, making travel dangerous and slowing down supply chains due to potential road closures.
The storm has caused widespread power outages and has led to highway accidents and airport closings.
Snow and ice piled up across several states and will cause more issues Monday and Tuesday from eastern Texas to the Mississippi, Tennessee and Ohio valleys.
Power problems
As of Monday evening, about 3.8 million customers in Texas had no electricity, along with 111,000 in Louisiana and 300,000 across Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky, North Carolina, West Virginia and Ohio combined.
Airports
The Houston Hobby (ICAO code: HOU) and George Bush International (ICAO code: IAH) airports remain closed until 4 p.m. CT and 1 p.m. CT Tuesday, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Rails
Union Pacific sent a customer alert Sunday telling its customers to anticipate delays of a minimum of 72 hours for shipments in areas affected by the severe weather.
Forecast
Dallas and Oklahoma City had record snowfall Sunday, with 4 inches and 6 inches, respectively.
Several inches of snowfall and significant ice buildup Monday will impact places like Houston and eastern Oklahoma, as well as southwestern Louisiana; Jackson, Mississippi; Little Rock and Fort Smith, Arkansas; Memphis and Nashville, Tennessee; Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio; and Indianapolis. The National Weather Service has issued winter storm warnings and ice storm warnings for these areas. The storm will move into the Northeast Monday night and Tuesday, likely impacting truckers on the Interstate 95 corridor.
Another storm could produce heavy snowfall and icy conditions across Texas and the Mississippi Valley around midweek. Look for updates on the FreightWaves website and social media accounts.
