Winter storm Landon 2022 path tracker LIVE – Snow & ice batters Texas with flight and road chaos in Memphis, Tennessee
ALL across the country, Winter Storm Landon wreaked havoc on Friday, dumping a foot of snow in parts of the Northeast and causing major traffic and electricity problems throughout Texas, Alabama and Tennessee.
Winter Storm Landon spread to the Northeast after hitting the South hard with a crippling ice storm Thursday that caused over 300,000 homes and businesses from Texas to Ohio to lose power, according to The Weather Channel.
As of Friday afternoon, Tennessee is having the most power outages, while Ohio and New York also have a very concentrated amount of lost electricity, according to poweroutage.us.
The storm also started a deadly tornado in Alabama on Thursday that reportedly killed one person and critically injured three others.
Landon caused Interstate 10 in Texas to shut down, leaving hundreds of drivers stuck in traffic for hours near San Antonio.
Thousands of flights were canceled Friday, according to FlightAware, with over 1,000 flights canceled just in the Northeast region.
As of 11am Friday, over 4,000 flights in the US have been canceled due to severe snow and ice.
This could be the biggest Midwest snowfall in a century.
The National Weather Service (NWS) predicts that between eight and 14 inches of snow could fall in the region.
The storm is set to move to the sea around Friday night, but the weekend is expected to keep the remaining ice and snow because of subfreezing temperatures, according to the weather service.
Read our Winter storm Landon live blog for the latest news and updates…
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Northeast faces a ‘much colder’ blast
Even though storm conditions are over for much of the country, and precipitation has lapsed, the Northeastern United States isn’t quite done with severe winter temperatures.
AccuWeather’s Breaking Weather account posted on Twitter to warn that “much colder air” is headed to the Northeast.
Thanks to the low temperatures and windchill, many parts of Maine, Massachusetts, New York and New Jersey will face sub-zero conditions Sunday morning.
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Not every snowstorm is a ‘blizzard’
Not every winter storm is considered to be a blizzard.
There are three conditions that must be met for a storm to be considered a blizzard.
Snow must combine with winds over 35 miles per hour.
On top of that, visibility must be less than a quarter-mile.
These conditions must last for more than three hours.
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Texas saw blackouts, freezing conditions
Last year’s Winter Storm Uri contributed to more than 200 deaths and billions of dollars worth of damage, according to a Texas Department of State Health Services paper.
This year, Winter Storm Landon resulted in more than 60,000 outages recorded across Texas, according to PowerOutage US.
Around 40,000 blackouts were reported in Hunt County alone.
Thousands of flights were canceled ahead of the storm as Southwest Airlines suspended operations out of Dallas’ Love Field airport from today.
And American Airlines “pre-emptively” axed flights that would be particularly affected by the weather, CBS-DFW reports.
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Storms lead to thousands of canceled flights
More than 4,000 flights within, into, or out of the US were axed on Thursday, according to FlightAware data.
In total, more than 9,000 flights that were scheduled for Thursday and Friday had been canceled.
Southwest Airlines axed 30 percent of its flights while American Airlines canceled around a quarter of its flights – more than 800.
American Airlines spokesperson Curtis Blessing said the storm had a “significant impact,” particularly in the northeastern and central parts of the country.
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Over 250,000 power outages
More than 130,000 outages were reported in Tennessee and 80,000 in Ohio as of 11am EST on Friday, according to PowerOutage US.
While around 50,000 customers were without electricity in New York – the most affected county being UIster.
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Winter Storm Landon creates infrastructure chaos
Thousands of flights were canceled and at least 200,000 were left without power as winter storm Landon wreaked havoc across the US.
The wild weather sparked a deadly tornado in Alabama on Thursday and dozens of motorists were left stranded on Interstate 10 as bone-chilling temperatures of 19F hit Texas.
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Did Winter Storm Landon cause any deaths?
Three people have been killed by Winter Storm Landon, according to The Weather Channel.
One person in Hale County, Alabama was killed by the tornado that struck the area on Thursday afternoon.
A driver of an 18-wheeler was killed in a Thursday night weather-related crash.
One death on Wednesday was caused by a weather-related accident in Bernalillo County, New Mexico.
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135th anniversary of San Francisco snowfall
On this day 135 years ago, the heaviest snowfall in San Francisco history blanketed the city, totaling 3.7 inches.
To this day, no snowfall in San Francisco has beat the record of the February 5, 1887 “storm.”
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Weather Channel calls for sunrise photos
The Weather Channel posted its weekly call for #SundaySunrise photos on Twitter.
Anyone with a striking sunrise photo can post the picture to social media using The Weather Channel’s hashtag, and have the chance to see their photograph on TV Sunday morning.
Anyone with a particularly pretty view of recent snowfall or ice formations from Winter Storm Landon should share their pictures with the weather experts.
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Texas will continue to see cold weather
The National Weather Service issued five-day forecasts for Texas, which was chilled last week by Winter Storm Landon.
Austin and San Antonio will see below-normal temperatures at the beginning of the week, which will slowly warm by Thursday.
A hard freeze is expected Sunday morning.
Around Dallas and Fort Worth, temperatures will be just a little warmer, with no precipitation expected all week.
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Satellite images show new snowfall
In striking satellite images, the National Weather Service shows new snowfall from Winter Storm Landon.
After the storm, snow stretched from Texas all the way to Maine, an incredible 2000 miles.
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Wind, snow persist in Illinois
Even though heavy snowfall has subsided in Chicago and the surrounding area, gusty winds will spread the snow still on the ground, and Sunday night could see light precipitation.
The NWS warned that drifting snow on roadways is especially likely in rural areas and open roads.
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Tornadoes make brief touchdowns in Alabama
In Elmore County, Alabama, tornadoes made brief touchdowns on Saturday afternoon.
The region has seen five tornadoes since Thursday, February 3.
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NWS celebrates National Weatherpersons’ Day
On February 5th, the National Weather Service put out a message of thanks and support to the meteorologists who help protect communities from severe weather with their diligent forecasting.
The NWS New York branch shared the message on Twitter.
“Thank you to all of our partners and volunteers across the NYC area,” the message read. “We appreciate everything you do!”
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Swap alcohol for hot chocolate
“Alcohol doesn’t actually make you warm,” The Weather Channel noted in a video.
“It can cause you to feel warm by moving blood to the top of the skin, but taking that heat away from your core can be dangerous,” the experts at the channel explained.
Swap your alcoholic beverage for hot chocolate, which has more calories–essential for keeping your body healthy in chilly conditions–and will help raise your body temperature.
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Don’t seek refuge in your car
Even though it may function as a temporary shelter from a winter storm, you should avoid waiting out winter conditions in your car.
“Sheltering in a trapped vehicle can be dangerous,” experts at The Weather Channel explained.
A car’s metal frame creates “a very frigid situation,” and regulating temperature inside the car can be tricky.
Running your engine may not be a safe solution, either.
“Only do so if you know that you can keep the exhaust pipe clear,” The Weather Channel’s winter safety video explains.
“Snow and slush buildup around the pipe can block the exhaust and cause carbon monoxide poisoning.”
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Drink water to stay safe
Drinking water in the winter is vital to your safety, The Weather Channel explained.
“You can still get dehydrated in the winter,” the outlet said in a video, but you’re less likely to realize it.
Dry winter air makes sweat evaporate more quickly, so you may not realize the severity of dehydration as quickly as in the summer months.
“Drink more water, especially when exercising outside,” The Weather Channel advised.
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Why should you warm up slowly?
Even though it’s tempting to hop into a hot bath, sauna or jacuzzi after coming in from the cold, you may be putting yourself at risk.
“Exposure to intense heat is not a way to treat hypothermia,” The Weather Channel warned.
“If you soak in a jacuzzi it can be very painful for your skin, and even cause a heart attack.”
Try heating up after extreme cold exposure by applying warm washcloths to the body, or using strategically-placed hot water bottles.
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Be gentle with frostbitten skin
In a video, The Weather Channel explained why you shouldn’t rub frostbitten skin to warm it up.
“Your first instinct may be to rub your hands together to cause friction, but fight the urge,” the video advised.
Tiny ice crystals on your skin may tear and rip at the soft tissue, causing more damage.
The safer way to warm up is by gradually heating your skin, ideally using warm water.
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Snow accumulation reports by state
New York, Vermont, and Indiana recorded the highest amounts of snow, totaling at 17 inches in some areas.
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Roads closed in West Virginia
Video footage shared on Twitter shows the aftermath of the storm in West Virginia, where some roads have been reportedly closed.
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Aftermath in Memphis
The city remains snowed in, with cold temperatures and power outages continuing into Saturday morning.
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Kingston NY covered in snow, part two
The Twitter user shared another photo of iced over tree branches in Kingston, New York.
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Kingston NY covered in snow
One Twitter user shared the aftermath of winter storm Landon in Kingston, New York.
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Snow sculpture meal
One twitter user shared a photo of a McDonald’s themed snow sculpture amid winter storm Landon.