Dangerous Cold Persists Across Eastern U.S. After Bomb Cyclone
Forecasters are warning that perilously cold conditions will continue into Monday morning across a vast portion of the United States, stretching from the Gulf Coast all the way to New England. This follows a weekend bomb cyclone that brought heavy snowfall, widespread flight cancellations, and even falling iguanas in Florida as communities work to clean up.
Widespread Cold Advisories and Record Lows
Approximately 150 million people were under cold weather advisories and extreme cold warnings on Sunday across the eastern U.S. Meteorologist Peter Mullinax from the National Weather Service in College Park, Maryland, reported single-digit temperatures in southern states and the coldest air mass in South Florida since December 1989. Temperatures are expected to slowly rise throughout Monday, but thousands remain without power from last month's ice storm in the South, adding to the misery.
Heavy Snowfall and Travel Hazards in North Carolina
The National Weather Service office for Raleigh, North Carolina, issued warnings that wind chills could drop near zero degrees Fahrenheit (-17 Celsius) early Monday. "Snow and ice will linger, with refreezing tonight making travel hazardous," the office stated on social media. "Use caution on roads and dress in warm layers."
Eastern North Carolina saw significant accumulations, with James City recording 18 inches (45 centimeters) of snow and Swansboro reporting 17 inches (43 centimeters). The bomb cyclone, an intense and rapidly strengthening weather system, contributed to nearly a foot (30 centimeters) of snow in and around Charlotte, North Carolina's largest city. Mullinax noted this snowfall represents a top-five snow event in the area's history.
Transportation Disruptions and Impacts
Flight cancellations exceeded 2,800 across the U.S. on Saturday, with at least another 1,800 on Sunday, according to flight tracking data from FlightAware. More than 800 of Sunday's cancellations were for flights at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. The storm also caused significant road issues, including an hours-long backup on Interstate 85 northeast of Charlotte after a crash involving dozens of vehicles. North Carolina Governor Josh Stein reported over 1,000 traffic collisions and two road deaths related to the storm.
Unusual Cold in Florida and Agricultural Concerns
Florida experienced freezing temperatures over the weekend, with snow flurries in the Tampa-St. Petersburg area and temperatures dropping to the 20s in the Panhandle and 30s in South Florida. The cold stunned iguanas, leaving them motionless on the ground. While these reptiles typically go dormant in cold weather and wake when temperatures warm, they can die after prolonged exposure to extreme cold.
The freeze also impacted agriculture, with ice forming on strawberries and oranges. Florida farmers sometimes spray water on fruit trees and berry plants as a protective measure against the cold.
Power Outages and Storm-Related Deaths
More than 110 deaths have been connected to wintry weather and storms across the U.S. since late January. In Tennessee and Mississippi, states previously hit by snow and ice storms, over 81,000 customers remained without power by Sunday evening. Nashville Electric Service anticipates restoring power to 90% of customers by Tuesday and 99% by next Sunday, two weeks after the initial storm. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee expressed "strong concerns" with the utility's response, though the company defended its actions, calling the storm unprecedented.
Mississippi officials declared this the state's worst winter storm since 1994, opening about 80 warming centers and deploying National Guard troops to deliver supplies by truck and helicopter.
Personal Accounts and Structural Damage
Residents shared their experiences with the severe weather. Jamita Washington of Vicksburg, Mississippi, lost power in the previous storm and spent three nights in a hotel before her electricity was restored Thursday. However, one of her furnaces froze, forcing her to sleep on the living room sofa in freezing temperatures at night. "It's been frustrating, but I look at it like this: There's people in a worse position than we are," she said.
In Kitty Hawk on North Carolina's Outer Banks, Susan Sawin described "a roaring wind" that shook her house, reminiscent of a nor'easter, with snow drifts about 2 feet high. She closed her three bookstores for the weekend and plans to remain shut Monday, a rare three-day closure.
Also in North Carolina, an unoccupied beachfront house in the Buxton community on Hatteras Island collapsed in heavy surf on Sunday.
Ongoing Challenges and Forecast
Mullinax indicated that parts of the Carolinas will be "digging out" for several days due to gusty winds and bitterly cold wind chills. Looking ahead to Tuesday and Wednesday, light snow is possible in the Ohio Valley and mid-Atlantic regions, potentially affecting areas from Washington, D.C., into New York City.
