Winter storm warnings, ice storms hit Texas, Kentucky

A prolonged ice storm affecting parts of the Southern Plains and central South is expected to continue through Wednesday, bringing with it the potential for tree damage, power outages and dangerous road conditions in several states.

The big picture: About 3.3 million Americans are affected by an ice storm warning and 14.5 million by a winter storm warning as of Monday night, according to the National Weather Service. Many more fall under other types of winter weather warnings, such as B. Windchill Notices.

• The cold air in the upper Midwest and Great Plains pulls south where it is Encountering moisture along a frontal borderand leads to this treacherous stretch of icy precipitation.
• NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center forecast several rounds of wintry precipitation, including light freezing rain and sleet Monday through Wednesday. Ice accumulations can be larger than a quarter of an inch, the forecast center said.
• The ice “will result in tree damage and power outages in the hardest-hit regions,” he added.
• The dangerous weather had already led to hundreds of flight delays and cancellations by Monday afternoon.

Winter storms and ice freeze us

Warnings for winter storms and ice storms in effect in several states, from Texas to Arkansas to Kentucky, according to the National Weather Service.

• “Travel could be near impossible in some areas,” the NWS said.
• Sleet and freezing rain fell over Texas on Monday. Much of the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area is under a winter storm warning through Wednesday morning.
• Moderate to heavy sleet, possibly accompanied by thunderstorms, is expected in both Arkansas and Oklahoma NWS office in Tulsa.
• Freezing rain and sleet are also expected in Kentucky, making the “journey” through Tuesday morning treacherous NWS office in Paducah, Kentucky.

An icy mix Rainfall is expected in at least 15 states Monday through Wednesday, according to the NWS Weather Forecast Center.

• In states like the US, ice accumulation is forecast to be more than a quarter of an inch Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Tennesseesaid the NWS.
• Memphis is currently under an ice storm warning through Wednesday noon with “significant icing expected” and ice accumulation expected to reach a quarter to a half inch, according to the NWS Memphis office.
• In western Kentucky, an ice accumulation of one to two tenths is therefore expected NWS office in Paducah.

The temperatures could hit 20 to 30 degrees below average in the Great Plains and Intermountain West earlier in the week, NOAA said. In the Dakotas and Minnesota, wind chill temperatures could drop to minus 40 degrees.

• Temperatures were in the single digits Monday afternoon in the South Dakota cities of Sioux Falls, Rapid City and Aberdeen.
• Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota also had single-digit temperatures.

Flight delays and cancellations

Details: As of 9 p.m. Monday, more than 5,100 flights to, within or from the United States were delayed and around 1,100 flights were canceled, according to FlightAware.

• Most flights were operated by Southwest Airlines and departed from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and Dallas Love Field Airport.
• Southwest Airlines said travelers flying to, from and through some cities in Texas, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee and Oklahoma can rebook flights without additional fees. This applies to flights from January 30th to February 1st.
• American Airlines has also issued a DFW Airport waiver that applies to flights Jan. 29 through Feb. 2.

Axios’ Andrew Freedman contributed to this report.