(NEW YORK) — A massive ice storm is freezing Texas and the southern United States on Wednesday.
Some 60 million people in 22 states — from New Mexico to Maine — are on alert for dangerously cold weather, ice and flooding.
Freezing rain and sleet are in the forecast from Texas to Tennessee, before slowly transitioning into just rain as temperatures warm up late Wednesday into Thursday.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Feb 01, 9:55 AM EST
Over 250,000 without power in Texas
More than 250,000 customers are without power in Texas on Wednesday morning as a massive ice storm slams the South.
Feb 01, 9:26 AM EST
Latest forecast
The latest weather forecast for Wednesday shows waves of freezing rain and sleet continuing to move through the southern Plains and the Mid-Mississippi River Valley, from western Texas to western Tennessee.
Some areas have already accumulated more than a half an inch of freezing rain, as well as 1 to 2 inches of sleet.
Numerous roads and highways have been shut down, many schools have been closed and state of emergencies have been declared in the South due to the icy storm.
Freezing rain and sleet will continue from Texas to Tennessee, before slowly transitioning into just rain as temperatures warm up late Wednesday into Thursday.
The Texas cities of Austin, Dallas and Midland as well as Arkansas’ capital, Little Rock, can expect to see freezing rain on Wednesday evening at around 7 p.m. CT. That ice will turn into rain the next morning at 6 a.m. CT.
Up to half an inch of additional ice accumulation is in the forecast for these areas.
The brutal cold is not expected to last long, however. Much warmer weather is in the forecast by Sunday and into early next week.
Feb 01, 9:03 AM EST
Over 1,400 flights already canceled nationwide
More than 1,400 flights scheduled for Wednesday nationwide had already been canceled by the morning, according to the tracking service FlightAware.
The list for cancellations included both major airports in Dallas, as well as airports in Austin and Nashville.
Feb 01, 8:56 AM EST
Over 200,000 without power in Texas
More than 200,000 customers were without power in Texas on Wednesday morning, as a massive ice storm slams the South.
Power was out for 231,081 customers across the Lone Star State as of 7:08 a.m. CT, according to data collected by the website PowerOutage.us.
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