A significant winter storm has brought an unusual mix of snow, sleet, freezing rain, and blizzard warnings to the southeastern United States, where light snowfall is a rare occurrence. Houston residents awoke to a rare sight on Tuesday morning—a thick layer of snow covering the city, leading to the cancellation of all flights at its two major airports. Additionally, a 50-mile section of Interstate 10 near New Orleans was closed as the storm progressed eastward, affecting areas including Georgia, the Florida panhandle, and the Carolinas in the coming days.
Emergency officials urged people to avoid driving as snow and sleet continued to accumulate on roadways. Many Houstonians took to social media to celebrate this unusual winter weather before dawn. For the first time in almost four years, residents in Southeast Texas experienced a snowy morning. Pastor Joseph Baiyekusi, a Nigerian residing in Houston, shared on Facebook, “It typically doesn’t snow in Texas, but today we’re experiencing snow! We’re enjoying it. Personally, I see this as a prophetic sign that something wonderfully pleasant and beautiful is on the horizon for me, my family, and all Texans this year.”
Janet Maldonado, a meteorologist from the National Weather Service, indicated that the most intense wintry conditions were expected to arrive around 9 a.m. “This morning, we see a mix of precipitation across the area,” she explained. “Reports indicate freezing rain and sleet, with snow primarily falling north of Interstate 10.”
According to Houston Transtar, numerous roadways and elevated highways from Brazos Valley to Galveston County were closed due to the accumulation of heavy sleet and snow.
Power outages were widespread in the Houston area, affecting thousands of residents. By 9:20 a.m. Tuesday, CenterPoint Energy reported over 8,500 outages across Southeast Texas. However, more than 19,000 customers had their power restored in the past 24 hours.
Warming centers across Houston remained open as the snow continued to fall, prompting the closure of schools, government offices, and medical facilities in the region. Local officials provided a list of available warming centers for those seeking refuge from the cold.
CenterPoint Energy and Harris County officials continued to advise residents to stay off the roads during the ongoing winter storm. A spokesperson emphasized the importance of safety, warning that icy conditions could lead to accidents involving vehicles and power poles. “Our priority is the safety of the community, so we urge everyone to stay home and avoid driving today,” they stated, highlighting the risks associated with the storm. The energy company is actively working to maintain power and heating services for the affected areas.
Snowing unusually here in Houston. All offices, businesses, schools and vehicular movements are currently shut down.
We are loving and enjoying the once-in-a-season snow in Texas today…😃 😀