Widespread ice storm leaves at least 10 people dead, more than 550 000 without power, U.S.

Thursday, February 2, 2023 Waatchers.news

A significant widespread ice storm is still affecting parts of the U.S. South and Mid-South on Thursday, February 2, 2023, but it’s now slowly transitioning to rain. Despite this, the risk remains high as melting ice may still trigger the breakage of trees and tree limbs. Meanwhile, a life-threatening Arctic blast is moving towards the northeastern regions of the country, with wind chills expected to be the coldest in recent memory.

The storm has left at least 10 people dead in Texas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma, and two seriously injured police officers, as of Thursday, February 2. The number of casualties has risen from 8 reported on Wednesday night.

The deaths include a triple fatality Tuesday, January 31 near Brownfield, about 64 km (40 miles) southwest of Lubbock, TX. In Austin, a person was killed in a pileup on Tuesday, and in Oklahoma, two people died in separate crashes on Thursday morning and a semi-truck driver was killed with a second person seriously injured in Custer County. In Arkansas, a 60-year-old driver was killed when their flatbed truck hauling equipment lost control and flipped over.1

As of 19:00 UTC on February 2, more than 550 000 customers are Texas to Tennessee are without power, primarily due to downed power lines and trees. Of those, 440 000 in Texas, 82 000 in Arkansas, 24 000 in Tennessee, and 23 000 in Mississippi.

Officials are urging customers who are experiencing power outages to contact their local providers, with Austin Energy warning that some areas may be without power until Friday.

The restoration efforts are being hampered by the accumulated ice and freezing temperatures.

The storm has also caused flight cancellations, with just under 670 flights within, to, and from the U.S. canceled as of Thursday, with the majority of cancellations being related to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.

The prolonged and damaging ice storm that has impacted a large region from Texas to Tennessee over the past couple of days is forecast to finally come to an end today, February 2, as a final surge of moisture slides eastward.2

Continued hazardous travel conditions can be expected, especially over untreated roadways. Added tree damage and subsequent power outages are also possible before melting begins to commence this afternoon.

Above-zero temperatures will return on Friday, February 3, likely eliminating any icy concerns. Elsewhere, as the system exits over the Southeast, steady rain is likely today from the Lower Mississippi Valley to the Southeast. Isolated flooding concerns are possible given the wet antecedent conditions.

The next impulse of arctic air to sweep into the Nation from Canada is forecast to impact the northern Plains and Upper Midwest today. Wind chills could become dangerously cold and drop to as low as -45 °C (-50 °F).

Areas with fresh snow cover could also experience brief whiteout conditions as gusty winds accompany the arctic front.

By Friday, the frigid temperatures are forecast to engulf the Northeast and northern Mid-Atlantic.

The core of the cold will pass over the Northeast and more specifically, northern New England.

Wind chills around -45 °C (-50 °F) for northern parts of this region could be the coldest felt in decades. The lowest temperatures are expected to occur on Saturday, with single-digit readings extending as far south as Pennsylvania, while sub-zero lows will be widespread throughout New England.

Snow squalls and lake effect snow is also likely along and behind the cold front Thursday night into Friday, which could briefly lead to lowering visibility and treacherous travel.

Wind Chill Warnings have been issued to further highlight the dangerous cold. Residents and visitors are urged to limit time outdoors and wear proper clothing. These wind chills could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes.

References:

1 LIVE: Death toll climbs, power outages remain rampant during southern US ice storm – AccuWeather – February 2, 2023

2 Short Range Forecast Discussion – NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD – 252 AM EST Thu Feb 02 2023

Featured image credit: TxDOTFortWorth

But how can they call on him (Jesus Christ) to save them unless they believe in him (Jesus Christ)? And how can they believe in him (Jesus Christ) if they have never heard about him (Jesus Christ)? And how can they hear about him (Jesus Christ) unless someone tells them?” —Romans 10:14

In His Service,

Night Watchman

Paul Rolland

Night Watchman Ministries

Make Your Decision for Christ NOW!!!!!!! Time is Up!!!!!!!

Jesus Christ’s Offer of Salvation:

The ABCs of Salvation through Jesus Christ (the Lamb)

A. Admit/Acknowledge/Accept that you are sinner. Ask God’s forgiveness and repent of your sins.

. . . “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23).

. . . “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.” (Romans 3:10).

. . . “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8).

B. Believe Jesus is Lord. Believe that Jesus Christ is who He claimed to be; that He was both fully God and fully man and that we are saved through His death, burial, and resurrection. Put your trust in Him as your only hope of salvation. Become a son or daughter of God by receiving Christ.

. . . “That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (John 3:15-17). For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13).

C. Call upon His name, Confess with your heart and with your lips that Jesus is your Lord and Savior.

. . . “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:9-10).

. . . “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” (John 1:8-10).

. . . “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. (John 2:2).

. . . “In this was manifested the love of god toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.” (1 John 4:9, 14-15).

. . . “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” (Romans 5:8-10).

. . . “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23).

. . . “Jesus saith unto them, I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6).

. . . “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth.” (Romans 1:16).

. . . “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts: 4:12).

. . . “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth for there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 2:4-6).

. . . “For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:9).

. . . “But as many as received him, to them gave the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” (John 1:12).

True Church / Bride of Christ Spared from God’s Wrath:

 Romans 5:8-10. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”

Romans 12:19. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 1:10. And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

1 Thessalonians 5:9. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

Romans 8:35. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Jeremiah 30:7. Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble, but he shall be saved out of it.

Revelation 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.