PHOTOS: Over 200,000 Lose Power as Snowstorm Pummels Texas to Virginia

By Katy Galimberti, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer

February 26,2015; 10:54PM,EST

 

 

As a snowstorm unraveled from Texas to North Carolina and Virginia, snow and ice left a trail of disruption on Wednesday into Thursday.
In some of the hardest-hit areas, hundreds of thousands were without power as the accumulation of snow and ice weighed down power lines. A swath of 6-12 inches of snow fell from far northeastern Texas to western North Carolina.

Duke Energy in North Carolina reported more than 200,000 customers were affected by power outages. With storm impacts still creating hazardous travel conditions on Thursday morning, the city of Charlotte operated under a two-hour delay. Federal agencies in Washington, D.C., operated under a two-hour delay as well as the storm trekked northeast.
For those still without power, cold conditions will remain a concern.
"Temperatures will drop into the teens and lower 20s each night through Saturday in most areas that received snow from the recent storm," AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said.
"In terms of roads and sidewalks, areas made wet and slushy by natural melting during the day will freeze. Motorists and pedestrians should be on the lookout for areas of black ice into Friday's morning commute," he added.
A record-breaking 8.1 inches of snow fell in Huntsville, Alabama, the second-highest daily snowfall to ever hit the city. In Starkville, Mississippi, more than 2 inches of snow blanketed the town, prompting Mississippi State University to cancel classes for the day. In-state rival University of Mississippi canceled classes and activities Wednesday and Thursday as the storm blasted the area.
One student was killed in a sledding accident on Wednesday after striking a stop sign at the end of a hill, Oxford Police reported.
Numerous vehicle accidents were reported from Texas to Virginia into Thursday morning as road conditions rapidly deteriorated during the course of the storm. Motorists were urged to limit travel when possible and stay off roadways.
Air travel was also inhibited by the hefty winter storm. At Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, one of the country's busiest airports, nearly 600 flights were canceled on Wednesday with another 500 delays.
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A gas station in Henderson, N.C., suffered severe damage from the heavy snow and ice. (Twitter Photo/Danny Wilkerson)
Snow brushed over Asheville, N.C., on Wednesday and coated power lines. (Instagram Photo/suzanneboothby)
Snow created a serene setting in Stoke County, N.C. (Photo/North Carolina Department of Transportation)
Snow piled up on roads in Mississippi during the bulky winter storm. (Facebook Photo/Mississippi Emergency Management)
Crews in Norfolk, Va., work to clear snow and ice from roadways on Wednesday. (Twitter Photo/City of Norfolk)
Slushy roads hindered vehicle travel in central and western Texas on Wednesday. (Twitter Photo/Texas Department of Transportation Paris District)
Up to 12 inches of snow fell in parts of eastern Texas. (Twitter Photo/Texas Parks and Wildlife)

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Have questions, comments, or a story to share? Email Katy Galimberti at kathryn.galimberti@accuweather.com, follow her on Twitter @AccuKaty. Follow us @breakingweather, or on Facebook and Google+.