Travel affected as winter storm rolls across the South
January 9, 2011 11:25 p.m. EST
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- NEW: States of emergencies are declared in Louisiana, Alabama and Georgia
- Airlines are beginning to cancel flights
- Snow, ice and freezing temperatures are expected across the southeastern U.S.
- Weather conditions in Atlanta could impact air travel across the country
Check weather and airport delays with our travel tracker.
(CNN) -- A major winter storm system was rolling
across the southeastern United States Sunday,
sending out shocks of snow, freezing rain and
sleet, and forcing some airlines to cancel flights.
AirTran Airways canceled 14 flights Sunday, most
of them heading into Atlanta, in order to have fewer
aircraft on the ground there at the time the storm
hits, spokesman Christopher White said. Another
270 flights were canceled for Monday, which represents
a majority of the Atlanta-bound flights for the airline.
There will be a handful of arrivals and departures only,
White said.
The latest computer models show wintry weather
extending from northeast Texas through the Carolinas,
bringing freezing temperatures, snow and ice to areas
that normally don't see heavy winter precipitation,
according to CNN meteorologist Dave Hennen.
The northern regions of Mississippi, Alabama,
Georgia and the Carolinas should expect heavy
snow, while ice storms are expected to affect the
southern regions of those states, he said.
Forecasters expect freezing rain to move north in
those states, possibly by Monday morning.
Winter storm warnings covered much of the Southeast
as the storm system developed Sunday morning in
Texas and tracked along the Gulf Coast.
The National Weather Service has issued winter storm
warnings for parts of Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana,
Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama. The agency
warns that significant snow amounts could make
travel difficult and dangerous. Three to eight inches
of snow could fall by Monday evening and roads are
expected to be hazardous through Monday night,
especially secondary roads.
Various winter storm watches have also been put in
place by the weather agency, stretching from northeast
Texas to the far western corner of Virginia.
In preparation for wintry conditions, governors in
Louisiana and Alabama declared states of emergencies,
according to the governor's office in Alabama and CNN
affiliate KSLA in Baton Rouge.
"We face a serious storm that will have an impact all
across Alabama," Gov. Bob Riley said in a statement.
He advised motorists to stay the roads.
Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue similarly issued a state
of emergency.
Snow began falling in Atlanta during the evening hours
Sunday, and is forecast to accumulate through Monday
afternoon. Temperatures at or below freezing are
expected to remain in place through Tuesday, keeping
roads dangerous and travel difficult, Hennen said.
Parts of Louisiana could get up to an inch of ice, while
other states in the region could get between a quarter
and a half-inch of ice coating power lines, trees, bridges
and roadways, said CNN meteorologist Reynolds Wolf.
In Alabama, Auburn University canceled classes and
viewing events for the BCS championship game on
Monday night.
Meanwhile, snow moved into the Northeast but the
region was spared a repeat of the Christmas blizzard
that virtually shut down large cities such as New York
and Philadelphia. Emergency management officials
were able to quickly recover from the comparably
light dusting of snow that began blanketing the region
Friday.
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