Nearly 1,000 flights in and out of the United States were canceled on Tuesday in an emergency. Blizzard Rotated parts of the south.
As the storm concentrated on the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area, the area was hit hard by travel issues, with 288 flights canceled at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, according to an online flight tracker. FlightAware.
The area belongs to both American Airlines And Southwest Airlines As of early Tuesday, at least 319 Southwest flights were listed as canceled, along with 308 American Airlines flights. According to FlightAware, at least 90 Southwest flights were delayed, while 29 American Airlines flights were also listed as delayed.
The Federal Aviation Administration Dallas-Fort Worth International and Memphis International Airports warned of freezing rain and ice that could slow flights.
Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services says one person has died in a weather-related multi-vehicle crash in Austin.
“All of the conflicts we’re responding to right now are weather-related,” a spokesperson told NBC News. “Essentially, all elevated roads and overpasses in the Austin and Travis County area are covered in ice.”
According to the National Weather Service, the blizzard was expected to be “long-lasting and significant” and “continue to affect a large area from the Southern Plains to the Tennessee Valley.”
The “dangerous” blizzard is expected to continue through at least early Thursday, bringing cold winds, freezing rain and snow along with travel disruption and delays.
The weather service said “snowpacks greater than 0.25 are possible” from west Texas to west Tennessee. That amount of ice will lead to dangerous travel conditions, tree damage and scattered power outages in hard-hit areas.
About half an inch or more of snow is expected from west Texas to Arkansas, leading to “treacherous” travel conditions, the weather service said.
Blizzard warnings, winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories have been issued in affected areas, warning travelers to check road conditions and drive with extreme caution before heading anywhere.
In Texas, Forth Worth Ambulance Service responded to 142 motor vehicle accidents within 24 hours of the MetStar winter storm, 19 of which happened overnight, said spokesman Matt Zawatsky. Sixteen of those accidents were rollover accidents.
MedStar also responded to eight hypothermic patients. Seven patients were transported to local hospitals, five in critical condition. In addition, nine patients were injured after slipping on ice, the ambulance service said.
Cold air is expected to bring below-average temperatures and wind chills across the central and western U.S., bringing a chill to the middle of the mass, the weather service said.
Wind chill warnings and advisories have been issued across the central and northern Plains and the Intermountain West.
Colin Sheeley Contributed.