President biden
Joe BidenBiden on Trump’s acquittal: ‘The merit of the prosecution is not in dispute’ White House press officer resigns after threatening Politician reporter Trump condemning vote exposes Republican Party split MORE on Sunday, an emergency declaration for Texas was approved and several governors declared a state of emergency when a winter storm hits the southern United States.
Southern states are being hit with snow and freezing rain as they withstand the coldest temperatures in years, decades and, in at least one case, up to a century. Snow is accumulating in Texas and Oklahoma and is expected to get heavier on Sunday.
State officials encouraged residents to stay home in the midst of the weather, with Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas, all sending the National Guard to respond to the disaster, according to The Associated Press.
Marc Chenard, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service (NWS), told the AP that southern lowland states could see up to a foot of snow on Monday, noting the rarity of winter storms reaching so far south.
All 254 Texas counties received an NWS winter storm warning on Sunday afternoon, as the state prepares to continue low temperatures, chills and freezing rain to snow at least the following day, reported the Texas Tribune.
President Biden approved an emergency declaration request for all Texas counties due to the results of the severe winter storm that has been plaguing the state since February 11. His approval to activate the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to respond to Texas came a day after Governor Greg Abbott (R) ‘s investigation.
“I thank President Biden for quickly issuing a Federal Emergency Declaration for Texas as we continue to respond to severe winter weather conditions across the state,” Abbott, who issued a statewide disaster declaration on Friday, said in a statement.
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt (R) declared a state of emergency to all 77 counties last week in preparation for the storm.
In a Sunday update, the governor said state and local authorities are “working around the clock to clear roads as quickly as possible”.
Related emergency states were also declared in at least three other southern states: Louisiana, Kentucky and Mississippi.
The storm is already breaking records for the region. The NWS in Houston issued its first wind chill warning in history on Sunday to remain in effect until noon on Tuesday, while the NWS in Austin and San Antonio said it will experience the lowest temperatures since 1989.
Real story! Be careful if you have to venture outdoors. #houwx #bcswx #glswx #txwx https://t.co/1c5yroAiMF
– NWS Houston (@NWSHouston) February 14, 2021
Oklahoma City is expected to reach -11 degrees on Tuesday morning, the lowest temperature in 116 years, according to The Washington Post.
The weather has led to the cancellation of many flights, including hundreds at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, and the pile-up of several vehicles in Texas and Oklahoma.
The Texas Electric Reliability Council, the state’s leading grid operator, warned in a statement that it might have to implement an energy emergency alert, leading to power outages across the state due to “record electrical demand”.