The interaction of cold air from an arctic front and moisture from the southern jet stream caused a substantial winter weather event spanning from Texas to the Appalachian Mountains in recent days. As per the National Weather Service, Nashville experienced record-breaking snowfall, receiving 7.6 inches between Sunday and Monday, surpassing its average winter snowfall of 4.7 inches.
Winter Storm Challenges Roads and Triggers Closures
This week, photographs from around Nashville depict extensive snow covering neighborhoods and roadways, creating challenging conditions for both local streets and interstates. In the interstates, a range of vehicles, including semi-trucks and sedans, try to navigate the slush-covered roads.
Lingering snow and ice pose the risk of slick roads and travel issues in parts of the Southeast on Tuesday, with closures reported on Interstate 10 and Louisiana Highway 23 on Tuesday morning due to ice.
Tragically, the winter storm has resulted in at least two reported deaths, both attributed to weather-related crashes - one in Arkansas on Sunday afternoon and another in Mississippi on Sunday night.
The storm's impact began on Sunday afternoon with a mix of snow and freezing rain in the South, including Little Rock, Arkansas, and expanded on Monday from Dallas to Nashville to North Carolina. Some areas, like Hall Summit in Louisiana, reported a quarter-inch of ice accretion, exacerbating the challenges.
Notable snow accumulations include Blanden, Tennessee, with 9.5 inches, St. Joe, Arkansas, with 8 inches, Horn Lake, Mississippi, with 6 inches, and Jackson, Kentucky, with 5 inches.
The forecast predicts the possibility of record-low temperatures on Tuesday, ensuring that frozen precipitation remains on the ground into midweek. While the snow has created driving difficulties, locals found joy in the winter wonderland, indulging in activities like sledding down snowy neighborhood roads. However, the forecast for Nashville indicates lows in the single digits, potentially creating hazardous conditions for travelers.
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Satellite Imagery Captures the Winter Storm Across the Eastern U.S.
A week ago, on January 9, a potent winter storm swept across the eastern half of the United States, bringing heavy rain, snow, strong winds, and damaging tornadoes. The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on the NOAA-20 satellite captured a natural-color image of the expansive storm clouds, showcasing the system's intensity.
The precipitation was widespread, with snowfall reaching up to 15 inches in parts of Iowa, while warmer regions like the Mid-Atlantic experienced significant rainfall. The resulting floods prompted evacuations along the Yantic River in New Jersey and Connecticut.
Around 10:45 a.m. Eastern Time on the same day, the MODIS on NASA's Terra satellite acquired a detailed false-color image, highlighting infrared observations of cloud brightness temperature. Notable features included dome-like protrusions of bright white cloud tops over the Gulf of Mexico, Florida Panhandle, and southern Georgia.
Atmospheric scientist Kristopher Bedka explained that these overshooting clouds were linked to intense updrafts from thunderstorms, often associated with severe weather.
The updrafts and related atmospheric processes led to hazardous weather conditions on the ground, including high winds and damaging tornadoes in Florida and Georgia. One report from north of Albany, Georgia, cited a wind gust of nearly 93 miles per hour. Cool cloud tops were associated with heavy rain and flooding across the region.
Forecasts indicated the potential for more winter weather later in the week, originating from a storm system in the Pacific Northwest, which had experienced blizzard conditions on January 9.
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