Winter weather affected travel as predicted over numerous states in the south and midwest.
In northern portions of Louisiana, icy roadways created hazardous conditions today. Troopers have responded to multiple crashes along with reports of downed tree limbs and power lines affecting roadways, according to a social media post from the Louisiana State Police.
From Friday until Saturday night around 9 p.m., Oklahoma Highway Patrol stated they worked 28 injury collisions along with 175 motorists assists along with another 151 non-injury collisions.
Also, Stranded Motorist Assistance and Recovery Teams (SMART) that are assisted with National Guard troops helped another 19 vehicles.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported that as of 9 p.m. Saturday night the agency responded to 601 calls for service, 78 stranded motorists, 100 non-injury crashes along with 20 injury crashes including one fatality crash that was not weather related.
Counties in Mississippi reporting ice coverage on roads include Counties with ice reports at this point include Alcorn, Benton, Bolivar, Calhoun, Chickasaw, Coahoma, DeSoto, Grenada, Itawamba, Lafayette, Lee, Leflore, Marshall, Monroe, Panola, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Quitman, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Tate, Tippah, Tishomingo, Tunica, Union, Washington, and Yalobusha, in the northern part of the state.
In Texas, the Department of Public Safety reported that troopers were working multiple accident scenes around Texarkana.
“We’re experiencing a high number of crashes due to ice and snow,” Texas DPS reported on Facebook.
Interstate 30 in both directions were closed down between mile markers 205 and 223 in the Bowie County area.
Texas DPS reported “several crashes” involve tractor trailers.
“Clearing the roadway will take most of the evening,” DPS posted urging avoidance of the area in Bowie County, Texas.
Texas DPS reported that 18-wheelers were getting stuck on the exits, causing gridlock.
In Georgia, media outlets reported hazardous conditions causing dangerous driving as precipitation began freezing in metro Atlanta in the overnight hours Saturday night into Sunday morning.
Georgia State Patrol reported a glaze of ice forming on elevated surfaces in Bartow County, measuring around one-tenth of an inch. Troopers said ice could be heard crackling on trees due to strong winds, according to a report from WSB radio’s website.
Officials in Pickens County reported Highway 53 east of Jasper was iced over with at least one vehicle in a ditch. Ice was accumulating on trees and power lines, and secondary roads east of Jasper were becoming coated.
Several streets in the City of Jasper were closed due to ice, and power outages were reported affecting more than 600 customers. Temperatures across the county remained in the 20s.
Officials in Henry County reported vehicles glazed over in Hampton early Sunday morning.
Emergency officials in Athens-Clarke County said sleet started to pick up early Sunday morning, with visibility decreasing on roadways due to ice accumulation.
Additionally, GSP reported that a Commercial Vehicle Enforcement (CVE) unit was struck while escorting brine trucks as crews prepared roadways ahead of winter weather.
Bruce Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has lived in three states including Arkansas, Missouri and Georgia. During his nearly 20-year career, Bruce has served as managing editor and sports editor for numerous publications. He and his wife, Dana, who is also a journalist, are based in Carrollton, Georgia.
