ABC NewsBy MAX GOLEMBO and EMILY SHAPIRO, ABC News
(NEW YORK) — Most of the country is on alert for snow, ice and bitter cold as about 70.4% of the lower 48 states are covered by snow — the highest level in a decade.
The South is still digging out from snow and ice that hit earlier this week, closing vaccination sites and bringing roads to a standstill — but a second storm is closing in.
Texas vaccine shipments are on hold because of the storm.
Texas’ Department of State Health Services said, “due to the winter storm and dangerous conditions, the CDC has put vaccine shipments on hold. We are not expecting deliveries to occur until at least Wednesday. Many local vaccine providers have postponed clinics since it is not safe for people to be out across much of Texas right now. Vaccination will resume as soon as it is safe and local conditions allow.”
The South is also enduring a record-breaking cold snap.
Oklahoma City fell to minus 14 degrees — the coldest since 1899.
In Lawton, Oklahoma, the temperature plunged to minus 12 degrees Tuesday — an all-time record low.
The temperature in Dallas fell to minus 1 degree on Tuesday — the coldest since 1989.
The wind chill — what it feels like — dropped Tuesday morning to minus 12 degrees in Little Rock, Arkansas, minus 11 degrees in Dallas, minus 15 degrees in Memphis, Tennessee and 0 degrees in Austin, Texas.
Early Wednesday morning, a second storm will move into the South, including Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana, bringing more snow and ice.
Freezing rain and sleet is expected to extend from Dallas to Shreveport, Louisiana, to North Carolina and into Virginia.
Snowfall of 3 to 6 inches is possible for northern Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas.
Oklahoma City is 7 inches away from setting a new record for snowiest season ever.
Meanwhile, overnight, a storm brought several reported tornadoes to Florida, Georgia and North Carolina.
At least three people were killed from the reported twister in North Carolina, Gov. Roy Cooper said.
In the Northeast, ice and snow will hit inland areas Tuesday while the Interstate-95 corridor will see mild rain.
Additional snow and ice will hit northern New England where 6 to 10 inches of snow is possible through Tuesday afternoon.
Thursday afternoon and evening, the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast with see more ice, snow and heavy rain.
The Interstate-95 corridor from Washington, D.C., to New York to Boston could see 3 to 6 inches of snow before the snow changes to rain.
The new storm will also bring another threat for tornadoes. Thursday afternoon and evening, southwest Georgia and Florida’s Panama City area could see twisters.
Publix, the major supermarket chain in Florida, is canceling all vaccine events at their stores in Florida on Wednesday due to weather.
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