Ice, Snow and Crashes Across Much of the Southeast from Winter Storm

Parts of the Southeast took it on the chin from Winter Storm Fern on Sunday, with iced-up roads, downed trees and widespread power outages, along with severe thunderstorms and wind along the Gulf Coast—all of which will likely result in thousands of insurance claims.

In Mississippi, the Oxford area saw at least an inch of ice and freezing rain that crippled local travel, news sites reported. Across the northern half of the state, more than 300,000 people were without power, according to PowerOutage.us. More than half of the U.S. power losses were in three states: Mississippi, Tennessee and Louisiana, Bloomberg news reported.

Much of Kentucky reported several inches of snow and ice accumulation as the massive storm moved across the country and freezing temperatures were expected to persist through the week. Louisville was seeing as much as 12 inches of snow, the Courier Journal reported. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said on social media that the U.S. president has approved an emergency declaration for the state, allowing federal aid to be provided.

Tennessee also took a heavy hit, with three fatalities in the western part of the state and one death in eastern Kentucky, according to WPLN TV and other news sites. The state Highway Patrol reported some 36 crashes with injuries and more than 150 roads blocked from fallen trees, debris and ice. A federal disaster declaration was declared for the state.

In Georgia, a federal emergency was in effect for 112 counties, while the northern stretch of the state experienced long-lasting power outages, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

Alabama officials declared multiple roads impassable in the western part of the state, thanks to icy conditions. In West Virginia, the storm shut down schools and offices, news sites reported.

Photo: The scene in Nashville on Sunday. (AP Photo/Kristin Hall)

Topics Windstorm