Millions Prep for Catastrophic Storm   01/22 06:18

   

   ATLANTA (AP) -- Millions of Americans from New Mexico to the Carolinas are 
bracing for a potentially catastrophic ice storm that could crush trees and 
power lines and knock out power for days, while many northern states all the 
way to New England could see enough snow to make travel nearly impossible, 
forecasters say.

   An estimated 100 million people were under some type of winter weather 
watch, warning or advisory on Wednesday ahead of the storm, the National 
Weather Service said.

   The storm, expected to begin Friday and continue through the weekend, is 
also projected to bring heavy snow and all types of wintry precipitation, 
including freezing rain and sleet. An atmospheric river of moisture could be in 
place by the weekend, pulling precipitation across Texas and other states along 
the Gulf Coast and continuing across Georgia and the Carolinas, forecasters 
said.

   Here's a look at the approaching storm and how people are preparing for it, 
by the numbers:

   0

   The number of snowplows owned by the city of Jackson, Mississippi, where a 
mix of ice and sleet is possible this weekend. The city uses other heavy 
machinery like skid steers and small excavators to clear roads, said James 
Caldwell, deputy director of public works. Jackson also has three trucks that 
carry salt and sand to spread across roads before freezing weather.

   0.5

   The amount of ice -- half an inch, or 1.27 centimeters -- that can lead to a 
crippling ice storm, toppling trees and power lines to create widespread and 
long-lasting power outages. The latest forecasts from the National Weather 
Service warn of the potential for a half-inch of ice or more for many areas, 
including parts of Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama, and Tennessee.

   1

   The number of Nashville snowplows named after country music legend and 
Tennessee native Dolly Parton (Dolly Plowton). Another snowplow in East 
Tennessee was named Snowlene after her classic hit song "Jolene" as part of a 
2022 naming contest.

   3

   The number of layers needed to keep warm in extreme cold. AP video 
journalist Mark Vancleave in Minnesota explains the benefits of all three -- a 
base layer, a middle layer and an outer shell -- in this video.

   4

   The number of major U.S. hub airports in the path of the southern storm this 
weekend, when ice, sleet and snow could delay passengers and cargo: Dallas-Fort 
Worth; Atlanta; Memphis, Tennessee, and Charlotte, North Carolina. Still more 
major airports on the East Coast could see delays later, as the storm barrels 
east.

   12

   The number of inches of snow that could fall in parts of Oklahoma.

   "You've got to be very weather aware, and real smart about what you're 
doing," said Charles Daniel, who drives a semitrailer across western Oklahoma.

   "One mistake can literally kill somebody, so you have to use your head," he 
added.

   15

   The number of snow and ice removal trucks operated by Memphis, Tennessee's 
Division of Public Works. The city also has six trucks that spread brine, a 
mixture designed to melt wintry precipitation. Statewide, the Tennessee 
Department of Transportation has 851 salt trucks and 634 brine trucks, and most 
of the salt trucks double as plows.

   19

   Parts of at least 19 states in the storm's path were under winter storm 
watches by late Wednesday, with more watches and warnings expected as the 
system approaches. They include Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, 
Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, 
South Carolina, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia. 
An estimated 55 million people are included in these winter storm watches, the 
weather service said.

   32

   The degree in Fahrenheit when water freezes, equivalent to 0 Celsius. This 
is a magic number when it comes to winter weather, said Eric Guillot, a 
scientist at the National Weather Service. If the temperature is slightly above 
32, it will be mostly liquid. But the colder it is below the mark, the more 
efficiently precipitation will freeze.

   45

   The number of snowplow trucks at the ready in Nashville, Tennessee, 
according to the Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal 
Infrastructure.

   50 below zero

   The windchill value -- how cold it feels to a person when winds are factored 
in -- that is expected in parts of the Northern Plains, the weather service 
projects. That equates to minus 45.6 Celsius and is forecast for parts of 
northern Minnesota and North Dakota.

   "When the weather forecast says, 'feels like negative 34,' it's just a 
matter of covering skin and being prepared for it," said Nils Anderson, who 
owns Duluth Gear Exchange, an outdoor equipment store in Duluth, Minnesota.

   330

   The number of snowplows in the city of Chicago, where annual snowfall 
averages 37 to 39 inches (0.94 to 0.99 meters). The city also has 40 4x4 
vehicles, and about 12 beet juice-dispensing trucks, according to Cole 
Stallard, Chicago's commissioner of Streets and Sanitation. The natural sugars 
of beet juice lower the freezing point of water, allowing salt mixtures to work 
at much lower temperatures and preventing refreezing, while also helping salt 
stick to the road longer.

   600

   The number of miles added last year to snowplow routes in Nashville, 
Tennessee. That was done "to get deeper into our neighborhoods -- roads that 
had never been plowed before," said Alex Apple, a spokesperson for Nashville 
Mayor Freddie O'Connell.

   1,000-plus

   Texas has this number of pieces of winter weather equipment, including 
snowplows, motor graders and brine tankers, Texas Department of Transportation 
spokesperson Adam Hammons said. He said the agency also works with state 
partners and contractors to get more equipment when needed. In the Dallas area, 
"right now our main focus is treating our roadways in advance of the storm," 
agency spokesperson Tony Hartzel said Wednesday.

   78,000

   The number of cubic yards of salt on hand at the Arkansas Department of 
Transportation. The state has 121 salt houses around the Arkansas, plus 600 
salt spreaders and 700 snowplows, said Dave Parker, an agency spokesperson.