A powerful ice storm hit the southeastern U.S. Wednesday, leaving people stranded on highways and without power in their homes before making its way up the coast.
At least 11 deaths were blamed on this storm, which forecasters are calling "catastrophic." This NASA/NOAA image shows the storm stretching from east Texas all the way up through the Carolinas, dumping rain, freezing rain, sleet and snow.
NBC reports up to six inches of snow fell in parts of N.C., which beats some yearly totals. Some drivers in Raleigh and Charlotte — two of the state's largest cities — found themselves stuck on the highways for hours, much like Atlanta drivers just two weeks ago.
Roads were much clearer in Atlanta this time around, following January's epic traffic jam that left drivers stranded for hours on interstates in and around the city. (Via CBS)
The freezing rain Wednesday knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of homes across Georgia. WXIA reported the weight of the ice brought down trees and powerlines in residential areas.
The disruptions also extended to the skies Wednesday. FlightAware reports a total of 3,700 flights across the country were canceled, and total delays stretched to more than 10,000.
"At Atlanta's airport, Delta employees actually had to sleep in planes because there aren't enough hotel rooms." (Via CNN)
Businessweek reports the storm is headed for the northeastern U.S. and might dump anywhere from 8-12 inches of snow on New York City. Philly is expected to get 10 inches and Washington, D.C., 8 inches.
The governors of Virginia, Maryland and New Jersey have declared states of emergency ahead of the storm.
