The South will see another winter storm today and Thursday, taking nearly the same track as the historic storm earlier this week. The previous storm produced daily record snowfalls and record low temperatures in many places.
Besides road closures, several airports and intermodal terminals remain closed, and millions of people still have no electricity. It is expected that all modes of transport will be delayed:
- Power Outages: Outages were reported across Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Kentucky, and West Virginia.
- Airports: Many flights have been grounded due to the severe winter weather and snow/ice accumulation at major airports. However, the Abilene Regional Airport in Texas is scheduled to reopen at 8 a.m. CT Wednesday, and the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport will reopen at 10 a.m. CT Wednesday. The Jackson International Airport in Mississippi is slated to reopen at 5 a.m. CT Thursday.
- Rail: Union Pacific Railroad intermodal terminals remain shut down. In an updated customer alert Tuesday, officials said more than 400 locations across their network have no electricity. More than 20% of active trains are holding for at least four hours as a result of the weather, and more than 90% of primary parking is currently occupied at the company’s intermodal terminals in Illinois. Other rail yards are also impacted.
- Trucking: The storm will delay truckers from the southern Appalachians and Ohio Valley to the mid-Atlantic and the Northeast. Some places could see 5 to 10 inches of snowfall, with up to a quarter inch of ice buildup possible along the I-95 corridor, from Washington to Boston. The storm will likely impact truckers on the Interstate 95 corridor and Interstate 40 corridor, along with additional interstate routes in the area of the storm.
- Ports: Port Houston remains closed.
The highest snowfall amounts Wednesday will probably hit from the Arklatex region — where Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana meet — to western and Middle Tennessee. This includes the cities of Texarkana, Little Rock, Memphis and Nashville. Freezing rain will impact areas mainly on the southern end of the storm, in places like Houston, southwestern Louisiana and western Mississippi.It is expected that many aspects of the supply chain in these areas will be affected. Mallory Alexander will make every effort to mitigate delays and surcharges stemming from the inclement weather. However, please note that force majeure will apply in this situation due to the inclement weather. Please reach out to your Mallory Representative with any concerns regarding your shipments.
Source: Freightwaves