Winter Storm Thaw: Schools Reopen, Power Comes Back Slowly

In the South, the ice and snow from a recent winter storm have started to melt away. Duke Energy reports that electricity has been restored in parts of North Carolina and South Carolina. These areas had lost power for several days due to the storm. In Atlanta, flight schedules are returning to normal after around 1, 000 cancellations or delays on Saturday. Airport officials announced that all runways, parking lots, and roads are clear and operational. "We're not letting up, " said a press release from The City of Atlanta Government's Facebook page. "We've even brought in extra help to finish the job. " According to the post, Georgia Power managed to restore power to 97% of its customers by Sunday. The winter weather has largely moved on, stated Dylan Lusk, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Peachtree, Georgia. "We're finally warming up after that layer of freezing rain and snowfall, " Lusk added.Earlier in the week, the storm brought heavy snow – up to 7 inches (around 18 centimeters) in some areas – making roads slippery across Texas and Oklahoma before moving east. Some cities got more snow in a few days than they usually see in a year. In Memphis, for instance, the Memphis International Airport recorded over 7 inches (about 18 centimeters) of snow. This is significant because Memphis typically sees just 2. 7 inches (6. 9 centimeters) a year. Atlanta got more than 2 inches (5 centimeters) of snow on Friday, according to the National Weather Service. It was the first time since 2018 that the city had more than an inch of snow. While showers are expected on the Gulf Coast on Sunday and Monday, other parts of the country might see snow and cold, dry air from the Arctic. Things are getting back to normal, but some places like churches remain closed on Sunday. Schools were closed Friday for millions of kids from Texas to South Carolina, giving them a rare snow day. In northern Alabama, officials warned that schools might stay closed on Monday if ice doesn't melt from secondary roads.