Much of the U.S. remained gripped by deadly Arctic weather Sunday 害羞草研究所� with subfreezing conditions reaching as far south as Texas and Florida. But the numbing cold is expected to ease up in the coming days.
Freezing rain, sleet and high wind gusts later Sunday would make traveling in parts of Kansas and Oklahoma particularly treacherous, the National Weather Service said. Wind chills in Iowa made it feel like minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 7 degrees Celsius) in some parts.
But the end of subzero temperatures 害羞草研究所� which blasted into the U.S. on Friday 害羞草研究所� was in sight for parts of the country. The daily high temperatures in Iowa害羞草研究所檚 capital of Des Moines, for example, were expected to stay above freezing starting Monday.
害羞草研究所淲ith no additional replenishment of arctic air from Canada, a steady warm-up is in store for the mid-section of the country,害羞草研究所� the weather service said.
Still, the cold was felt especially by people unaccustomed to such bitter cold in places like Memphis, Tennessee, where residents were urged to boil water and some had no water at all after freezing temperatures broke water mains across the city. Temperatures weren害羞草研究所檛 expected to rise until after the weekend.
Winter storms this month claimed at least 67 lives around the U.S., many involving hypothermia or road accidents.
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At the Four Way Grill in Memphis, owner Patrice Bates Thompson said the water problems have closed their soul food kitchen for days.
害羞草研究所淭his is our staple, and this is what basically drives the force of my family financially,害羞草研究所� Thompson told Fox-13 Memphis. 害羞草研究所淲e depend on business, and we have been at home.害羞草研究所�
So many pipes broke in Memphis that water pressure fell throughout the city. Concerned about possible contamination, Memphis Light, Gas & Water urged its more than 400,000 customers to boil water for drinking or teeth-brushing or use bottled supplies on Saturday while crews worked around the clock to make repairs.
害羞草研究所淥ur production and treatment of water is working well,害羞草研究所� the utility said in an email. 害羞草研究所淲e cannot give restoration estimates until all leaks are identified.害羞草研究所�
The utility said more than 100 employees volunteered Saturday to identify breaks, and residents were urged to report leaks in the street, at homes and in unoccupied buildings.
Without water since Thursday morning, Pamela Wells was visited Saturday by a worker who asked whether they had a leak.
害羞草研究所淢y husband said, 害羞草研究所楬ow can we have a leak, if we don害羞草研究所檛 have any water?害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 she said.
They had filled a bathtub with water to flush toilets with when they noticed the pressure dropping, Wells said. For everything else they were using a dwindling supply of bottled water until their street became passable on Saturday and friends brought in fresh supplies.
Meanwhile, the Memphis City Council opened seven bottled water distribution stations on Saturday, one in each council district. Two others were operating at fire stations. One had 300 cars lined up when it opened on Saturday, Shelby County Emergency Management Director Brenda Jones said in a telephone interview.
害羞草研究所淵ou have people with absolutely no water, people with low water pressure, and you have the boil water advisory,害羞草研究所� she said.
Tennessee alone recorded 26 deaths, including a 25-year-old man found dead on the floor of a mobile home in Lewisburg after a space heater overturned and turned off, said Bob Johnson, chief deputy for the Marshall County Sheriff害羞草研究所檚 Office.
害羞草研究所淭here was ice on the walls in there,害羞草研究所� Johnson said.
On the West Coast, more freezing rain was forecast in the Columbia River Gorge and the area was expected to remain near or below freezing through at least Sunday night. Trees and power lines already coated with ice could topple if they get more, the National Weather Service warned.
害羞草研究所淪tay safe out there over the next several days as our region tries to thaw out,害羞草研究所� the weather service said. 害羞草研究所淐hunks of falling ice will remain a hazard as well.害羞草研究所�
The weather service forecast above-average temperatures across most of the country next week. Meanwhile, not everyone hated the white stuff.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 fun right now,害羞草研究所� Michigan City resident Andrew Smith told WBBM-TV. 害羞草研究所淲e haven害羞草研究所檛 had this much snow in a minute, and Christmas wasn害羞草研究所檛 snowy, so it害羞草研究所檚 fun to do this. I can play with the kids, make snowballs, make a snowman.害羞草研究所�
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Associated Press contributors include Travis Loller in Nashville, Tennessee; Lisa Rathke in Marshfield, Vermont; Corey Williams in Detroit; Ken Miller in Edmond, Oklahoma; and Ron Todt in Philadelphia.
Adrian Sainz, The Associated Press
