Deadly Winter Storm Benji Blankets Northeast After Leaving Thousands Powerless in South

December 10, 2017

Winter Storm Benji moved into the Northeast Saturday after blanketing much of the Deep South with heavy snow, leaving at least three dead and thousands without power as of Sunday.

A Georgia man died after being electrocuted by a downed power line after Benji dumped heavy snow across the state Friday into Saturday, Atlanta firefighters say.

According to the Associated Press, the unidentified man was found in a roadway near a live wire. 

A 27-year-old woman and a 5-year-old boy were killed late Friday in one of many crashes attributed to the storm in Virginia. According to the AP, the woman and boy died after the driver of their Honda Civic lost control and struck a guardrail, which caused the vehicle to spin into the path of a truck.

The winter storm delivered a rare shot of decent snow the region doesn't usually see in early December with more than a foot of snow falling in parts of Georgia and North Carolina. But the wintry menace also hindered travel and knocked out power to hundreds of thousands, making for a highly uncomfortable and frustrating end to the week.

(MORE: The Latest Forecast for Winter Storm Benji)

Early Friday morning, thundersnow was reported in some parts of southern Texas and even in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, as the system brought bursts of snow that were heavy at times. Farther east, heavy snow fell in cities like Jackson, Mississippi, Birmingham, Alabama, and the northern suburbs of Atlanta.

More than 400 flights were canceled Saturday morning at Hartfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, AP reports.

Metro Atlanta experienced another traffic nightmare Friday afternoon as many businesses and schools let out employees and students at virtually the same time citywide. It was a scene similar to that of a snow and ice event in January 2014, when drivers spent upwards of 12 hours stuck in traffic before abandoning their cars to walk or sleep overnight in stores or hotels.

The snow also had an impact on power – over 110,000 homes and businesses were without electricity Sunday afternoon in Georgia, Louisiana and Alabama, according to PowerOutage.us.

Texas

Accumulating snow was reported as far south as Brownsville Friday morning as southeastern Texas enjoyed a rare snowfall from Benji. In the Houston area, several school districts delayed opening because of road conditions, according to the Houston Chronicle.

"We're experiencing delays with bus transportation due to weather, traffic, and staffing," Houston ISD said in a release sent Friday morning. "School leaders most impacted have been contacted, but this will be a district-wide problem. We also urge parents whose student rides the bus to make sure they're bundled up and to be patient as we work to get every bus rider to school safely. The safety of our students is our top priority, especially in unusual conditions such as those around the city today."

https://www.wunderground.com/news/2017-12-08-winter-storm-benji-south-mid-atlantic-impacts