A storm that delivered just three inches of snow to Southern states from North Carolina to Louisiana has managed to cause massive traffic jams, forcing drivers to abandon their cars or spend the night in them, and keeping children in schools overnight.
The worst of the chaos is in Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina, all three of which declared states of emergency. At least five people died in Alabama traffic wrecks, according to CNN, and 940 accidents were confirmed in Atlanta alone, 100 that caused injuries but no fatalities.
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Alabama has deployed the national guard to help motorists get off the road, and Atlanta is providing food and water to school students still stuck in classrooms, according to Kasim Reed, the city's mayor.
Reed went on CNN and appeared before local media to discuss the paralyzing storm, where he mostly deflected criticism and said that all 30 of the state's salt-spreaders and every one of its 40 snowplows is still deployed.
Throughout the night, our crews have been working to salt and sand roads and bridges. We will continue all day until everyone is home safe.
— Kasim Reed (@KasimReed) January 29, 2014
The Atlanta mayor has found himself under some fire from the media and citizens who say Reed's team should have been better prepared to deal with three-inches of snow, considering the city got hit by a similar storm in 2011.
Reed and officials throughout the South are urging people to stay put for the day while they deal with the mess. Below, we've collected a selection of photos from the rare snowstorm.
Snow and ice cover the road and grounds of the Statehouse, early Wednesday, Jan. 29, as Gov. Nikki Haley declared a state of emergency in South Carolina as a winter storm brought snow, sleet and freezing rain into the state. Schools and state and local government are closed for a second day.
A truck slides off the road as it tries to avoid another wrecked truck as snow begins to accumulate on Interstate 65 near Clanton, Ala., Tuesday, Jan. 28. The southern half of Alabama shut down Tuesday because of a rare storm that left a slippery layer of ice and snow across a region unaccustomed to dealing such a threat.
Vehicles that were abandoned Tuesday evening, sit on the Ashford Dunwoody exit off of Interstate 285, early Wednesday, Jan. 29, in Dunwoody, Ga. Around Atlanta, nearly all public entities and most businesses were shut down early Wednesday, and officials encouraged would-be motorists not to drive.
Alec Bender is covered with snow while he and some friends were sledding Tuesday, Jan. 28, in Knoxville, Tenn. Temperatures in the teen's are expected to fall into the single digitsTuesday night.
Red Cardinals sit on flora, Tuesday, Jan. 28, in Decatur, Ga.. Georgians stocked up on ice-melting chemicals, school systems closed and road crews prepared to clear snow and ice from highways as a winter storm took aim.
The snow covered statue of late Georgia Governor and U.S. Sen.Richard B. Russell points the direction for a pedestrian as she makes her way past the state capitol while snow begins to accumulate Tuesday, Jan. 28, in Atlanta.
Ryan Garner sleds down a street, Tuesday, Jan. 28, in Kennesaw, Ga.
Icicles hang off a camellia bush in historic Forsyth Park after freezing rain hit the area, Wednesday, Jan. 29, in Savannah, Ga. A winter storm brought snow, ice and brutal cold to the Deep South, a part of the country more accustomed to hurricanes.
A horse grazes in a snow covered field near Wilsonville, Ala. as a snow inundated the south Tuesday, Jan. 28. A winter storm that would probably be no big deal in the North all but paralyzed the deep South on Tuesday, bringing snow, ice and teeth-chattering cold, with temperatures in the teens in some places.
Snow begins to accumulate on I-65 south of Birmingham causing several road closures in Alabama on Tuesday, Jan. 28, in Pelham, Ala. Gov. Robert Bentley declared a state of emergency, and he delayed three special legislative elections for a week.
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