845,000 Power Outages as Winter Storm Hits South with Ice‑Covered Roads

Here’s a breakdown of the key data from the provided text:

The Situation: A notable winter storm is causing widespread disruption across multiple states in the US, primarily due to ice accumulation.

Affected Areas & impacts:

* Oklahoma: Trees are heavily coated in ice. (Image shows traffic in Tulsa, Oklahoma)
* Kentucky (Louisville): Over 850 emergency calls related to collisions, stranded motorists, and cold exposure.The actual number is likely higher.
* Virginia: 177 crashes reported, 14 with injuries.
* Georgia: Officials are urging residents in northern regions to stay off the roads and prepare to be isolated for at least 48 hours. This is potentially the largest ice storm in over a decade. The state is bracing for unusually cold temperatures after the ice storm.
* General: Ice is considered more dangerous than snow, as it makes driving impossible and is more likely to cause power outages and tree damage.

Response Efforts:

* Georgia DOT: Crews are applying brine to highways, with 1,800 workers on 12-hour shifts.
* Georgia National Guard: 120 National Guard members have been deployed to northeast Georgia.

Key Quotes:

* Mark Pierce (Sheriff’s Office): “These trees are just completely saturated with ice.”
* Will Lanxton (State Meteorologist): “Ice is a whole different ballgame than snow…Ice, you can’t do anything with. You can’t drive on it. It’s much more likely to bring down power lines and trees.”
* Russell McMurry (Georgia DOT Commissioner): “We’re going to do what we can to keep the ice from sticking to the roads. This is going to be a challenge.”

Note: The date in the image caption is January 24, 2026, which seems to be a future date.