Winter storm plods into the Deep South, prompting states of emergency and school closures

DALLAS (AP) — A powerful winter storm that dumped heavy snow and glazed roads with ice across much of Texas and Oklahoma lumbered eastward into southern U.S. states overnight, prompting governors to declare states of emergency and shuttering schools across the region.

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders mobilized the National Guard to help stranded motorists. School was canceled Friday for millions of children across a wide tract of southern states from Texas to Georgia and as far east as South Carolina.

Some of the heaviest snowfall was expected Friday across the northern half of Arkansas and much of Tennessee, with totals in some parts of those states ranging from 6 to 9 inches (about 15 to 22 centimeters), according to the National Weather Service.

Further south and east into Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, a wintry mix of sleet and freezing rain made travel treacherous.

The storm dumped as much as 7 inches (about 18 centimeters) in some spots in central Oklahoma and northern Texas before pushing into Arkansas. More than 4,500 flights were delayed and another 2,000 canceled on Thursday, with more delays and cancelations expected on Friday.

“I have not seen any accidents, but I have seen a couple of people get stuck out on the road and sliding around,” said Charles Daniel, a truck driver hauling a 48-foot (14.6-meter) trailer loaded with paint, auto parts and other supplies through slick, slushy roads in central Oklahoma on Thursday. “People do not need to be driving.”

The polar vortex of ultra-cold air usually spins around the North Pole, but it sometimes ventures south into the U.S., Europe and Asia. Some experts say such events are happening more frequently, paradoxically, because of a warming world.

The cold snap coincided with rare January wildfires tearing through the Los Angeles area.

Paul Kirkwood, a National Weather Service meteorologist, said the storm that swept through the Dallas area will create a “swath of snow” impacting parts of Mississippi, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina and South Carolina.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott urged residents to avoid driving if possible. Roads could be dangerous as 75,000 fans were expected Friday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington for the college football championship semifinal between Texas and Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl.

The system was expected to push northeastward by Friday with heavy snow and freezing rain all the way to the Virginia and North Carolina coasts. As much as 8 inches (about 20 centimeters) of snow could fall in parts of Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia through Saturday, the weather service said.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency on Thursday as the northern half of the state girded for snow and ice beginning Friday morning. Weather service forecasters warned snow and ice are likely to accumulate across metro Atlanta, making roadways treacherous and possibly causing power outages.

Public school systems across metro Atlanta and north Georgia called off in-person classes for Friday, with more than 1 million students getting a snow day or being told to stay at home to learn online.

In Tennessee, Memphis-Shelby County Schools, the largest district in the state with more than 100,000 students, closed all schools Friday. With Memphis forecast to receive up to 8 inches (20.3 centimeters) of snow, officials said two warming centers are open 24 hours to provide shelter for people who need to escape the cold.

Parts of South Carolina prepared for the first wintry weather in three years. The state Department of Transportation dusted off its brine and salt supply and began treating interstates and other major highways from Columbia north on Thursday. School systems in those areas either will close early or all day Friday or hold online learning days.

In North Carolina, Gov. Josh Stein declared a state of emergency in advance of the storm, which forecasters say could bring up to 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) of snow to many parts of the state, with higher amounts in mountain areas. Sleet and freezing rain was also likely.

The approaching storm prompted the cancellation of a public outdoor inauguration ceremony for Stein and other statewide elected officials in Raleigh on Saturday.

Richmond, Virginia, was under a boil-water advisory as officials worked to restore the water reservoir system, which was shut down Monday after a storm caused a power outage, Mayor Danny Avula said.

The city of more than 200,000 was distributing bottled water at 11 sites and delivering it to older residents and others unable to get to those locations, officials said.

Associated Press reporters Sean Murphy in Oklahoma City, Adrian Sainz in Memphis, Tennessee, Heather Hollingsworth in Kansas City, Charlotte Kramon in Atlanta, Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina, Nadia Lathan in Austin, Texas, Ben Finley in Norfolk, Virginia, Andrew DeMillo in Little Rock, Arkansas, Kimberly Chandler in Montgomery, Alabama, John Raby in Cross Lanes, West Virginia, and Dylan Lovan in Louisville, Kentucky, contributed to this report.

Read more of the AP’s climate coverage at http://www.apnews.com/climate-and-environment.

Slush is plowed on a street during a winter storm, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

A snowman with leaves for hair stands in a park Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Richardson, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

A man who gave his name as Servo uses an umbrella to cross a street as snow falls Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Snow is accumulated on a parking lot near AT&T Stadium a day prior to the Cotton Bowl NCAA College Football Playoff semifinal game between Ohio State and Texas, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

A truck treats a road for better driving conditions as snow falls Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Frank Burnett, originally of Mississippi, uses a blanket to keep warm as he stands hoping for donations from passing motorists Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Plano, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Snow falls as a car and a scooter make their way along a street Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Luke Choat slides on a small snow covered hill Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Richardson, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

A sign warns motorists of icy conditions along Interstate-20 during a winter storm, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Grand Prairie, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Stacy Whitehead walks with her dog, Dolly, as the sun highlights the ice-covered limbs above the walking trail at Legion Park in Owensboro, Ky., Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (Alan Warren/The Messenger-Inquirer via AP)

Frank Burnett walks on a snow covered overpass Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Plano, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Snow falls as a person boards a DART train Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — Gael Monfils became the second oldest player since 1990 to reach a final on the men's elite tennis tour after beating American Nishesh Basavareddy 7-6 (5), 6-4 in the semifinals at Auckland on Friday aged 38 years, 131 days.

Ivo Karlovic holds the ATP Tour record, having won through to final in Pune, India in 2019 at the age of 39 years, 311 days. Monfils edges Stan Wawrinka who was aged 38 years and 124 days when he reached the final at Umag, Croatia in 2023.

Karlovic also reached the final at Den Bosch in 2017 aged 38 years, 110 days while Roger Federer (Basel in 2019 aged 38 years and 80 days) and Rafael Nadal (the 2024 Swedish Open at 38 years and 48 days) also are in the top five.

Frenchman Monfils has been breaking records steadily in Auckland to reach his 35th ATP Tour final. When he beat Jan-Lennard Struff to reach the quarterfinals, he became the oldest player in the professional era to reach the last eight in Auckland.

He became the oldest-ever semifinalist in Auckland when he beat Facundo Diaz Acosta 6-3, 6-1 to reach his 73rd ATP Tour semifinal. Only Novak Djokovic has played more.

Monfils will face Zizou Bergs of Belgium in Saturday's final.

“Everybody knows I’m a warhorse on the court, I don’t give up easy,” Monfils said after his semifinal. “I’m very pleased with the way I got through today, it wasn’t easy."

The 19-year-old Basavareddy also has been making waves in Auckland. He is the youngest American since Reilly Opelka to reach an ATP Tour level semifinal on hard courts. Opelka did so aged 18 in Atlanta in 2016.

He turned pro in December after a stand-out 2024 season on the ATP Challenger Tour.

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

France's Gael Monfils plays a forehand to Serbia's Novak Djokovic during their match at the Brisbane International in Brisbane, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Pat Hoelscher)

France's Gael Monfils reacts during his match against Serbia's Novak Djokovicat the Brisbane International in Brisbane, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Pat Hoelscher)

France's Gael Monfils looks on during his match against Serbia's Novak Djokovic at the Brisbane International in Brisbane, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Pat Hoelscher)