South encased in ice as winter storm turns deadly, more than 1M power outages reported across region
Trees came crashing down in Nashville Sunday, as ice accumulations reached 0.5 inches and power outages mounted across the metro area through the day.
Ice storm slams Nashville as power outages skyrocket across Tennessee
Up to .75 inches of ice accretion was reported in Middle Tennessee by Sunday afternoon. The ice brought down trees in Nashville and more than 300,000 customers were without power across the state by Sunday afternoon. FOX New Multimedia Reporter Sarah Alegre was live in Nashville.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A dangerous situation is unfolding across the South, where significant ice accumulations knocked out power to more than 1 million customers by Sunday afternoon. Widespread icing was reported across East Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi Saturday, while freezing rain intensified Sunday across Middle Tennessee, including Nashville and the southern Appalachians.
LIVE UPDATES: DEADLY WINTER STORM BLASTS AMERICA WITH CATASTROPHIC ICE, EXTREME SNOW
![Ice takes down tree in Nashville, Tennessee on Sunday.]()
Image 1 of 6Ice takes down tree in Nashville, Tennessee on Sunday. (Heather G.)
![Ice snaps tree in Franklin, TN.]()
Image 2 of 6Ice snaps tree in Franklin, TN. (Kevin Gaither)
![Ice covers Lebanon, Tennessee Sunday morning.]()
Image 3 of 6Ice covers Lebanon, Tennessee Sunday morning. (Toby Casillas)
![Layer of ice covers cars in Asheville, North Carolina Sunday.]()
Image 4 of 6Layer of ice covers cars in Asheville, North Carolina Sunday. (Andrew M.)
![Snow encased in ice in Clarksville, Tennessee Sunday.]()
Image 5 of 6Snow encased in ice in Clarksville, Tennessee Sunday. (Rose)
![Snow and ice cover roads in Round Rock, Texas, Sunday.]()
Image 6 of 6Snow and ice cover roads in Round Rock, Texas, Sunday. (Jenny Benavides)
The Louisiana Department of Health confirmed two winter storm-related deaths Sunday morning in Caddo Parish. The department said two men died of hypothermia but no other information would be released.
Louisiana's Department of Transportation shared images of roadways in the northern part of the state covered in a layer of snow and ice, which is where the majority of the state's power outages were concentrated through Sunday.
(FOX Weather)
Trees came crashing down in Nashville Sunday, as ice accumulations reached 0.5 inches and power outages mounted across the metro area through the day.
Tennessee officials encouraged people to stay home and avoid the dangerous travel conditions. State troopers responded to more than 600 calls for assistance statewide by Sunday afternoon, Major Travis Plotzer of the Tennessee Highway Patrol told FOX News Multimedia Reporter Sarah Alegre.
Trees fall in Tennessee as winter storm moves over area
DANGEROUS CONDITIONS ⚠️: The FOX Weather Beast team is driving around Nashville to assess the damage caused by this ongoing winter storm and captured tree limbs falling onto the road just a few yards in front of them. Stick with FOX Weather for more.
The Tennessee Valley Authority, a major utility across the South, said freezing rain and sleet caused power interruptions across both TVA-owned transmission lines and local distribution networks in northern Mississippi, northern Alabama, Kentucky, Middle Tennessee and parts of East Tennessee.
The Tennessee Valley Authority, a major utility across the South, said freezing rain and sleet caused power interruptions across both TVA-owned transmission lines and local distribution networks in northern Mississippi, northern Alabama, Kentucky, Middle Tennessee and parts of East Tennessee.
(TVAnews/X / FOX Weather)
Nashville Electric Service reported nearly 216,000 customers were without power by Sunday afternoon. Social media video from across the city showed trees snapping and taking down power lines under the weight of the ice.
"I lost power. I think the entire neighborhood is out. I got out of my truck looking for breakfast, and I drove for about an hour," Nashville resident Brad Poe told Alegre.
"No power, nothing is open," said Poe.
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - JANUARY 24: Snow begins to collect on Nolensville Pike on January 24, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee. A massive winter storm is expected to bring frigid temperatures, ice, and snow to millions of Americans across the nation.
((Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images) / Getty Images)
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced Sunday that state offices would be closed through Tuesday.
The NBA postponed Sunday's Nuggets-Grizzlies game due to the winter weather in Memphis.
Historic winter storm wreaking havoc in Oxford, Mississippi
FOX Weather's Brandy Campbell is reporting live from Oxford, MS as the historic winter storm continues to slam the region.
Parts of the Deep South also saw heavy icing with an inch of ice accretion reported over the weekend in both Belzoni and Rolling Fork, Mississippi.
An inch of ice accumulation can cause structural failures in power grids.
FOX Weather Correspondent Brandy Campbell said iced-over trees snapped throughout Oxford, Mississippi in the North Central Hills part of the state.
Campbell said the falling trees sounded like gunshots as limbs took down power lines. The city has issued shelter-in-place orders and warned residents to be prepared for a multi-day outage, as temperatures continue to plummet.
(FOX Weather)
"It is a very dangerous situation here in Oxford," Campbell said Sunday.
The Mississippi Highway Patrol reported downed trees and ice on Interstate 20 in Warren County in the western part of the state Sunday.
The Mississippi Highway Patrol reported downed trees and ice on Interstate 20 in Warren County in the western part of the state.
(Mississippi Highway Patrol Troop C Enforcement Division/Facebook / FOX Weather)
Thousands of flights were canceled across the major air travel hubs of Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson, Charlotte Douglas and Dallas-Fort Worth Sunday.
The storm forced more than a dozen regional airports to close across the Southeast Sunday afternoon.
(FOX Weather)
According to the FOX Forecast Center, the ice threat is expected to shift east into northeastern Georgia and the Carolinas through Sunday afternoon and into the evening, as cold arctic air is trapped against the Appalachians.