Texas is still dealing with record snow: See the craziest photos now
The cold, snowy winters typically found in the Midwest & Northeast have gone to Texas with no apparent end in sight. Due to infrastructure differences in how power grids, energy sources, and houses are built in the northern & southern U.S., Texans are still without power, some homes are without water, and some roofs have caved in due to unusually heavy snowfall.
According to the BBC, “The Southwestern state’s energy grid has been overwhelmed by a surge in demand for heat as temperatures plummeted to 30-year lows, hitting 0F (-18C) earlier this week”, causing millions of homes to lose power and boil-water advisories to be implemented across Texas.
Texans are posting photos of their plight, including snowed-over roads, powerless houses, and caved-in & flooded bedrooms & kitchens. Here are some of the craziest photos & videos showing just how dire it is in Texas right now.
Texas #WEATHER: Water shortages continue to plague storm-hit south https://t.co/a59qQYhtwf
— GridPointWeather (@gridpointwx) February 19, 2021
Snowpocalypse
Right now, grocery stores in Texas are experiencing huge shortages in supplies, with canned goods and other essentials completely cleared from the shelves. Thanks to boil-water advisories, bottled water is difficult if not impossible to find.
The advisories began in Texas after pipes began bursting due to the unusually cold temperatures & snow. Emergency experts often tell the public to stock up on bottled water and canned goods in case of emergencies like heavy snow and subfreezing temperatures.
Hundreds of helpless cold-stunned sea turtles in Texas rescued by Navy pilots and pickup trucks – The Washington Post https://t.co/WAdsQZTDNy
— Thomas Reese, S.J. (@ThomasReeseSJ) February 19, 2021
Saving sea turtles
According to The Washington Post, a massive effort went underway to save cold-stunned sea turtles from certain death. NPR reported that for the last week, volunteers have banded together to save sea turtles in coastal Texas from the cold & snow.
Sea Turtle Inc. has taken in over 4,500 sea turtles since Sunday pre the nonprofit’s director, Wendy Knight. Knight explained to NPR that volunteers have been driving, walking, and boating along the coast to spot cold sea turtles and bring them to the organization on South Padre Island to get warm and stay alive.
Flooded houses
All over social media, people are posting videos of their roofs caved in and homes completely flooded & frozen. In this clip, a Texas woman is sobbing, unsure of what to do since her entire house is filled with water and snow thanks to a roof collapse in her bedroom.
According to Accuweather.com, “roofs are generally designed to support 30 pounds per square foot (of snow) . . . but some roofs are built to support 40, 50 or even 100 pounds per square foot, according to the ASCE Standard Handbook”. While roofs supporting heavier snowfall are mandatory in Northern states that get a ton of snow, roofs in Texas might not be designed to handle the tons & tons of snow the state saw last week.
According to Country Living, if your roof gets more snow than it can handle, you can either remove it yourself with a snow rake or hire a professional to remove the snow for you.
Candlelight dinner
Thanks to power outages, families all over Texas have to spend more time in the dark. Ricardo Brazziell from American Statesmen captured Texans Howard & Nena Mamu eating their dinner by candlelight with bottled water. Because of the unprecedented amount of snow and demand for heat, some municipalities have implemented rolling blackouts to conserve energy and ensure everyone gets some power throughout the day.
Although most families resort to candles or flashlights, some families are also sharing hacks to get more light, including covering flashlights with empty milk or water jugs to create DIY lamps.
Photos: Texas Is a Messhttps://t.co/V3EEKwBNtV pic.twitter.com/Vj8qgdp0Qp
— Damn Interesting (@DamnInteresting) February 19, 2021
Fire & ice
A fire broke out at a house in Cedar Crest Drive. As residents walked past, they noticed the fire department was only able to draw water from one fire hydrant. Per Reuters, all three city water treatment plants went offline due to the unusual cold & snow. “The house could not be saved due to the low water pressure”, Reuters explained.
