Icy weather ‘real threat to the electric system,’ MLGW head says as winter storm hits Memphis
“Ice remains the real threat to the electric system,” Memphis Light, Gas and Water head Doug McGowen said. (Submitted)
Memphis emergency officials cautioned Saturday morning that the full effect of the winter storm would not be felt until later in the day.
Memphis’ leaders, along with everyone else, are waiting to see how much ice accumulates when the precipitation transitions from sleet to freezing rain Saturday afternoon. During an 8 a.m. news conference, they told residents to stay off the roads and remain vigilant.
“Ice remains the real threat to the electric system,” Memphis Light, Gas and Water head Doug McGowen said. “We are still forecast to get — in the majority of the MLGW service area — below one quarter of an inch of ice. That would result in spotty outages due to down limbs and individual lines. ... Under a quarter of an inch should not be widespread impacts. Between a quarter and a half (inch), we should expect some outages, and if it does change to go to more than a 0.5 inches, that’s what we would expect to have some larger impacts.”
Angie Shelton, the city’s deputy management director, said after the precipitation stops this weekend, bitter temperatures are expected and could add further danger to residents. The unknown variable remains the ice.
“We’re going to see that freezing of rain start moving later tonight, and then we’ll start seeing really effects of how it’s going to impact the city,” Shelton said.
City of Memphis Public Works Director Scott Morgan said the city had begun plowing early Saturday morning as accumulation mounted. He said the sleet now accumulating on top of snow had made conditions pretty bad and urged drivers to stay off the roads and remain aware of the work crews on the roads.
He said the city is working on the priority streets under its snow and ice plan. Those streets can be found here.
“Roads are extremely dangerous, so please stay off if you don’t need to get out,” Morgan said.
The Memphis Police Department’s inclement-weather crash policy is in effect, meaning drivers should exchange numbers and not call the police unless there are injuries or drugs and alcohol involved.
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winter weather snow icy weatherSamuel Hardiman
Samuel Hardiman is an enterprise reporter who focuses on government and politics. He began his career at the Tulsa World where he covered business and K-12 education. Hardiman came to Memphis in 2018 to join the Memphis Business Journal, covering government and economic development. He then served as the Commercial Appeal’s city hall reporter and later joined The Daily Memphian in 2023. His current work focuses on the intersection of government, public policy, influence and how public dollars are spent.
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