AYESHA RASCOE, HOST:
A massive winter storm has been moving through much of the South, toward the Northeast. More than 14,000 flights have been canceled and at least 22 states have declared a state of emergency. Hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses all across the South, through the Mid-Atlantic and into the Northeast are without power, and that number will rise.
Tennessee is one of the states hit hard by the storm. Rose Gilbert is with member station WPLN in Nashville, and she joins us now. Good morning.
ROSE GILBERT, BYLINE: Good morning.
RASCOE: So what's it like in Nashville this morning?
GILBERT: Well, we've got snow on the ground, and we're expecting more ice today. We're starting to get reports of fallen branches and trees, as well as a massive spike in power outages. It's been a little bit dramatic this morning. People have reported hearing these loud cracking noises with trees coming down, as well as what looks like lightning but is actually related to either transformers blowing out or arcing from the power lines. The city's opened up overflow shelters and warming stations. And public schools have already announced that they will be closed at least through next Tuesday, which is the case for many school systems across the region.
RASCOE: We know power outages from ice accumulation on the wires and trees is a big concern, so what's that looking like so far? I know you talked about those, you know, exploding transformers. That doesn't sound great.
GILBERT: Yeah. No, definitely a little alarming for people. We've seen major outages, and really, what we're worried about is the combination of power outages with these very low temperatures. It's supposed to get down to the teens in some areas and even into the single digits in others, which is something we're just not used to here in the South. Janice Citchens is a teacher in Mississippi, where there have been outages, and she says she worries about how the storm will hit the most vulnerable in her community.
JANICE CITCHENS: It could be very detrimental, especially if it's for an extended period of time. We do have a increasingly older growing-age population.
GILBERT: And here in Tennessee, officials have warned that this cold could be life-threatening if people lose heat, even if you're indoors. You know, people in the South often rely on electricity for their heat to stay on. And because those low temperatures are expected to stick around into next week, the risk could be more prolonged.
RASCOE: Well, how have the people you've spoken to prepared for the possibility of losing power?
GILBERT: Well, there was some of the expected chaos at the grocery stores as people stocked up on food earlier this week, and many people are also going out of their way to check in on their neighbors. Yesterday, I ran into Carlotta McKee, who was going over to her neighbor Barbara Cloyd's home to play cards and bake while they rode out the storm. They told me they were in Nashville for a big snowstorm back in the '90s that knocked some people's power out for weeks on end. And they told me that this time, they are ready.
CARLOTTA MCKEE: I have water, and I've got a lot of food. And I, praise God, have a gas stove. And I have a wood-burning fireplace, so I've brought lots of wood actually in the house.
RASCOE: So it sounds like she's prepared. But, you know, how are the kids handling this weather?
GILBERT: Well, you know, stuff got real overnight with the power outages, but yesterday had a little bit more of a snow-day vibe. People were having fun. And honestly, plenty of the adults were getting in on the action. We have a tradition here in Nashville. Our capitol building is on top of this steep hill in the middle of downtown. Whenever we get snow on the ground, it becomes a big sledding destination. I was there yesterday, and there were dozens of people with everything from old-fashioned wooden sleds to pool floaties and cardboard boxes. And there was a bit of a party scene. There was kind of an ad hoc, apres-ski sort of feel. And I spoke to one experienced sledder named Jake Kress (ph).
JAKE KRESS: Yeah. Just a good time. Everyone literally comes here, has fun, and then most of the time they'll go drink and eat afterwards 'cause they can't feel their faces.
GILBERT: That fun does come with some risk. There have been injuries in the past, including broken ankles, noses and even some missing teeth. But for now, the real risk comes from this cold weather, which really is going to stick around into this next week and, you know, people have to be on the lookout for.
RASCOE: That's Rose Gilbert of member station WPLN in Nashville. Rose, thank you so much.
GILBERT: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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