Bundled up in coats, earmuffs and mittens, Memphians braved the freezing temperatures Sunday and Monday for that rare opportunity to slide on makeshift sleds and throw snowballs at each other. (Gary S. Whitlow/Tri-State Defender) 
Instead of snowballs, many youngsters on Shandy Drive had to settle for sledding and foraging chunks of ice as the snow on their block had hardened by Monday. (Gary S. Whitlow/Tri-State Defender) 
Bundled up in coats, earmuffs and mittens, they braved the freezing temperatures Sunday and Monday for that rare opportunity to slide on makeshift sleds. (Gary S. Whitlow/Tri-State Defender) 
While this week’s snow and ice storm made for a huge inconvenience for adults in Memphis and Shelby County, it was a time of wonderment for many youngsters across area. (Gary S. Whitlow/Tri-State Defender) 
Bundled up in coats, earmuffs and mittens, they braved the freezing temperatures Sunday and Monday for that rare opportunity to slide on makeshift sleds. (Gary S. Whitlow/Tri-State Defender) 
While this week’s snow and ice storm made for a huge inconvenience for adults in Memphis and Shelby County, it was a time of wonderment for many youngsters across area. (Gary S. Whitlow/Tri-State Defender) 
This week’s snow and ice storm made for a huge inconvenience for adults in Memphis and Shelby County as the snow had hardened by Monday. (Gary S. Whitlow/Tri-State Defender) 
Bundled up in coats, earmuffs and mittens, they braved the freezing temperatures Sunday and Monday for that rare opportunity to slide on makeshift sleds. (Gary S. Whitlow/Tri-State Defender) 
Instead of snowballs, many youngsters on Shandy Drive had to settle for sledding and foraging chunks of ice as the snow on their block had hardened by Monday. (Gary S. Whitlow/Tri-State Defender) 
This week’s snow and ice storm made for a huge inconvenience for adults in Memphis and Shelby County as the snow had hardened by Monday. (Gary S. Whitlow/Tri-State Defender)
Memphis weathered subfreezing temperatures and a blanket of snow and sleet, as the city on the bluff was spared the brunt of a historic winter storm that hammered much of the nation.
Temperatures plunged into the low 20s across Shelby County beginning last Friday, followed by a wintry mix the next day. By the time the storm ended Sunday, as much as four inches of precipitation had fallen. Some areas received more, with parts of Germantown reporting totals of up to six inches. Snow fell at a rate of about an inch per hour, according to the National Weather Service in Memphis.
Much of it remains.
Main roads and major arteries are passable, though traffic is moving slowly. Most neighborhood streets, however, remain covered with hard-packed snow and ice.
Memphis-Shelby County Schools canceled in-person classes for the remainder of the week to the delight of many children, who braved the cold to play in the snow. Many businesses across the city remain closed Wednesday. Memphis Light, Gas & Water reported just 44 power outages during the storm.
The question now is whether temperatures will climb high enough — and remain there long enough — for the sun to melt the accumulated snow and ice.
After a low of minus 1 Monday night, temperatures were forecast to rise into the mid-30s Wednesday and the high 30s Thursday. Evening temperatures are expected to fall back into the low 20s. Morning fog Wednesday left a thin coating of ice on roadways and vehicles.
Forecasters say temperatures will dip below freezing again Thursday night after reaching a high of 42 degrees earlier in the day. Another round of snow is possible Sunday, with a high near 25 degrees. More seasonable temperatures in the mid-40s are expected to return by Monday.
Roads in Memphis and surrounding areas are unlikely to be fully cleared until the middle of next week. A wintry mix is also forecast, though it is not expected to linger like this storm.
Across the country, communities continue to struggle in the wake of the Arctic blast. Parts of the Southern Plains reported as much as 31 inches of snow. Closer to home, much of the Sun Belt — including Mississippi — was coated in ice. Between 140,000 and 160,000 power outages were reported in Mississippi as downed power lines and fallen trees damaged infrastructure.
