ATLANTA — The unyielding cold spell gripping much of the nation was expected to hang on tight over the weekend, though some areas that saw snowfall during the week were expected to have drier weather.
In Atlanta, more accustomed to winter temperatures in the low 50s, a glaze of ice coated roads Friday after light snow overnight melted and froze. Nearly 30 cars piled up in a predawn crash near Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
In Alabama, packed shelters brought out extra cots and opened doors for people fearful of the deadly cold.
Multiple deaths have been blamed on this week’s cold. Schools in at least 10 states were closed, as were many roads and government offices.
In Ohio, a winter storm warning was in effect until this morning. That is on top of the snow that had already coated Interstate 70, where a tractor-trailer spun out of control Thursday, crossed the median and swerved into oncoming traffic, colliding with a small bus transporting adult disabled passengers, the Ohio Highway Patrol said.
Three passengers on the bus were killed, as was its driver.
The National Weather Service said 5 to 7 inches of snow was expected Friday across western Pennsylvania. In the Pittsburgh area, it has snowed every day since New Year’s.
The Associated Press
