Warmer weather expected starting Saturday, National Weather Service says
Warmer weather is expected to begin Saturday and continuing into next week, the National Weather Service in Memphis said on Thursday evening.
It's welcome news as a winter storm brought deep cold and a blanket of snow that disrupted traffic throughout much of the Memphis area — efforts to clear the roads were incomplete and conditions were dangerous in many places.
FRIDAY UPDATES:Boil water advisory continues; temperatures to rise this weekend
Memphis Light, Gas & Water issued a boil advisory and is asking people to conserve water. Road conditions appeared poor on Thursday, and some drivers of police and fire emergency vehicles were heard on radio traffic Thursday morning calling for help after they got stuck. "We've had a couple that got stalled in the snow, but we've been able to get them out," Memphis Fire Department spokesman Wayne Cooke said Thursday.
RELATED:Road conditions around Tennessee aren't great right now. If you have to drive, here are some tips
The thaw starts Saturday as highs are expected near 40 and into the high 40s through the weekend and into Monday.
Boil water alert
MLGW says cold-related damage to the water system raises the possibility of bacterial contamination of the water system. People are urged to boil water for at least three minutes before drinking it.
More details:All MLGW customers now under 'boil water' advisory. Here's what to do.
Snow plow efforts will continue to be concentrated on main roads
As of Thursday, the city's public works department has plowed 450 of Memphis' 6,7000 miles of lanes using a combination of city-owned and contracted snow plows.
The majority of plowed lanes are along major thoroughfares; future efforts to push streets free of the 10 to 12 inches of snow that has accumulated since Monday will likely stay concentrated on major streets, said Public Works Director Robert Knecht.
Warmer temperatures are expected over the next several days, and public works is counting on an assist from the sun to melt snow build-up on residential streets.
Between 12 and 14 plows are in operation at any given moment, with crews working up to 16 hour stretches, Knecht said. Tennessee Department of Transportation plows have also provided service, but only along state roads like Danny Thomas Boulevard and parts of the Parkway system.
Knecth said the city is "significantly challenged" by the atypical winter storm, and noted that such levels of snow haven't been seen in decades. The city-owned snow plows have only been used twice in the last eight years.
As the snow begins to melt, Knecht said the city will shift focus on pothole repair: severe cold snaps typically bring a fresh of potholes on roads.
MATA announces limited service on Friday
The Memphis Area Transit Authority announced plans to offer limited service on Friday.
"Fixed route bus service will run between 5:15 a.m. and 6:45 p.m., but only on Routes 1, 11, 28, 32, 42 and 50," the company said in a news release. "These routes were selected based on current road conditions."
MATAPlus, the paratransit service for people with disabilities, will operate between 5 a.m. and 6:45 p.m., but only for life sustaining trips — such as trips for dialysis — for customers who have reservations.
The William Hudson, Airways and American Way Transit Centers will remain open during service times only between 5:15 a.m. and 6:45 p.m., MATA said.
Trolley lines on Main Street, the riverfront and Madison Avenue will not operate.
MATA will provide additional updates via its Omnilert service and social media. Customers may also call 901-274-6282 for more information.
One warming center closed due to burst pipe, three remain open
Three city-operated warming centers, one in South Memphis, and one in North Memphis and one near Crosstown, are open until further notice for those seeking shelter during the cold weather.
There are open warming centers at:
- Hollywood Community Center, at 1560 N. Hollywood St.
- Ruth Tate Senior Center, at 1620 Marjorie St.
- Lewis Senior Center, at 1188 North Parkway.
Transportation assistance is available by calling 901-297-1680, according to the city.
Another warming center was supposed to open at the Frayser-Raleigh Senior Center, located at 3985 Egypt Central Rd. The center closed due to a pipe that burst, the city said late Tuesday afternoon.
Over 100 people sought shelter in the warming centers over the weekend, according to city communications.
For emergency overnight shelter, two locations are open — the Memphis Union Mission located at 383 Poplar Ave. and the Salvation Army's Purdue Center of Hope located at 696 Jackson Ave.
Vaccination sites closed through Saturday
Many area COVID-19 vaccination sites will be closed through Saturday, the Shelby County Health Department announced Tuesday. The sites are closed "due to inclement weather and the threat of hazardous driving conditions."
Appointments originally scheduled from Feb. 16 to Feb. 20 will be rescheduled, the department said.
The closed vaccination sites include:
- Appling Inspection Station: 2355 Appling City Cove, Memphis, 38133
- Pipkin Building: 940 Early Maxwell Road, Memphis, 38104
- Germantown Baptist Church: 9450 Poplar Avenue, Germantown, 38139
- Southwest Tennessee Community College Whitehaven Center: 1234 Finley Road, Memphis, 38116
- CSFP Warehouse: 1020 South Bellevue, 38106
Appointments originally scheduled from Feb. 16 to Feb. 20 will be rescheduled, the department said.
Additional information about the closures will be updated at www.shelby.community.
The Memphis VA Medical Center also announced that vaccinations scheduled for Friday were being postponed. Veterans with scheduled appointments will be contacted for a rescheduled appointment, spokeswoman Willie Logan wrote in an email.
School cancellations and virtual learning directives
Arlington Community Schools will close campuses for the remainder of the week. The district announced they will use the remaining stockpile day for a snow day on Thursday. Starting Friday, the district will switch to virtual learning.
Bartlett City Schools will be all virtual for the remainder of the week, the district announced Wednesday. The district is encouraging parents to check with individual school websites for remote learning updates.
Collierville Schools will switch to all-virtual learning for the remainder of the week.
Lakeland School System will be closed Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. In-person, remote learning, before and after care, and all extracurricular activities are canceled on those days
DeSoto County Schools will also be on distance learning days the rest of the week.
Shelby County Schools are continuing with virtual learning on Friday.
"We understand inclement weather has the potential to cause power outages and/or affect home internet access, and no students will be penalized for missed assignments or attendance in such instances that are beyond their control," the school system said in a news release. "We have advised all families to contact their child's teacher directly if they have any challenges or questions."
Shelby County Schools' Nutrition Services team rescheduled Thursday's standard bulk meal distribution services to take place Friday from 9:00 am – 3:00 p.m. at the following schools:
- Belle Forest Elementary (3135 Ridgeway Rd)
- Chimneyrock Elementary (8601 Chimneyrock Blvd., Cordova)
- Cornerstone Lester Elementary (320 Carpenter St.)
- Denver Elementary (1861 Corning Ave.)
- East High (3206 Poplar Ave)
- Fairley High (4950 Fairley Rd)
- Ford Road Elementary (3336 Ford Rd)
- Frayser Achievement Elementary (1602 Dellwood Ave)
- Keystone Elementary (4301 Old Allen Rd)
- LaRose Elementary (864 Willoughby St)
- Manassas High (1111 N Manassas St.)
- Shady Grove Elementary (5360 Shady Grove Rd)
- Westwood High (4480 Westmont Rd)
- Winchester Elementary (3587 Boeingshire Dr)
MLGW requests customers conserve water
Memphis Light, Gas and Water provided an update shortly after 11 a.m. Thursday. No additional water mains have broken, representative Angelika Woods wrote in an email.
"However, reservoirs are still frozen and causing low pressure," she wrote. "We are still asking customers to conserve water."
MLGW is asking customers to conserve water by letting their taps drip, as opposed to letting them stream steadily.
The utility company is experiencing reduced pressure across the water distribution system and reduced water reservoir levels at several pumping stations.
Adding to the mix of water supply strain, there are also several broken water mains, the company said.
Customers are being asked to reduce their water consumption voluntarily through Friday for the greater public good and water supply.
The company is advising customers take the following conservation steps:
If possible, avoid doing laundry until Friday.
If you wash dishes by hand, don't leave the tap open while you're rinsing off your pots and plates.
Don't leave the faucet on while you clean vegetables and other foods.