By Georgina McCartney and Brendan O’Brien
HOUSTON (Reuters) – A rare winter storm churned across the U.S. Gulf Coast on Tuesday, bringing heavy snow, ice and wind gusts to a region where flurries are unusual, while much of the United States remained in a dangerous deep freeze.
As the storm moved east, crews near Houston plowed highways, while downtown streets, covered in white, were virtually deserted during the morning rush.
In the center of Houston, few people ventured out into the snow as some restaurants and bars remained closed. The Houston metro rail was running but passengers were scarce. Schools were closed Tuesday and Wednesday as the city expected about four inches (10 cm) of snow to fall.
“I’ve been in Texas my entire life and I have never seen this depth of snow,” said Ishan Bhaidani, 29, who owns a fintech consulting company in Houston. “It typically gets more icy but this type of fine snow, this is a first.”
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