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The last time Texas was this cold was in 1989. With temperatures falling to below -10C (14F), the state's power grid failed, as it could not cope with the demand for electricity. Rotating power outages have been put in place by the grid operator to reduce the demand, leaving millions of people without electricity.

At least 23 people died in the storm or its aftermath.

Millions of people remained without power on Tuesday and were planning for another cold, dark night in the wake of the deadly storm that swept across the southern and central parts of the United States this week. In many of these places, such devastating conditions arrive just once in a generation.

By late afternoon Tuesday, the storm was making its way into eastern Canada, but the damage left behind was severe. Bored Panda has compiled a list of photos to help you to understand how it has affected the area.

#1

Texas Game Wardens Rescued 141 Sea Turtles

Texas Game Wardens Rescued 141 Sea Turtles

Texas Game Wardens assigned to Cameron county rescued 141 sea turtles from the frigid waters of the Brownsville Ship Channel and surrounding bays. The sea turtles were transported via the PV Murchison, operated by Sgt. Game Warden Duke and B/M Bowers-Vest.

Texas Game Wardens Report

At least 23 people have died since winter began unleashing its fury last week, some from the cold and some from attempts to escape it. And almost four million customers across the country remained without electricity on Tuesday evening, according to PowerOutage.us, which aggregates live power data from utilities.

More than 3.5 million of those outages were in Texas. There, many people had been without power for hours or even days in freezing temperatures. State leaders, including Gov. Greg Abbott, expressed criticism of the operation of the state's power grid, and the Texas House speaker announced a legislative hearing looking into the widespread power failures.

#2

My Parents Let The Dog Go Outside After The Storm. These Are The Resulting Footprints

My Parents Let The Dog Go Outside After The Storm. These Are The Resulting Footprints

reddit.com Report

Experts have begun to analyze what could have been the key factors behind the grid failures in Texas. It looks like record-breaking cold weather spurred residents to crank up their electric heaters and pushed demand for electricity beyond the worst-case scenarios that grid operators had planned for.

Simultaneously, many of the state's gas-fired power plants were knocked offline amid icy conditions, and some plants appeared to suffer fuel shortages as natural gas demand spiked nationwide. Also, many wind turbines in Texas froze and stopped working, although it's worth mentioning that this was a smaller part of the problem.

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#3

My Friend In Texas Swore He’d Never Fly In A Chopper After Iraq. Today He Broke That Promise To Care For Patients. At His Own Expense He Got To The Er The Only Way He Could

My Friend In Texas Swore He’d Never Fly In A Chopper After Iraq. Today He Broke That Promise To Care For Patients. At His Own Expense He Got To The Er The Only Way He Could

reddit.com Report

Some people, however, manage to find some joy during this struggle. Damian Syrianos, who is originally from Sag Harbor, NY, found himself in the middle of the havoc in Texas too, and he found a nice way to make the best out of the whole ordeal—he attached a rope to a car, hopped onto a snowboard, and went on to have some fun on the white streets.

"This is typical for me to do in NY when it snows with friends but not typical in Texas," he told Bored Panda. "I believe the last time they had this much snow was 1986. So I had to take full advantage of it, especially with plenty of experience to back it!"

"The storm hit us pretty hard, for Texas—I've been through much worse with fewer issues. The state not being prepared, shutting off power, and not having any plows to clear the roads so we can go to the grocery store are all huge issues, but I just took advantage of it and went snowboarding."

#4

Probably The Best Picture I Have Ever Taken Of Mops. She Enjoyed The Texas Snow Today!

Probably The Best Picture I Have Ever Taken Of Mops. She Enjoyed The Texas Snow Today!

reddit.com Report

"So far, I haven't really left my house in 4 days other than to go to the grocery store," Damian added. "But there is a positive note. This is the first time I, an 'essential worker', don't have to go into work since COVID started!"

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Coming back to snowboarding, Damian said it was amazing: "There was no one else driving around so no issues, got some sweet turns in and a whole lot of smiles.

"I'm a Greek-American regenerative farmer that's just starting out and looking to help the community in many ways. Hoping to put a smile on people's faces in any way I can," Damian explained.

#5

My Mother In Texas Made Some Incredible Octopus Art Out Of The Snow To Bring Some Light Into The Dark Times

My Mother In Texas Made Some Incredible Octopus Art Out Of The Snow To Bring Some Light Into The Dark Times

reddit.com Report

Throughout the state, the National Guard has been deployed and 135 public warming centers have opened up to provide people with an escape from the frigid weather, although Covid-19 precautions remain in effect.

In Harris County, which includes the city of Houston, health workers scrambled to distribute Covid-19 vaccines as freezers lost power and backup generators failed. The county had to hurriedly administer 8,500 shots of the Covid-19 Moderna vaccine, which must be stored at temperatures between minus 13 degrees and 5 degrees Fahrenheit.

#6

Plowing Snow With A Cardboard TV Box

Plowing Snow With A Cardboard TV Box

reddit.com Report

According to the USDA, Texas is the country's third-largest citrus-producing state behind California and Florida. Dale Murden, president of Texas Citrus Mutual, a trade group that represents the interests of citrus growers in the state, told AccuWeather that growers were "about 50% harvested to date on grapefruit," when the brutally cold weather hit early this week, and were "just beginning to harvest our late Valencia orange."

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#7

Texas Winter Storm

Texas Winter Storm

GassyMexican Report

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Sonja
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah...I am not sure if this is the "right kind" of dog to "normal Texas" weather. He must suffer terribly in heat for most part of the year..

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#8

At Least One Guy Is Enjoying The Texas Blackouts

At Least One Guy Is Enjoying The Texas Blackouts

reddit.com Report

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#9

Texas Winter Storm

Texas Winter Storm

sarahradinasch Report

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MandaPanda
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's actually a brilliant idea. I'm in Florida where it is currently 34 degrees Fahrenheit. Not freezing anymore, but I have pictures of ice yesterday.

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"Most everyone saw temps of 21 degrees for several hours," Murden, who also is a grower, said. "We will no doubt lose some of the crops as we are seeing some ice buildup inside the fruit."

According to Murden, when temperatures dip below 28 degrees and stay below that mark for five hours or longer, the fruit that is still on branches begins to freeze on the inside.

#10

24 Hours Without Power Here In Texas But This Is The First Time Either Of Us Have Seen Snow

24 Hours Without Power Here In Texas But This Is The First Time Either Of Us Have Seen Snow

reddit.com Report

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BananaAnna
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I remember the first time in Florida: cold snap came, women in full-length fur coats. We wore our lightweight fall jackets. Thick blood they said we had.

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#12

Guess I’ll Wait Till Next Week

Guess I’ll Wait Till Next Week

reddit.com Report

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Debbie
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

guess you'll wait untill it is repaired. I imagine things are broken because of the ice.

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#13

Texas Winter Storm

Texas Winter Storm

ThomasBlackGG Report

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kelgal avatar
Kel Gal
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Uh, where did the water come from? There seems to be a BIG problem there.

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Citrus groves in Texas are largely situated in the Lower Rio Grande Valley in parts of Hidalgo, Cameron and Willacy counties, Murden explained. Several groves are located in Mission, a city of about 85,000 that is about 240 miles south of San Antonio, right along the border with Mexico. "Come and enjoy the warm weather," the city writes on its website.

#14

Left The Faucet Dripping To Keep The Pipes From Freezing. It Didn’t Work Out. Taylor, Texas

Left The Faucet Dripping To Keep The Pipes From Freezing. It Didn’t Work Out. Taylor, Texas

reddit.com Report

#15

Massive Cold Stun Of Sea Turtles Here In South Padre, 1500 Turtles Rescued So Far...and No Power To Warm Them Up

Massive Cold Stun Of Sea Turtles Here In South Padre, 1500 Turtles Rescued So Far...and No Power To Warm Them Up

reddit.com Report

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George-Florin Constantin
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wait, isn't the water in the sea WARMER than the air over land? Why remove the Sea Turtles from the sea?

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#16

Texas Winter Storm

Texas Winter Storm

UroobHaris Report

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birdie asf
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

my mom and i used to look at the snowflakes that would cluster against the window, because then you can see them better.

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#17

Im Mean.... Its Not Often You Can Say You Went Snowboarding In Texas

Im Mean.... Its Not Often You Can Say You Went Snowboarding In Texas

lyfestyle94 Report

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Bobert Robertson
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When I was in university our street flooded with about 4 inches of water. It was a crescent, so a perfect loop. We did this exact same thing but with a wakeboard

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Public transportation authorities in cities like San Antonio are modifying bus schedules, and in some cases, even pausing them altogether. Jeff Arndt, the chief executive of San Antonio’s transit authority, VIA, told the Guardian that informing riders of the changes to public transportation – like suspending all bus services Sunday evening and operating a weekend bus schedule on weekdays – will be a difficult challenge.

We can handle the logistics of getting people in and making sure the buses are fueled. It’s really getting the information to the customers," Arndt said.

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#18

Don’t Have Power But Got This Photo Of A Guy Skiing Down Congress Yesterday!

Don’t Have Power But Got This Photo Of A Guy Skiing Down Congress Yesterday!

reddit.com Report

#20

It Finally Snows In Texas And The Only Local Ski Slope Is Being Guarded

It Finally Snows In Texas And The Only Local Ski Slope Is Being Guarded

reddit.com Report

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Xenon
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you ask, they might let you actually ski down it. They're just preventing cars from trying it.

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#21

I Saw German Outdoor Freezers And Decided To Share Mine From Texas

I Saw German Outdoor Freezers And Decided To Share Mine From Texas

reddit.com Report

But nothing in the history of Texas compares to February 12th, 1899.

The lowest temperature ever recorded in the state occurred at Tulia in Swisher County in the extreme southern Texas Panhandle. The thermometer dropped to 23 degrees below zero. However, there were unofficial reports that were even colder. Low temperatures of 30 degrees below zero were measured that night at Wolf Creek and at a site southeast of Perryton, both in Ochiltree County in the northern Panhandle. This cold air spread throughout the state with reports of a thin layer of ice coating most of Galveston Bay.

In fact, many Texas cities established all-time record low temperatures In February 1899.

#22

Hello. My Name Is Inigo Montoya. You Killed My Father. Prepare To Die

Hello. My Name Is Inigo Montoya. You Killed My Father. Prepare To Die

s_r_florentino Report

#23

2021 Houston Valentine's Day Freeze

2021 Houston Valentine's Day Freeze

dwin04 Report

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#24

Seeing Snow On Our Cactus Is So Surreal!

Seeing Snow On Our Cactus Is So Surreal!

reddit.com Report

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Zayd Long
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh I don’t live in Texas but where I live my cactus is covered with a inch of ice

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#25

Texas Winter Storm

Texas Winter Storm

Item_Criswell Report

#26

24+ Hours No Power (Some Sparse Moments Of Relief). 40 Degrees Inside But Eating Warm Food Tonight

24+ Hours No Power (Some Sparse Moments Of Relief). 40 Degrees Inside But Eating Warm Food Tonight

reddit.com Report

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Hilary Mol
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You make do with what you have, and this is good thinking on his part. And now I want a charred hot dog.

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#27

I Kinda Felt Like I Was In 30 Days Of Night. It Was Beautiful Out There But Also Slightly Terrifying

I Kinda Felt Like I Was In 30 Days Of Night. It Was Beautiful Out There But Also Slightly Terrifying

txtroublemaker Report

#28

Props To Our Local Canyon Lake Farmers, Who Are Caring For Animals (And Plants) Through This Weather

Props To Our Local Canyon Lake Farmers, Who Are Caring For Animals (And Plants) Through This Weather

canyonlakebeauty Report

#29

I Was Basically In My Car With My Mom From 8 Am Until Close To 6 Pm Today Just Staying Warm, Finding Food And Getting Gas. Welcome To Houston Aka Ghetto Narnia. I Miss Last Week

I Was Basically In My Car With My Mom From 8 Am Until Close To 6 Pm Today Just Staying Warm, Finding Food And Getting Gas. Welcome To Houston Aka Ghetto Narnia. I Miss Last Week

mjg1203 Report

#31

Going To The Restroom In Texas Today. (Real Pic From A House In Dallas)

Going To The Restroom In Texas Today. (Real Pic From A House In Dallas)

reddit.com Report

#32

Beva The Longhorn Isn’t Phased By This - Just Wanted A Bit Of Love

Beva The Longhorn Isn’t Phased By This - Just Wanted A Bit Of Love

reddit.com Report

#33

It’s Hard To Believe I’m Still In Texas

It’s Hard To Believe I’m Still In Texas

Exact_Consequence_77 Report

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#34

Texas Winter Storm

Texas Winter Storm

ThomasBlackGG Report

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M O'Connell
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If I were staying there, I would be SO tempted to show off my Wisconsin-ness and take a dip.

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#35

Texas Knew For Years Power Grid Was At Risk But Did Little About It. Unbelievable

Texas Knew For Years Power Grid Was At Risk But Did Little About It. Unbelievable

WorkTomorrow Report

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BananaAnna
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As grandma used to say, "don't scream until you been hit". Texas, you been hit.

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#36

This Winter Storm System Is Testing Us In Many Ways. Pushing Us To Our Limits. Creating Challenges We Didn’t Expect And Requiring Us To Make Tough Decisions

This Winter Storm System Is Testing Us In Many Ways. Pushing Us To Our Limits. Creating Challenges We Didn’t Expect And Requiring Us To Make Tough Decisions

It’s hard to see the beauty in any of this snow through the pits in our stomachs, shivering animals, no running water, and no power for over 100 hours at the farm. We’ve all been doing our best to keep the eggs warm and the animals fed, but this egg got away.

Here’s the inside of a frozen chicken egg.

It’s times like these we look to our northern farmers and old pioneers for guidance and encouragement. We imagine our forefathers over the last 166 years going through similar conditions never having known the comfort of a lightbulb. We take these as lessons but it’s hard when you’re actually going through it.

We will not be on the roads this week and will not be supplying our beloved club members, markets, and chefs any eggs this week. We wish you all safety and comfort during this difficult storm.

texasfarmsandranches Report

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PauPain
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Don't the farms have additional power supply for situations like these?

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#37

Texas Winter Storm

Texas Winter Storm

chitakhou Report

#39

Dinner Prep By Headlamp! This Is Unreal

Dinner Prep By Headlamp! This Is Unreal

instantpotdinners Report

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Corey Brown
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

there is no climate change, right Ted Cruz!! Maybe California could send you some power. Oh right, you are self sufficient...

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#40

What In The East Coast Nonsense Is This Texas?!?! Who Do I Need To Write About This Snowy Situation I Am Not Pleased! This Is My Backyard And I Have Questions!

What In The East Coast Nonsense Is This Texas?!?! Who Do I Need To Write About This Snowy Situation I Am Not Pleased! This Is My Backyard And I Have Questions!

alesia_lynn_designs Report

Note: this post originally had 84 images. It’s been shortened to the top 40 images based on user votes.