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Icy Road Conditions for Drivers in the South; "Bomb Cyclone" Bringing Blizzard Conditions to Northeast; Storm Causes Flight Cancellations, Icy Roads, Power Outages; Migrants at Southern Border Struggle to Find Shelter from Cold. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired December 23, 2022 - 13:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[13:30:00]

JESSICA DEAN, CNN HOST: And a reminder it also includes about $45 billion in aid for Ukraine as well as disaster emergency relief money.

And worth noting as well, this is likely the last time we will see House Speaker Nancy Pelosi presiding over a vote as House speaker. Of course, she will not be in Democratic leadership when the new Congress starts in January.

And right now, it is brutal outside. For millions of Americans as a historic winter storm creates chaos and upends travel coast to coast. And the cold is preliminarily staggering out there. A massive chunk of the country feeling subzero temperatures. Look at those.

Blizzard conditions so bad in parts of North Dakota that visibility there is practically zero.

And in the south, people are scraping off cars as the ice and cold now turn deadly. We know at least three people have been killed in the state of Kentucky.

And in Memphis, Tennessee, dangerous ice and now rolling blackouts are under way as power outages across the nation spike.

We want to take you to Memphis now. Jeremy Pierre, from HBQ, is joining us live from there.

Jeremy, I see the car behind you going ever so slowly on that road that looks like it's covered in ice.

JEREMY PIERRE, REPORTER, WHBQ-TV: Yes, let me tell you for most parts of the morning we have been seeing people spin and lose control on these streets, But thankfully we began to get some sun in this area, which has resulted in melting a lot of the ice on the roads.

But just down the way here, this is Highland we're on in the east part of Memphis near the University of Memphis. It's a lot of ice and it still remains, And people are taking it easy now that the sun is up.

But let me tell you something, we are now listening in on a press conference with our power provider here, Memphis Light, Gas and Water, and giving us an update on rolling blackouts.

And they have paused them, and that's according to the Memphis, Light, Gas and Water in Memphis.

That's extremely good news for people who live in several counties here in west Tennessee, including us here in Memphis, because of the freezing temps we are experiencing right now.

Now, MLGW leaders have asked customers to turn off all nonessential lights and appliances. The rolling blackouts have affected millions in this area, including water pump stations, sewage, treatment plants, hospitals and airports.

The Tennessee Valley Authority is the power supplier for several utility companies here in west Tennessee. TVA asks power companies to scale back on usage due to this critical power supply situation here during these freezing temps.

The blackouts would have been for every 30 minutes twice a day until further notice. But, again, those blackouts, those rolling blackouts, we're receiving word from Memphis, Light, Gas and Water, they have been paused.

And as the ice continues to melt, hopefully people will continue to take it easy on that gas pedal and pay very close attention on these icy roads -- Jessica?

DEAN: Yes, but that is certainly good news about those rolling blackouts being paused. Hopefully, the sun helps thaw things out before it goes down,

Jeremy Pierre, in Memphis, Tennessee, thanks for that update.

Fierce winds are also whipping snow in the northeast. Places like Buffalo getting pummeled and Pennsylvania about to get hit.

Tom Lehman, from CNN affiliate, WGAL, sent us this report a few moments ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM LEHMAN, REPORTER, WGAL-TV: Hey, Jessica. The winds have been picking up over the last few hours, but the temperatures have certainly been dropping as well.

Right now, we are seeing just about any wet surface begin to freeze over, ice forming, especially after we saw a lot of rain and snow here in south central Pennsylvania over the last 48 hours. And you can also see the wind is blowing trees right now.

This is certainly an issue, especially for anybody who is driving and might find themselves coming across garbage cans or other debate getting pushed into the roads by these heavy wind gusts.

To try to show you how hard these winds are gusting, if you look in the distance, you can see a banner above the street. That banner is beginning to get pulled off its bearings. Certainly a concern for any drivers that are going to be coming through here.

And, again, the wind and the cold, these are conditions that have been worsening over the last few hours here in Harrisburg, Certainly a concern for anybody who is walking around, also for people who are driving.

Especially as the day continues to develop, a freeze up could potentially cause a lot of issues for drivers around here.

And, again, the temperatures are already cold. They are continuing to get colder. This windchill also a major issue as well -- Jessica?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DEAN: All right, Tom Lehman, for us, thanks so much.

Forecasters, of course, warned this storm would be bad but how is it shaping up to compare to those predictions?

Greg Carbin is forecast operations chief at NOAA's Prediction Center.

Great to see you.

Walk us through what you're seeing right now. How is it lining up with what you thought would happen?

[13:35:03]

GREG CARBIN, FORECAST OPERATIONS CHIEF, NOAA PREDICTION CENTER: Yes, good day, Jessica.

Well, this is an expansive, extensive storm system. If you look at the weather maps this afternoon, it basically encompasses most of eastern Canada, eastern half, or maybe two-thirds of the United States.

With the circulation all the way down into the Gulf of Mexico and parts of Florida. It is a large and dangerous storm system.

The Arctic air mass advertised well in advance. The Prediction Center's outlooks over two weeks ago, indicating for the potential for it to spread across the United States right around Christmastime right on schedule.

The low-pressure system associated with the cyclone is also very intense and was forecast very well and well in advance, indicating blizzard conditions from the plains to the northeast and that's what we're seeing unfold.

DEAN: And so what do you anticipate happens next? Have we seen the worst of it as it starts to push out?

CARBIN: That's a really good question. I was thinking earlier today that -- well, first it's difficult to find any place in the country without some pretty adverse weather.

Perhaps the southwest United States, southern California. They're not seeing much in the way of severe weather associated with this system.

But almost everywhere else you look, there's some extreme weather going on. Even in the Pacific Northwest, there's a lot of icing going on. Some real problems out there in the Portland area.

I do think that we are probably close to the peak of this storm. However, the impacts are going to last several days.

Especially for parts of western New York, we're looking at three to four feet of lake-effect snow. Blizzard conditions will not end any time soon.

The cold will begin to let up across parts of the south right after Christmas day.

It looks like as we go into the beginning of next week thing also warm up across areas that are currently seeing freezing temperatures.

DEAN: Greg Carbin, thanks for that update. We appreciate it.

Those bitter cold temperatures posing yet another challenge for migrants along the U.S./Mexico border. Many are struggling to find shelter. And in Texas, every part of that enormous state is or has been below freezing today.

CNN senior national correspondent, Ed Lavandera, joining us live from El Paso.

Ed, walk us through what the city is doing to protect the migrants from the dangerous cold.

ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Jessica, it was an extremely dangerous night. Late last night, there were teams, emergency crews out on the streets in El Paso trying to convince people to get on buses and take them to open shelter spaces.

But the dynamic is that there are many people here on the streets of El Paso who do not have the proper immigration documentation so they're wary of heading to an organized shelter.

That meant there were several hundred people sleeping on the streets last night and one of those gentlemen was the gentleman here.

(SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

This is Miguel, from Venezuela, holding the sign looking for work.

(SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

What was it like sleeps in the cold last night?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

LAVANDERA: He said it was painful to endure. He said, last night, it was like -- (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE) -- like "The Titanic." It felt like someone on "The Titanic," frozen to death. He told me earlier, he said that's the pain that they're willing to

endure to be able to stay here in the United States.

(SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

Are you going to keep sleeping on the street if you have to?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

LAVANDERA: He said he will keep sleeping on the street until he can achieve what he wants to achieve here, which is obviously to come work in the United States.

And that is the struggle, Jessica, that city officials here are dealing with, is that the dynamic has really changed. For the last two weeks, many of the people we were meeting on the streets of El Paso had the proper immigration documentation. They had turned themselves in.

But Miguel has been turned away at the border several times and says he doesn't want to go through that process anymore.

We're hearing that story over and over again, which means more people on the streets because they're very wary of relying on any kind of official help for fear of being expelled or deported once again -- Jessica?

DEAN: They'd rather just stay on the street and take their chances there.

Ed Lavandera, in El Paso, Texas, thanks so much.

[13:39:27]

And coming up, a photo finish in the House. Lawmakers voting as we speak on that sweeping spending bill. It also happens to be Nancy Pelosi's final clash as House speaker with Kevin McCarthy. We'll have the latest on all of that when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

DEAN: Happening right now, the House is voting on a $1.7 trillion spending bill to avert a government shutdown. Even though most members aren't even in the chamber, many are voting by proxy today, they'll still get it done.

Chief congressional correspondent, Manu Raju, has been tracking it for weeks.

Manu, what is the status now?

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: On track for passage, the vote, 182 -- 183 yes votes, 166 no votes. They need to have a majority of the House, about 218 votes here.

And there are five Republicans already who are breaking ranks joining with Democrats. And significant because the Republican leadership in the House has been furiously whipping against this plan, arguing that this is excessive spending.

[13:44:57]

And actually saying that it should be punted to the new Congress when the GOP takes power in the House, saying they'd have a stronger hand to negotiate this issue next year.

But there's a problem. Senate Republicans did not agree with them. In fact, they cut a deal with Democrats, pushed this forward and Republican leadership in the Senate got behind this.

And that's why it passed the Senate and will pass the House today funding the entire federal government.

Kevin McCarthy, the Republican leader in the House, who wants to be the next speaker took to the floor and railed against this proposal and got pushback from Nancy Pelosi.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. KEVIN MCCARTHY (R-CA): This is a monstrosity. It is one of the most shameful acts I've ever seen in this body. The appropriations process has failed the American public.

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA): This will probably be my last speech as speaker of the House on the floor and I'm hoping to make it my shortest.

It was sad to hear the minority leader earlier say this legislation is the most shameful thing to be seen on the House floor in this Congress. I can't help but wonder had he forgotten January 6th.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RAJU: This is probably Nancy Pelosi's last vote she'll be a part of as speaker of the House. Lots of hugs from Democrats on the House floor.

I just asked her about this being her last vote. She said, it's, quote, "exciting," as she walked on.

It is on track for passage, 192-171. Right now, there are six Republicans who are voting in the affirmative. Less than, of course, other votes that if their Republican leadership had gotten behind it. In short, its passage.

But this bill was almost three months overdue and was supposed to have funded the government by September 30th. They couldn't reach that deadline.

So they punted it and punt it again and cut a massive deal unveiled a couple of days ago, and now jamming it through Congress to get it on Joe Biden's desk.

But do have the votes to do that. Pass this year-long funding bill, something the next Congress won't have to worry about until next fall -- Jesssica?

DEAN: Interesting to see that dichotomy again between Kevin McCarthy and Mitch McConnell. Mitch McConnell, very much wanted this deal and voted for it. Kevin McCarthy whipping against it.

Manu Raju, on the Hill, thanks so much.

RAJU: Thank you.

DEAN: This storm isn't just spoiling holiday travel plans. Your gift might not make it in time.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:51:57]

DEAN: What happens when you ask a sports reporter to cover this monster storm? Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED KWWL ANCHOR: Mark, how you feeling out there?

MARK WOODLEY, SPORTS REPORTER, KWWL: Again, the same way I felt about eight minutes ago when you asked me that same question.

I normally do sports. Everything is canceled here for the next couple of days.

So what better time to ask the sports guy to come in about five hours earlier than he would normally wake up, go stand out in the wind and the snow and the cold, and tell other people not to do the same.

I didn't even realize that there was a 3:30 also in the morning until today.

The good news is that I can still feel my face right now. The bad news is I kind of wish I couldn't.

Can I go back to my regular job?

I'm pretty sure you guys added an extra hour to this show just because somebody likes torturing me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DEAN: As someone who's done that, he's actually just voicing what it feels like to be out there, what everyone wants to say. Needless to say, that coverage has gone viral. And the reporter, Mark Woodley, will on CNN next hour.

The storm isn't just making people cold, it's making roads impassable. Meaning Christmas deliveries are potentially impossible.

CNN's Vanessa Yurkevich is joining us now with details.

Vanessa, how is it impacting last-minute deliveries? A lot of people wait to the last second and do the overnight shipping.

VANESSA YURKEVICH, CNN BUSINESS & POLITICS CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. If you procrastinated on ordering your Christmas gifts and expected them today or tomorrow, they are likely going to be delayed. And that is because every major U.S. shipper is reporting impacts from this storm.

So the U.S. Postal Service is saying that they've had to close temporarily 89 locations, mainly in South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Iowa.

FedEx is reporting major impacts to their hubs in Memphis and Indianapolis. UPS says they're having impacts because of the storm in Kentucky and Illinois. And Amazon is temporarily closing down some sites in impacted areas, which we could assume is probably in the Midwest.

One thing that these shipping companies are asking you to do is to be patient because they are trying to get everyone their Christmas gifts in time, but the main concern is for their employees' safety.

So really patience is key here. You're going to get your gifts, just maybe not in time for Christmas unfortunately -- Jess?

DEAN: You know, that's OK in the grand scheme of things.

Also, you know, a lot of people turning the heat way up because it's so cold out there. And heating bills we already know are going to be very expensive this year.

How are you anticipating it's -- the storm will impact those heating bills?

YURKEVICH: Yes, when it gets extra cold, you turn the heat up extra high. And this winter, people can expect to spend about 17 percent more on their winter home heating bills. That's about $1,200 for this winter season.

[13:54:57]

That's because everything that goes into heating your home costs more. Heating oil up 45 percent, natural gas up 25 percent, electricity up 11 percent, and propane up 1 percent.

And this is really going to impact low-income Americans the most. One in six families reported having a tough time paying their utility bills over the summer.

So you can imagine that same impact is being felt now over the winter, and that affects 20 million households across the country.

We know that these temperatures are going to stay cold for a little while longer. Hopefully, they'll warm up.

Of course, as it gets colder, the heat gets higher, and that's more expensive for Americans this year compared to last year -- Jess? DEAN: It certainly is. That is a heavy burden, no doubt about it.

All right, Vanessa Yurkevich, for us, thanks so much.

And that is going to do it for me. Thanks so much for joining us this afternoon. Please stay with CNN for all the developments on this monster winter storm.

The news continues after a quick break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)