A wintry storm system moved through the nation's heartland on Tuesday and Wednesday, bringing snow, ice, and hazardous travel conditions that led to dozens of crashes -- including one in Oklahoma where expensive cargo was spilled across a highway. And the price of eggs may be through the roof because of it.
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Just kidding, but still. I can't help but wonder.
Anyway, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported that a semi-truck carrying eggs was involved in a multi-vehicle crash on the Will Rogers Turnpike, near the Oklahoma-Missouri border. Authorities said the crash resulted in only minor injuries, but the loss of cargo caught attention due to the high cost of eggs.
That's right. The price of eggs has soared in recent months, with a recent consumer price index listing the average price of a dozen Grade A eggs at around $4.95 -- more than double what it was a year and a half ago.
In the event you're wondering, the origin and destination of the eggs were not disclosed.
Lousy Eggs, Worse Weather
The wintry weather was linked to a developing nor'easter, which caused widespread impacts across the Plains. In Oklahoma, the metro area of Oklahoma City braced for less than a 10th of an inch of ice, while areas further northeast prepared for more severe conditions, with forecasts predicting up to half a foot of ice and snow. Gusty winds and frigid temperatures added to the dangerous conditions, creating near-blizzard conditions in some regions.
"Stay off the roads if you can, we're seeing crashes in OKC from slick roads," the Oklahoma City Police Department posted on social media. "If you have to get out, please drive slowly & keep your distance from other vehicles." Due to the number of crashes, officers advised that they would not respond to non-injury accidents.
Wind chills were expected to drop well below zero throughout the workweek, making outdoor conditions dangerously cold. As of Tuesday, more than 20 million residents, from central Kansas to the Tennessee Valley and mid-Atlantic, were under Winter Storm Warnings. The storm system was expected to bring heavy snowfall and ice accumulation to areas including North Carolina and southern Virginia, with some places in Norfolk bracing for more than 8 inches of snow and ice by midweek.
The system is expected to strengthen over the Gulf Stream but largely remain south and east of the Interstate 95 corridor, sparing major Northeast metropolitan areas from significant impacts.
