MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Memphis International Airport is ready for Friday’s anticipated snow.
According to the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority, the airport is equipped with 30 snow removal vehicles, including snow plows and de-icing trucks.
“The type of precipitation that we get really necessitates whether or not we’re going to deploy those vehicles and which type of vehicles,” said spokesman Glen Thomas.
A lot is at stake with 80 passenger flights and 250 Fedex flights scheduled for Friday.
By early Friday morning, flymemphis.com showed nine flights canceled.
Thomas said the airport plans to keep things running as smoothly as possible.
“We have temperature sensors in the runways that let us know when it’s getting to that freezing temperature,” said Thomas.
Fedex told WREG in a statement that it is “closely monitoring winter weather conditions, and we have contingency plans in place, including flight adjustments, to help mitigate the effects of severe weather on our operations.”
Over at the Shelby County Office of Preparedness, staff are scheduled to start coming in around midnight.
They’ll monitor everything from road and weather conditions to power outages.
“Our power grid is going to be very important when you see a 30-degree temperature drop,” said Dale Lane, director of the office.
In the event of an outage, Lane said officials have a list of those with special needs who might need immediate attention.
“Our fire department’s quick and has the ability to get some generators to people if they do lose power and they’re on that special needs list,” he said.