Central U.S. Chilled by Record Cold : Torrential Rains Cause Flooding in Texas, Alaska

A cold front spread unseasonably chilly temperatures across the Plains and into the Ohio and Tennessee valleys today after bringing heavy rain to Texas that caused flooding and killed one person.

In south-central Alaska, floodwaters from three days of torrential rains swept away scores of homes, bridges and businesses, severing the rail link between Anchorage and Fairbanks and virtually cutting off the town of Seward.

Record lows today included 27 at Amarillo, Tex.; 46 at Bakersfield, Calif.; 29 at Dodge City, Kan.; 28 at Grand Junction, Colo.; 13 at North Platte, Neb.; 31 at Salt Lake City; 44 at Tucson, and 21 at Wheat Ridge, Colo.

Galveston, Tex., on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, chilled to a low of 56, tying a record on the books since 1887. Midland, Tex., had a record-low high temperature Sunday when it warmed to only 45, shattering the 1931 record of 67.

Freeze warnings were posted for the western two-thirds of Iowa, southeastern Nebraska, central and northeastern Kansas and northwestern Missouri, and a light freeze warning was issued for northwestern Texas.

New Mexico Warning

Light snow fell this morning over northeastern Minnesota.

A travelers’ advisory warning of light snow and slippery roads was posted for the central mountains of New Mexico, where 14 inches of snow had fallen in Chama since Saturday.

On Sunday, the cold front spread snow showers across the Texas Panhandle, whipped up wind that left up to 60,000 Houston residents without power and brought more than 3 1/2 inches of rain to Austin, causing flooding that drowned one person.

Temperatures in Panhandle towns averaged only 31.5 degrees at 5 p.m. Sunday, and wind pushed the chill factor into the single digits.

Rain continued today over much of Alaska, but Seward Fire Chief John Gage said the floodwaters appeared to be receding today. Flood watches were lifted for the area north of Anchorage, where swollen streams washed out Parks Highway and Alaska Railroad bridges.

Railway Bridges Out

The Alaska Railroad lost bridges at Montana Creek and Sheep Creek, cutting rail freight and passenger service between Anchorage and Fairbanks, said Vivian Hamilton, a railroad spokeswoman.

She couldn’t say when the line would be repaired.

Crews waited for waters to drop to begin repairs on the main power line into Seward, which was felled and buried under debris when Old Mill Creek overflowed its banks.

Seward, a community of about 1,800 people 100 miles south of Anchorage, was relying on generator power, but outlying districts were without electricity.

As many as 15 houses in the town were destroyed.