Due to the extreme weather conditions in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Tennessee, these states are experiencing significant power outages and road closures. We have seen reduced capacity at all mail facility in the Dallas region which may affect some shipments. Significant ice storm across the southern Plains and Mid-South to gradually end today turning to driving rain. The cold and dangerous wind chills to enter the northern Plains and Upper Midwest before sweeping into the Northeast by Friday. Periods of heavy snow return to the Sierra and Cascades late this week into the weekend.
Blog
Update on Hurricane Ian
In the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, recovery efforts are underway to restore power and remove debris in Florida and other parts of the Southeast. Power in portions of Lee County, Florida, may be out for a month following what NOAA has declared to be the 25th deadliest hurricane in U.S. history. As power is restored, restoration to damaged roadways and removal of debris may take months.
As Florida rebuilds, weather impacts across the Southeast have lessened. Minor flooding is expected in Georgia and South Carolina next week, but we do not foresee significant disruptions. The following is a roundup of updates affecting the supply chain:
Heavy Rain Expected across the USA
A relatively warm and wet weather pattern overspreading the Nation through
at least the next few days is anticipated to produce heavy precipitation
across the West Coast and parts of the Deep South. For the western U.S., a
lull in unsettled weather today will be replaced by potentially excessive
rainfall and heavy mountain snow beginning on Thursday as an initial wave
of moisture moves onshore followed by a potent atmospheric river. Most of
the potential impacts are anticipated across central/northern California
and parts of southwest Oregon. Here, rainfall amounts of 3 to 6 inches are
forecast through early this weekend. Heavy rain may lead to scattered
instances of flash flooding, especially near recent burn scars where
terrain is most susceptible to rapid runoff. A Slight Risk (level 2/4) of
Excessive Rainfall has been issued for these regions in order to further
highlight the flash flood threat. Heavy snow is possible across the higher
elevations of the Cascades and Sierra, with storm total snowfall amounts
up to several feet are possible. Most of the snow will be confined to the
highest terrain as warm Pacific air pushes snow levels very high and
generally above pass level. Moisture will also spread into the
Intermountain West along the strong Pacific jet stream, with moderate to
heavy snow possible across northern Nevada by Friday night.
Shifting to the central and eastern U.S., an upper-level trough swinging
into the Great Plains tonight in conjunction with a high pressure system
sliding off the East Coast will allow for an abundance of warm and moist
air to surge northward out of the Gulf of Mexico. A quick-hitting swath of
snowfall is possible to the north of a developing low pressure system
between tonight and Thursday as it progresses from Kansas to the Upper
Midwest. The best chances for over 4 inches of snow is currently expected
to remain confined to central High Plains of Colorado. Farther east,
shower and thunderstorm activity is anticipated to develop across parts of
eastern Texas and the Lower Mississippi Valley on Thursday and Friday as
atmospheric moisture content increases ahead of an approaching cold front.
Some isolated storms could turn severe, with damaging wind gusts the
primary risk. A few instances of flash flooding are also possible. The
active weather is expected to shift east by the end of the week and
produce locally heavy rainfall from the central Gulf Coast to parts of the
Ohio Valley.
Hurricane Ian
The National Weather Service expects Hurricane Ian to create disruption along Florida’s west coast and panhandle y the middle of this week. The storm is expected to make its way up the Eastern Seaboard late this week and into early next week. As it reached Florida this morning (GMT) near Tampa, Ian had strengthened into an “extremely dangerous” and “life-threatening” Category 4 storm front. Commercial airlines reported more than 2,000 storm-related U.S. flight cancellations, with the St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport and Tampa International Airport shut down on Tuesday. Catastrophic flooding is expected across portions of central Florida with considerable flooding in southern Florida, northern Florida, south eastern Georgia and coastal South Carolina.
Carbon Neutral Status
We are very pleased to announce that Liberty Express Ltd has now completed the first phase of our three-phase carbon management program. This establishes us as a carbon neutral business and results in Liberty Express being awarded neutralcarbonzone silver certification as our organisational emissions have been calculated in accordance with ISO 14064 and the GHG Protocol Corporate standard, and subsequently offset in full with certified carbon offset credits.
We will now proceed with the second phase of our program which will report on the operational emissions associated with the services we provide. Our goal is to ensure all organisational and operational emissions are being measured, reduced and managed, and any emissions we are unable to further reduce are offset to ensure complete carbon neutrality.
Winter Storms
After a heavy deluge of snow over the US holiday weekend, the East Coast is expecting again a new front to hit on Wednesday into Thursday, with a larger weather front hitting on Friday and Saturday. With already thousands of internal flights cancelled, roads blocked and major power outages across the southern, mid and eastern states deliveries will be affected.
Late Winter Storms Hit USA
Storm warnings have been issued from Virginia to Maine with predicted snowfalls of between 18-24 inches in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut over the next 24-48 hours. With the capitol Washington, and the states of Baltimore and Maryland receiving between 3-8 inches on Saturday night / Sunday morning, after the Midwest states including Chicago receiving six feet of snow late last week. The last mile deliveries will be impacted due to this, but as always Liberty Express will attempt to keep parcels moving whilst airports are open.
British Airways Strike Action
Whilst British Airways workers in the majority of their sections are not striking, the only section that is, is by employees in its cargo division. Strike action will start at 00:01 on Friday 25th December and will end at 24.00 on Saturday the 2nd of January. At the current time of writing this update, all of our material that we have given to British Airways is due to uplift prior to the strike starting. With Liberty Express Limited only giving one of its five injection points to British Airways, we are hoping to keep delays to shipments tendered to Liberty Express on 24th, 29th and 30th December to a minimum.
We will be monitoring the situation and will make adjustments to our routings if we think that British Airways cannot service our agreement regarding uplift times and advise yourselves accordingly if we think there will be delays in the movement of your material.
Wishing you all a Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year from all of us here at Liberty Express
Winter Storm Gail
Winter Storm Gail could be the first high impact snowstorm that the USA has received in over two years and is likely to cause problems beginning this afternoon for shipping companies and the airlines. Flights have started being cancelled from the UK. Deliveries along the Eastern Seaboard will be disrupted over the coming days.
Trump Halts flights from mainland Europe
From Friday 13th March 2020 all flights from mainland Europe have been suspended whilst the world comes to grips with the COVID-19 virus. The UK is not on this but many airlines are already cancelling flights to the USA due to a drop in passenger numbers.