TEXAS, USA — Wild winter weather hitting parts of the country that rarely ever see things like snow, or at least, they don't see it too often.
But this year, places like Texas, have been getting walloped by snowstorm after snowstorm, and it's posing more and more problems as the days go by.
Initially, when the storm hit over the weekend, it was a fun surprise, especially for children, who finally had a chance to sled, build snowmen, and make snow angels! Some, even able to do it in the middle of the road, since the state isn't equipped with snowplows, and most side streets remain untouched.
For one Abilene family, a town three hours west of Dallas, what started as fun, took a drastic turn when their son got sick.
"Our son started running a 100 something fever, at like 3 am, and the storm was supposed to hit at 4 a.m., and we didn't have enough medicine to last the rest of the week," said mom, Christina Seale. "So, we had to look at the radar and we were like there's a 30-minute window, we have to like hurry to the store, and get out."
Thankfully, the soon-to-be 4-year-old, Duke, is feeling better, but now, as the storms continue, and the resources diminish, problems are far from over. Millions are without power, and it's gotten to a point where they are now filling up bins of snow to put in their bathtubs just to be able to fill up their toilets.
"I know I'll laugh about it-- but right now, it's just not," Seale said. "We're like Duke, do you really need to go to the bathroom right now, I'm pretty sure you just went."
The Seale family briefly lost power but are now part of the few lucky ones to have their lights back on, but still, no water.
"The last update we had was yesterday," she said. "They said that they could have it by the end of yesterday, but it didn't happen."
Now, with no water, it means more than just finding alternative ways to bathe and use the restroom.
"Last night, the fire department couldn't save a house, they just had to watch it burn because there's no water," Seale said. "There's alerts now on the hospitals, they are getting very low on water, so now surgeries, including lifesaving surgeries, might not be possible because they don't have enough clean water."
On top of all that, Seale's husband tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, leaving them with no options to help others.
"We are thankful that we have electricity," Seale said. "But, since Duke, and my husband are sick, we can't invite people to our house because we are living in a pandemic."
On the eastern side of the state, our sister station in Temple, TX, about an hour and a half south of Dallas, staff have even had to sleepover at their station since hotels, also losing power and essential resources as well.
"It's day three for us with no power, for both of us," said KCEN morning anchor, Heidi Alagha. "We need a warm place to stay, we have the generators, and we are lucky to have air mattresses, and to have a roof and warmth, so we figured why not, and you know it's all fun and games until it becomes a serious situation."
"I think that this is going to change the way that the power structure works here in the state of Texas," said KCEN morning anchor, Chris Rogers. "Because the level of frustration that we've seen not only from our viewers, our colleagues, our family our friends here, there's just no answer from the people in charge."
Many reiterated that same sentiment, and say, the state simply was not prepared.
The National Guard has since been deployed to Texas to offer assistance. However, our sister station in Temple tells FOX61 that their local government officials have yet to offer any clear solutions and that for now, all they can do is wait and hope that things improve.