Metal Carports Collapsing From the Weight of the Ice
There have been several reports since the second wave of the storm of metal carports and awnings collapsing under the weight of the ice and snow from the storm. This mostly seems to be effecting coverings that are made of steel frames covered by sheet metal, and are flat on the top.
Several of the locations of these particular incidents have happened at apartment complexes as the covered parking seems to all be made of the at-risk materials as stated above.
The reports began rolling in early in the day on Wednesday (2/17/21) of these issues. I personally heard several of these structures buckling under the weight of the wintery mix at my personal apartment complex. After the covered parking was down, several people were seen standing out in the sleet, trying to contact their insurance companies, to figure out what to do next.
Several homes in the highland area were also plagued with this problem, with many of the residence living in homes with porches and carports that were built long before they began living there. Several vehicles have already been trapped under these structures, that were never meant to bear any weight on top.
Most are advising that if have a flat-top steel-framed carport to move anything of importance out from underneath it until the ice melts.