Treacherous travel reported in Texas as dangerous ice storm targets 30 million in South this week

Dallas – A fierce battle between the massive Arctic air mass moving into the Northern Plains and the effects of warming in the Gulf of Mexico will spend several days this week playing out over the Southern Plains and mid-South. The threat of disruptive rain and other winter weather hazards.

Winter storm warnings have been issued for millions of people in Texas from the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex south to Waco and Austin and west to Abilene, San Angelo and Crossroads.

Freezing rain is also possible in Arkansas and western Tennessee, Little Rock and Memphis in those states. This could happen late Tuesday and Wednesday. Snow accumulation in this region can rise to a quarter of an inch, leading to power outages and hazardous travel.

Blizzard warnings have been issued for those areas, as far south as northern Mississippi.

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Rain was forecast to begin Monday morning along the Interstate 35 corridor from Oklahoma City to Dallas. With temperatures below freezing, this is expected to fall as snow, according to the Fox Forecast Center.

At the same time, rain was forecast for West Texas, but the forecast turned out to be a little uncertain. The arctic front hangs over the region, during which the freezing air boundary is very important. Areas south of the front were expected to warm just enough for freezing rain, but freezing rain was only to the north of the front.

Crashes have already been reported in the region, including a major crash Monday morning on the northbound Loop 820 in Arlington, Texas.

“Bridges and overpasses are considered treacherous,” said Christopher Cook, the police chief in the Texas suburb of Wyatt. Twitter. People should slow down when approaching high altitudes.

This fast-moving band of rain is forecast to move eastward along the Interstate 35 corridor by midday and finally exit Texas by Monday evening. Up to a tenth of an inch of snow was predicted in this first wave.

“Thankfully, it’s been quiet this morning,” Fox Weather meteorologist Britta Merwin said. “But this is just the evolution of the storm. This is the beginning. So, as we move into this snowstorm, our journeys are going to get stronger.”

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A second, more impactful rainstorm will begin Tuesday morning, with another large area of ​​rain expected to erupt across West Texas. A push of cold air behind the Arctic front will allow the ice line to move a little farther south past the I-20 corridor.

The FOX Forecast Center believes this area will have the biggest impacts, as up to half an inch of snow is possible from Abilene in West Texas east to North Texas and southern Oklahoma. The exact location of the ice line, which will wander north and south throughout the day on Tuesday, will be key in determining where the biggest impacts will be.

Right now, the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex appears to be on the edge of that line, with more than a quarter inch of snow possible. If the cold front moves farther south, those numbers could increase. Computer forecast models disagree on the amount of rain likely to fall, and this is leading to higher-than-normal forecast uncertainty.

We are talking about the high potential of power outages. “And after the power goes out, you have to keep you and your family warm safely. So that’s something that needs to be looked at closely.”

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The threat of freezing rain in Texas extends into Wednesday

Tuesday through Wednesday, the FOX Forecast Center expects a steady stream of rain to fall across much of Texas. While precipitation will continue to taper off, several hours of freezing rain Tuesday night into Wednesday will continue to complicate the forecast, as freezing rain could lead to a slippery commute Wednesday morning.

On Wednesday, temperatures will begin to drop as a weather system approaches.

Temperatures will warm above freezing Wednesday afternoon, ending the threat of more snow. But as temperatures drop below freezing Wednesday night, refreezing is possible overnight and into early Thursday, which could lead to more black snow for Thursday morning’s commute across much of West and North Texas.

Overall, the forecast calls for a quarter- to half-inch of snowfall, starting in the I-20 corridor in west Texas, moving east to I-35 and eventually reaching parts of southeastern Oklahoma and southern Arkansas. A second snow spot of more than a quarter inch is increasing in other parts of Arkansas and into West Tennessee.

Generally, snow accumulation of less than a quarter of an inch is considered a nuisance, but when amounts approach half an inch or more, the effects begin to worsen.

At around half an inch, blackouts can be substantial, and driving is considered dangerous.

Dangerous travel especially during transit, with the possibility of some power outages. This could be a snowstorm to remember for some, and some areas could get more than half an inch of crippling snow if the cold air sinks farther south than computer forecast models suggest or the rain falls. Larger than expected.

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Disruptive weather is possible in the coming week with some states bracing for the worst.

Texas’ electric power grid manager ERCOT said it is monitoring the threat of freezing rain for the Lone Star State, but believes it will have enough electricity generation to meet the needs of its more than 26 million customers.

Computer forecast models show that the threat of rain has diminished by the first weekend of February.