The storm drove arctic air toward Dallas-Fort Worth. And Memphis, Tennessee, where icy roads. And runways disrupted transportation.
By evening, the storm had spread from the Dallas-Fort. Worth metropolitan area to Memphis, Tennessee. With officials in both cities urging motorists to stay out of the area until Thursday. If possible.
A 45-year-old man was ejected from a 1997 Toyota 4Runner. After apparently losing control. On an ice-covered overpass in Arlington, Texas, on Monday, police said. He died in a hospital.
A 49-year-old woman was killed Monday night while driving. A 1997 Chevrolet Silverado near Eldorado, Texas. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety.
The woman, Sherry Lynn Taylor, lost control of the truck on the icy road and skidded, the department said.
In Austin, one person has died after a weather-related multi-vehicle crash. According to Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services.
Dallas-Fort Worth set a daily snow accumulation record. On Tuesday, with 1.3 inches of rain measured near the metropolis’ main airport.
The weather made air travel a slog.
National carriers based in the region posted hundreds of cancellations. With American Airlines racking up 591 for flights connected. To its base at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. And Southwest Airlines canceling 287 related. To its base at Dallas Love Field, according to online flight tracker FlightAware.
According to the tracker, a total of 1,035 cancellations were reported. Between flights arriving or departing Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.
The Federal Aviation Administration warned that freezing rain. And snow could slow flights at Dallas-Fort Worth and Memphis airports.
About 23,000 Texas utility customers were without power Tuesday. Evening as temperatures soared. Into the 20s in parts of the state, according to energy grid tracker PowerOutage.us.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott said at a news conference. That while some local outages are expected. There will not be major problems with the power grid.
‘Prolonged and significant’ ice storm
The ice storm was expected to be “prolonged and significant.” And “affect a large area from the Southern Plains to the Tennessee Valley.” According to the National Weather Service.
It said the “dangerous” snowstorm is expected. To continue through at least early Thursday. Bringing chilly winds, freezing rain. And storm surges, as well as travel disruptions and delays.
“Wide accumulations of more than 0.25” of snow are likely from west Texas to west Tennessee. With local areas receiving up to 0.75 inches, the weather service said. This amount of snow, it warned, could cause tree damage. And scattered power outages across the worst-hit areas. As well as hazardous travel conditions.
About half an inch or more of sleet could accumulate from west Texas to Arkansas. Which the weather service said could lead to “treacherous” travel conditions.
“Sleet and freezing drizzle continues across North and Central Texas this afternoon.” The Weather Service office in Fort Worth tweeted Tuesday evening. Across the Memphis area, the National Weather Service office reported. That a “thick layer of snow” covered both roads. And vegetation in Bartlett, Tennessee, on Tuesday afternoon. .
Ice storm warnings, winter storm warnings. It said, warning travelers to check road conditions. Before heading out and to drive with extreme caution.
Abbott said Tuesday that central. East and southeast Texas could experience flash flooding even Wednesday and Thursday.
Abbott urged residents to avoid roads due to dangerous ice.
“Due to the ice, many roads in Texas will remain very dangerous for the next 24 to 48 hours,” he said. “Be careful, especially for things like black ice.”
