Texas Winter 2013-2014

[BrokenGlassRepublicn]

34 degrees with 55% humidity in Richardson. Assume that wet bulb effect will drop us well into the 20s when the precip starts.

[Texas Snowman]

Yup. Thank goodness there can't be a storm surge with an ice storm.

[srainhoutx]

Numerous reports coming in now from the Lubbock area of heavy icing on surface road ways making travel extremely dangerous. NWS Lubbock states that the models have under estimated the strength of the various disturbances heading toward Texas and they are re evaluating the situation at this time.

[Texas Snowman]

Already seeing reports of icing - and pictures of light icing - to my north in McAlester, Okla.

First little shower or two has passed through Grayson County as the radar lights up to the west.

Currently 36 in Denison and 32 a few miles to the north in Durant. Ice storm warnings now five miles away from my house in Bryan County. I suspect we'll start going downhill this afternoon.

Got a feeling this one isn't going to be any fun at all.

[WeatherNewbie]

Wow, the radar is really lighting up out west.

[gboudx]

Dang look at that radar. I'm glad we prepped yesterday.

[Texas Snowman]

Srainhoutx's post and radar shot above?

If true - models have UNDERESTIMATED strength of disturbances - we could be looking at a historic, crippling, devastating ice storm for North Texas and southern Oklahoma.

[Kalrany]

@Texas Snowman -- you have no idea just how big of a smile your picture gave me.

On another note, trying to piece together when the worst of it will be hitting on the route from Houston to Austin, and what that will entail. My husband will be heading off for drill tonight after work (Army National Guard) and I want to warn him of the likely road conditions tonight. He will be coming back on Sunday afternoon. Can anyone clarify what seems to be the likelihood of him hitting icy conditions? It seems high tonight, but I am not sure, nor can I get a handle on Sunday.

FYI location comment: 70 with massive fog here in Galveston... same as yesterday (so far).

[Portastorm]

The main message we all should be getting right now is that CLEARLY the models are not grasping this situation well! The expansive precip shield in west Texas was not predicted to the degree it is showing up now. All of us "downstream" should keep that in mind as we progress through this event.

[Texas Snowman]

Will this be as bad as the Jan. 1, 1979 ice storm? I guess we'll see.

I found some pictures of that storm:

[iorange55]

I am not looking forward to this. After I get done with my work, I'll have to run up to the store and buy a few things I forgot yesterday.

I'm sure it's going to be packed up there.

[gboudx]

I hope they aren't grasping the warm layer as well and it narrows to allow more sleet.

[Tejas89]

I was just wondering if the models had grasped what's going on out west. That is a large, heavy precip. shield with extreme coverage. woah...

[ndale]

The main message we all should be getting right now is that CLEARLY the models are not grasping this situation well! The expansive precip shield in west Texas was not predicted to the degree it is showing up now. All of us "downstream" should keep that in mind as we progress through this event.

Agree for us here, EWX has kept our precip low for much of this event (keeps calling for freezing DRIZZLE), they may have some adjustments to make.

[Texas Snowman]

The main message we all should be getting right now is that CLEARLY the models are not grasping this situation well! The expansive precip shield in west Texas was not predicted to the degree it is showing up now. All of us "downstream" should keep that in mind as we progress through this event.

Absolutely. No one should panic, but going into a "siege mode" mentality in terms of expecting and preparing for widespread power outages that may last for a number of days in very cold to bitterly cold weather should be on everyone's mind right now IMO.

That radar shot should drive even the most ardent doubters into action this morning.

[Ellsey]

What is the FWNWS criteria for an Ice Storm Warning? Our forecast currently reads for ice accumulation of 0.1 in. today and 0.6 in.tonight. Do they pull the ice storm trigger at some point?

[wxman57]

Wxman57, how likely, if at all, do you think it is that SE TX/Houston metro will see the air column wet up enough to drop the temps enough for us to Wintry precip in our area? BTW, how far South are you thinking of moving? LOL!!!

Maybe the NW tip of Harris County - way north of the city.

[Turtle]

Congratulations to the winners! Looks like we'll be in the mid 30s with rain again.

[Portastorm]

@Texas Snowman -- you have no idea just how big of a smile your picture gave me.

On another note, trying to piece together when the worst of it will be hitting on the route from Houston to Austin, and what that will entail. My husband will be heading off for drill tonight after work (Army National Guard) and I want to warn him of the likely road conditions tonight. He will be coming back on Sunday afternoon. Can anyone clarify what seems to be the likelihood of him hitting icy conditions? It seems high tonight, but I am not sure, nor can I get a handle on Sunday.

FYI location comment: 70 with massive fog here in Galveston... same as yesterday (so far).

I will PM you in a few minutes with some information.

[wxman57]

New meteograms off 12Z NAM are in. Heavy freezing rain event for Dallas-Ft. Worth. Little freezing rain for Austin, none for Houston: