The National Weather Service Fort Worth/Dallas highlighted an extreme cold warning and a winter storm warning, forecasting Arctic air and impactful wintry precipitation beginning Friday evening and lasting through the weekend. Officials said a cold rain is expected on Friday before transitioning to freezing rain and sleet Friday night and into Saturday.
Parts of North Texas are forecast to see a changeover to sleet and snow late Saturday, following a period of freezing rain that will produce accumulating ice. Much of the region is expected to receive between one quarter and one half inch of ice, with multiple inches of sleet accumulation likely from Saturday into Sunday morning.
Forecast totals of two to five inches of sleet and snow are expected roughly from Interstate 20 northward. Travel impacts from ice are expected to begin across parts of North Texas on Friday evening and gradually expand southward into Central Texas on Saturday.
Impacts And Preparations
By Saturday evening, most of the area is expected to experience at least moderate travel impacts due to accumulating ice and sleet. Officials warned that power outages are possible as ice builds up on trees and powerlines, with areas of moderate to heavy icing affecting roads, infrastructure, and vegetation.
Forecast low temperatures are expected to drop into the single digits across the region this weekend, with wind chills ranging from minus four to minus twelve degrees Fahrenheit by Sunday night. The National Weather Service said a Winter Storm Warning is now in effect for all of North and Central Texas.
The warning goes into effect for North Texas at 6 p.m. Friday and for Central Texas at 6 a.m. Saturday. Officials urged residents to complete preparations immediately and advised protecting the four P’s: people, pets, pipes, and plants.
