Dangerously cold temperatures are headed to North Texas this weekend, bringing strong chances of sleet, ice and snow.
The National Weather Service’s Fort Worth office has upgraded North Texas to a winter storm warning, which indicates increasing confidence in the winter precipitation headed our way. The warning will be in effect starting 6 p.m. Friday and should last through noon on Sunday. An extreme cold warning has also been issued for Saturday through Monday.
Over the course of the storm, Dallas-Fort Worth could receive between a quarter-inch to half-inch of ice on the ground from freezing rain. Northern parts of the region, such as Sherman and Denton, could get 3 to 5 inches of snow and sleet, which will fall on top of existing ice. Areas like Dallas and Fort Worth are expected to see between 2 and 4 inches.
Sleet is expected to be the main form of precipitation in North Texas, but freezing rain and snow are also in the forecast.
D-FW Weather Wise
Gov. Greg Abbott, during a Thursday news conference, issued a disaster declaration for more than 125 Texas counties. Abbott urged Texans to begin preparing for the storm and said the state is treating roads ahead of the freezing temperatures. On Tuesday, Abbott activated state emergency response resources in preparation for the winter threat.
As Texans prepare to hunker down, here’s where preparations stand.
Road treatments
Crews with the Texas Department of Transportation and the North Texas Tollway Authority began pretreating major highways, bridges and overpasses across the region Wednesday.
To fight against slickness, agencies usually put down a mixture that typically includes a saltwater brine made of sodium chloride to prevent icing, a TxDOT spokesperson told The Dallas Morning News. The mixture also contains sand and “chat” — a fine, gravel-like material — to boost traction and increase friction.
The NTTA “will make every effort to make the roads safe for extremely slow travel,” a spokesperson said; however, “drivers must adjust to these severe conditions.”
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Shelters
Municipalities and nonprofits across the region are preparing to provide shelter from the cold to those in need.
The city of Dallas’ primary temporary overnight shelter will open at 4 p.m. on Friday at Fair Park’s Automobile Building, 3809 Grand Ave. The Austin Street Center and OurCalling, homelessness service providers in Dallas, will operate the inclement weather shelter in partnership with the city.
Other shelters will also open around Dallas and in Tarrant and Collin counties. For a complete list of shelters across North Texas, click here.
Groceries
Grocery stores have seen an increase in demand as the winter weather nears, but are working hard to keep the most desired items in stock.
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At Kroger, the company is getting items from a distribution center in Keller to its sites, where employees are working hard to replenish and rebuild every day, said John Votava, spokesperson for the chain. Water bottles and firewood were some of the most desired items so far, Votava said, but staples like eggs and milk have also been a priority.
Grocery retailers also recommended getting to the store early to avoid dangerous conditions.
Stores across North Texas, such as Walmart, Target, H-E-B and Tom Thumb, were already showing signs of stress on supplies. Empty shelves were seen among displays for bottled water, bread and sometimes beef, among other products. Still, there was variance among more than half of stores in the region. Some were plentifully stocked with a particular product, while others were depleted.
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Airports and flights
Several airlines are already offering passengers a chance to rebook their flights free of charge, including American Airlines, Delta and United.
Flights are likely to start being affected Friday evening, and spokespeople for both DFW International Airport and Dallas Love Field said the airports are monitoring conditions closely and preparing for the freezing precipitation.
Tom Kines, AccuWeather senior meteorologist, said freezing rain is the key worry for airports, with snow and sleet being easier to manage. As of Thursday morning, both airports were forecast to get a quarter- to a half-inch of ice accumulation.
School Closures
School districts in North Texas are monitoring the changes in the weather ahead of the weekend storm, but many have not announced plans to cancel Friday classes. Still, the prospect of wintry precipitation has led to changes in extracurricular activities, and disruptions could continue Monday if snow and ice don’t melt.
For a complete list of school districts’ plans, check here.
More winter weather resources:
Staff writers Brian Womack, María Ramos Pacheco, Zacharia Washington and Milla Surjadi contributed to this report.