Freezing rain and sleet pummeled North Texas Friday as a major winter storm began its march across the eastern two-thirds of the United States, threatening to bring dangerous ice accumulations, snow, and bitter cold to millions of Americans through the weekend.
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for North and Central Texas from 6 p.m. Friday through noon Sunday, with an Extreme Cold Warning to follow from Saturday evening through Monday morning, according to meteorologists tracking the system.
“It’s going to be a big storm,” said Maricela Resendiz while stocking up on essentials at a Dallas grocery store. With chicken, eggs and pizzas in hand to sustain her family through the weekend, her strategy was simple: “Staying in, just being out of the way.” Across the region, residents shared photos of ice-covered streets, sleet accumulations, and the first flakes of snow.
Shifting Danger Zones
What’s particularly concerning for meteorologists is how quickly conditions are changing. David Powell, a local weather expert, noted the freezing line has moved significantly overnight. “The rain-snow line, the freezing rain and snow line was around I-40. So, I think, okay, we’ve got plenty of room. Well, overnight it shifted all the way up right close to us, got even into South Christian. Now, that’s not good…” he explained in a recent forecast update.
The Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex sits squarely in the storm’s crosshairs. “The weather forecast is still quite fluid, but it is very likely that DFW will see ice and/or snow,” aviation sources warned, with American Airlines expected to issue travel warnings or waivers for passengers as conditions deteriorate.
This system isn’t just a Texas problem. The storm threatens to impact nearly half the U.S. population as it pushes eastward, bringing a dangerous mix of precipitation and plummeting temperatures. Power outages remain a significant concern, particularly in areas where ice accumulation could bring down tree limbs and power lines.
Preparing for the Worst
Grocery stores across North Texas reported surging crowds Friday as residents prepared for potentially days of hazardous travel conditions. The memory of past winter storms that crippled the Texas power grid remains fresh for many.
Emergency officials are urging residents to stay off roads if possible and to prepare emergency kits with food, water, medications, and backup power sources. For those who must travel, keeping gas tanks at least half full and carrying blankets and warm clothing is strongly recommended.
As the rain turns to sleet and eventually snow across the region, this January storm serves as a stark reminder of winter’s unpredictable fury—even in the Lone Star State, where such weather typically makes only brief appearances.
