Texas/Oklahoma Discussion & Obs Thread 2022

[Ed, snow and hurricane fan]

AUS has had 0.87 inches QPF and was reporting freezing rain the entire time the last 6 hours.

[aggiegeog]

27 and light freezing in Lindale for past few hours. 

[gwlee7]

Usually during winter weather I enjoy the snow and even the sleet. Today I am hoping to get dry slotted in my little corner of DFW. 

[cheese007]

Dallas and Collin added to the ice storm warning. Getting some precip as I type

[Powerball]

 

[weatherextreme]

 

 

[jm1220]

4 hours ago, Ed, snow and hurricane fan said:

AUS has had 0.87 inches QPF and was reporting freezing rain the entire time the last 6 hours.

150k plus customers in the city of Austin out (Austin Energy) and numerous traffic accidents all over town. From the looks of it, seems like a pretty serious event there. Luckily since temps seemed to be around 30-31 when the rain was falling and it was heavy, some definitely ran off instead of freeze (when temps are in the 20s instead much more freezes on the ground) but as a city not used to serious winter weather I’m sure it’s a major impact. 

[Ed, snow and hurricane fan]

54 minutes ago, weatherextreme said:

 

 

Who insures the SUV Timmer drives in an ice storm?

[weatherextreme]

Lots of reports that radar is showing freezing rain, but nothing hitting the ground.  Do we know what's causing that and could it change ?

[vwgrrc]

9 minutes ago, weatherextreme said:

Lots of reports that radar is showing freezing rain, but nothing hitting the ground.  Do we know what's causing that and could it change ?

Denton CT falling pretty hard consistent with what radar shows.

[weatherextreme]

2 minutes ago, vwgrrc said:

Denton CT falling pretty hard consistent with what radar shows.

Just south of Denton has warmed up into the mid 30's

[Ed, snow and hurricane fan]

9 minutes ago, weatherextreme said:

Lots of reports that radar is showing freezing rain, but nothing hitting the ground.  Do we know what's causing that and could it change ?

Dry layer producing evaporation, aka virga?  Not what I've been reading, there are areas of freezing mist/drizzle that radar is not detecting.

[Ed, snow and hurricane fan]

2 minutes ago, weatherextreme said:

Just south of Denton has warmed up into the mid 30's

11 am Alliance and Denton had dewpoints in the teens, which would explain some virga.  That would also tend to keep temperatures below freezing if there is rain evaporating into it

[gwlee7]

Dry slot is holding here at my house.  Nothing hitting the ground.  I am about where Coppell, Flower Mound, and Lewisville city limits touch together.  Just west of 35.   

[cheese007]

Currently 30 near DFW airport and raining pretty consistently since 9AM

[weatherextreme]

 

Mesoscale Discussion 0123
   NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
   1135 AM CST Wed Feb 01 2023

   Areas affected...north-central Texas...northwest Texas...and
   portions of Southwest Texas

   Concerning...Freezing rain 

   Valid 011735Z - 012130Z

   SUMMARY...Light to moderate freezing rain will persist into the
   afternoon from north-central Texas to near Abilene and east of
   Midland.

   DISCUSSION...A band of relatively concentrated precipitation has
   developed from west of San Angelo to northern Texas. This is forming
   in a zone of weak frontogenesis and warm air advection around 700mb.
   This will favor heavier precipitation rates in this corridor through
   the afternoon. The heaviest rates are expected by late afternoon as
   frontogenesis strengthens and focuses in this region. The last
   several HRRR runs suggest a mesoscale corridor of total QPF in
   excess of 0.75 inches. Observations this morning have shown a mix of
   sleet and freezing rain, but this is expected to transition to
   mostly freezing rain this afternoon as the cold air becomes more
   shallow. Icing is expected across most of this region with more
   significant icing possible where any banding can develop later this
   afternoon/evening.

[weatherextreme]

South of Denton went back down to 27 from 34.  That was pretty quick

[vwgrrc]

19 minutes ago, weatherextreme said:

 

Mesoscale Discussion 0123
   NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
   1135 AM CST Wed Feb 01 2023

   Areas affected...north-central Texas...northwest Texas...and
   portions of Southwest Texas

   Concerning...Freezing rain 

   Valid 011735Z - 012130Z

   SUMMARY...Light to moderate freezing rain will persist into the
   afternoon from north-central Texas to near Abilene and east of
   Midland.

   DISCUSSION...A band of relatively concentrated precipitation has
   developed from west of San Angelo to northern Texas. This is forming
   in a zone of weak frontogenesis and warm air advection around 700mb.
   This will favor heavier precipitation rates in this corridor through
   the afternoon. The heaviest rates are expected by late afternoon as
   frontogenesis strengthens and focuses in this region. The last
   several HRRR runs suggest a mesoscale corridor of total QPF in
   excess of 0.75 inches. Observations this morning have shown a mix of
   sleet and freezing rain, but this is expected to transition to
   mostly freezing rain this afternoon as the cold air becomes more
   shallow. Icing is expected across most of this region with more
   significant icing possible where any banding can develop later this
   afternoon/evening.

When you see SPC mesoscale discussion while it's 26 outside... I hope my power holds tonight.

[weatherextreme]

Big blob showing up on radar out in West Texas. If that is heading to DFW that could be some bad news later on.  

[gwlee7]

Boo.  We don't want to be on the NW side of this graph that vwgrrc has posted.   No Bueno.  

[aggiegeog]

55 minutes ago, weatherextreme said:

 

Odd but that freeze line is well NW of the actual freeze line. 

[Powerball]

2 hours ago, weatherextreme said:

Lots of reports that radar is showing freezing rain, but nothing hitting the ground.  Do we know what's causing that and could it change ?

Some drier air did move in since yesterday's round. Dewpoints were in the mid/upper teens this morning.

The column is gradually moistening again, but the precipitaiton rates are lighter and the better forcing appears to be higher up in the atmosphere, so it's going to take a bit of extra time for the entire column to become saturated.

[Ed, snow and hurricane fan]

7 minutes ago, aggiegeog said:

Odd but that freeze line is well NW of the actual freeze line. 

700 mb freeze line

[aggiegeog]

1 minute ago, Ed, snow and hurricane fan said:

700 mb freeze line

I see that now haha

[Powerball]

2 hours ago, weatherextreme said:

Just south of Denton has warmed up into the mid 30's

That has to be off, or it could be a measurement over one of the lakes (I.E. Grapevine or Lewisville), which always run warmer.

Official observations from NWS sites show everyone is still in the upper 20s as of 1pm.

[weatherextreme]

8 minutes ago, Powerball said:

That has to be off, or it could be a measurement over one of the lakes (I.E. Grapevine or Lewisville), which always run warmer.

Official observations from NWS sites show everyone is still in the upper 20s as of 1pm.

It's the Josey and Rosemead station from weather underground.  It has  fluctuated from 27-34 on and off.  

[Powerball]

2 hours ago, jm1220 said:

150k plus customers in the city of Austin out (Austin Energy) and numerous traffic accidents all over town. From the looks of it, seems like a pretty serious event there. Luckily since temps seemed to be around 30-31 when the rain was falling and it was heavy, some definitely ran off instead of freeze (when temps are in the 20s instead much more freezes on the ground) but as a city not used to serious winter weather I’m sure it’s a major impact. 

The thing to be concerned about headed into tonight is even if air temps do eventually warm to 32-33*F, you can still see a decent amount of ice accretion if the surface temperature on objects remain below freezing.

Since DFW has been in the 20s since late Sunday evening (over 60 hours), that may certainly end up be the case. 

Not to mention, the roads/sidewalks have already been primed for efficient accretion with the layer of sleet from yesterday.

[vwgrrc]

7 minutes ago, Powerball said:

That has to be off, or it could be a measurement over one of the lakes (I.E. Grapevine or Lewisville), which always run warmer.

Official observations from NWS sites show everyone is still in the upper 20s as of 1pm.

True. But I wonder why there seems a lot of melting underway. I see the streets are clearing up and nothing really stick on trees or power lines here, which is really good. Maybe the actual accumulation could be less than expected 

[Powerball]

1 minute ago, vwgrrc said:

True. But I wonder why there seems a lot of melting underway. I see the streets are clearing up and nothing really stick on trees or power lines here, which is really good. Maybe the actual accumulation could be less than expected 

TxDOT, NTTA and local municipalities have been doing some treatment on the highways and main thoroughfares.

The secondary roads and side streets are still skating rinks.

[Ed, snow and hurricane fan]

There is some insolation even under cloudy skies, I'd think dark road surfaces might warm enough to melt snow even just below freezing.