To ice or not to ice? Two possible scenarios for North Texas winter storm this week
Winter weather moving into North Texas this week will most likely follow one of two scenarios, according to the National Weather Service in Fort Worth. And while both possibilities call for more sleet than snow, one could result in less ice.
It all comes down to the way temperatures drop, according to the weather service. If they decline more rapidly, it could mean safer road conditions and less chance of power outages.
The most likely scenario would see a transition in DFW from rain to ice, then sleet to snow over the course of the storm. Temperatures wouldn’t drop as quickly if things play out this way, and that could lead to more ice on roads and bridges, making travel “treacherous,” according to the service.
It would also mean North Texans would see more power outages because of ice on power lines.
Under that scenario, Fort Worth could see up to 1.4 inches of sleet and snow across the region.
If temperatures dropped more rapidly, though, folks in the Fort Worth area could reasonably expect to see up to 1.6 inches of snow and sleet with less ice. That would be a better way for things to play out because it wouldn’t have such high risks of ice and power outages.
While weather forecasts can change on a dime, the forecast with more ice and less sleet and snow is more likely right now, the weather service said. The current forecast predicts rain with isolated thunder on Wednesday starting before noon for DFW, with icing starting around 6 p.m. and into the early morning Thursday.
A wintry mix is expected from early morning Thursday, when North Texans should expect snow to last until around 6 p.m.
After that, the forecast calls for no more precipitation but predicts bitterly cold wind chills down to minus-5 degrees in some areas. Conditions should start to improve with partial melting on Friday and better melting on Saturday, according to the weather service.
The region, including Tarrant County, will be under a Winter Storm Warning starting at 6 p.m. Wednesday until 6 p.m. Thursday.
The warning starts at 3 p.m. Wednesday for some western counties in the region, including Wise, Parker, Eastland, Jack, Stephens, Palo Pinto, Cooke and Young Counties.
This story was originally published February 1, 2022 at 7:40 PM.