Saturday’s updates: Second round of sleet tonight before turning to snow in North Texas
North Texas is expected to see less ice accumulation by the time this winter storm ends, which is good news. A second wave of sleet and snow will start moving across the region later Saturday and overnight; Fort Worth is still expected to have 1 to 3 inches total in sleet/snow. Travel conditions are worsening, and thousands of people are without power.
And most kids will be home from school Monday.
🔸What to expect: Sleet has tapered off in Fort Worth midday Saturday, but more bands of ice and sleet were expected to move in this afternoon and overnight. Fort Worth is forecast to get 1 to 3 inches total accumulation. The good news: Total ice accumulations will be less than feared.
🔸Dangerous cold: Temperatures will stay below freezing until Tuesday, dropping into the single digits overnight Sunday. Wind chills as cold as -10 can cause frostbite in minutes.
🔸Travel: Roads in parts of Fort Worth are covered in a thin layer of sleet, which is easier to drive on than ice from freezing rain. Nonetheless, travel will become more treacherous into the afternoon and evening. Flight cancellations are piling up into Sunday.
🔸Schools: Many North Texas schools including Fort Worth ISD have canceled classes for Monday.
Check back to star-telegram.com for more updates all day.
Winter storm impacts polling places for Rehmet/Wambsganss race
Posted: 6:00 p.m.
Polling places in Tarrant County will be closed Sunday due to the inclement weather, according to the Tarrant County Elections Department.
The race between Republican Leigh Wambsganss and Democrat Taylor Rehmet has already brought out thousands of voters. The two are vying to represent much of the county until the winner of a general election in November takes office in 2027.
The winner of the election will fill the seat vacated by Kelly Hancock, who left the state senate to become acting comptroller.
Early voting runs through Jan. 27, and Election Day is Jan. 31. - Lillie Davidson
DoorDash suspends deliveries in DFW
Posted: 5:00 p.m
Delivery app DoorDash has temporarily suspended service in the metroplex as Winter Storm Fern drags on, according to a statement from the company.
“Due to hazardous conditions and icy roads brought by this unprecedented winter storm, we’ve activated our Severe Weather Protocol and temporarily suspended operations in Dallas, Fort Worth, and the surrounding areas,” a DoorDash spokesperson said. “We encourage everyone in affected areas to follow local guidance and take necessary precautions, and we will resume operations as soon as it’s safe to do so.”
Service will remain suspended at least until Sunday morning depending on road conditions, according to the statement. - Lillie Davidson
Trinity Metro suspends bus service after 7 p.m.
Trinity Metro suspended service on the TRE Link from CentrePort to DFW Airport at 4 p.m., and the Trinity Metro bus service will be suspended after 7 p.m. tonight.
The On-Demand Southside rideshare service will also pause this evening.
If your bus or rail trip is interrupted, the Trinity Metro Guaranteed Ride Home program will ensure that you get home safely. Customer service is available at 817-215-8600 until 8 p.m. Trinity Metro supervisors will be canvassing bus routes to ensure riders are not stranded.
TEXRail, the Trinity Railway Express, and on-demand paratransit will operate on previously published schedules, said Trinity Metro.
What’s next: Another second round of sleet, snow
Posted: 3:45 p.m.
The National Weather Service in Fort Worth has updated its forecast guidance for Saturday evening and Sunday.
We’ve been in a lull midday in terms of precipitation, but it’ll kick up again this afternoon across North Texas with a scattered wintry mix. Going into the evening and overnight, we’ll see more widespread winter weather over the entire area, the weather service says. It’ll be mostly sleet — heavy at times — here in North Texas and freezing rain to the south in Central Texas.
A few thunderstorms are possible tonight — thundersleet! After midnight, North Texas will see a transition to snow going into Sunday morning.
“Some of the snow could also be heavy at times, especially from I-20 northward,” the weather service said.
After the snow tapers off Sunday afternoon, some areas may actually see lake effect snow, near and downwind of large lakes.
Expectations for total accumulations haven’t wavered much: about 1 to 5 inches of sleet and snow in North Texas, with the higher amounts closer to Oklahoma. And some good news: “Ice amounts have been lowered for North Texas as sleet/snow is expected to be the main precip types, but another one-tenth of an inch of ice could occur,” the NWS said. — Matt Leclercq
No loss of life on the roads so far, Fort Worth PD says
Posted 3:19 p.m.
Although one 18-wheeler jackknifed earlier today on U.S. 287 near Rosedale Street, the Fort Worth Police Department told the Star-Telegram, no lives have been lost yet due to accidents from the storm.
Fort Worth police responded to 20 minor accidents and four major accidents between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m. today, according to FWPD spokesperson Officer Buddy Calzada. No fatalities or major injuries were reported.
Calzada encouraged Fort Worth residents to continue driving safely and slowly, and to only get out if necessary.
Atmos Energy working to restore gas outage in Decatur
Posted 3:13 p.m.
Atmos Energy is working to restore a natural gas outage that occurred in Decatur this morning around 10 a.m. About 190 customers are affected.
Repairs are completed, Atmos Energy told the Star-Telegram, and the process of restoring service to customers is underway. Atmos Energy will be going door-to-door to restore service to customers.
Grocery stores closing early Saturday in North Texas
Posted 2:22 p.m.
H-E-B, Central Market, Tom Thumb, Albertsons and Kroger all will close early Saturday due to weather conditions, and open later on Sunday. Two Sam’s Clubs in Keller and Arlington are closed, as well as two Walmart Neighborhood Markets. Here’s the latest on store closures. —Matt Leclercq
Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo continuing as planned
Posted 1:30 p.m.
The 129th edition of the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo will continue as planned this weekend. FWSSR communications director Matt Brockman told the Star-Telegram earlier this week about the precautions taken to protect animals and people. Brockman encouraged folks coming to the show to bundle up and travel safe if they plan on coming this weekend.
FWSSR has a no refunds or exchanges policy for rodeo tickets, which are only valid for their scheduled performances. — Emily Holshouser
Some Cook Children’s Urgent Care Centers closing early
Posted 12:30 p.m.
Some Cook Children’s Urgent Care Centers will be closing early Saturday and Sunday. Locations in Alliance, Hurst, and Mansfield will close early at 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For the latest updates on closures, visit cookchildrens.com/closures. — Emily Holshouser
Sleet and ice cover Fort Worth roads
Posted 11:10 a.m.
TxDOT crews have been working around the clock to apply de-icers and plow sleet off the roadways, according to transportation spokesperson Val Lopez. They are giving special attention to bridges and overpasses.
“The weather this weekend will cause dangerous conditions,” Lopez said. “Staying off of roads is the safest option.”
Lopez recommends that those who have to be out allow extra time to reach their destination and keep plenty of space between themselves and other motorists. Updates on road conditions across the state can be found at drivetexas.org and you can view traffic camera photos here.
Multiple rounds of sleet and ice coming
Travel conditions continue to worsen in North Texas on Saturday as a massive Arctic cold front brings sleet and freezing rain. Temperatures were hovering around 20 degrees as of 10 a.m.
National Weather Service meteorologist Allison Prater called the storm an ongoing event with precipitation coming in rounds until mid-morning Sunday. So far the greatest impact from the storm has been deteriorating road conditions, she said.
The forecast calls for up to a quarter inch of ice and 3 inches of sleet in the Fort Worth area, but Prater said the weather service doesn’t have an estimate on how much has fallen so far. Areas near the Red River have been the most impacted by precipitation, according to Prater, with more than three inches of sleet being reported near the Oklahoma border.
Temperatures, which were hovering around 32 early Saturday, have been falling rapidly. Prater warned that the below freezing temperatures are expected to last through Tuesday. Wind chills could get as low as -12 degrees.
The precipitation will continue for several hours, with a lull expected Saturday afternoon, according to weather service spokesperson David Bonnette. Temperatures will continue around 20 degrees over the next 12 hours with wind chill values between 7 and 17.
Sleet is in the works for Saturday night and will likely turn to snow early Sunday, Bonnette said. — Harriet Ramos
Why is Fort Worth getting sleet instead of snow?
The National Weather Service said Saturday that this winter storm has “continued to provide forecasting challenges, especially when trying to pin timing and precipitation type.” Why? There’s a (relatively) warm layer of air about 6,000 feet up. “Due to this warm layer remaining quite strong, much of the precipitation that will fall today will be in the form of sleet. The exception will be along the immediate Red River, where a deeper cold airmass may allow for snow flakes to mix in through the day.” The cold air from the incoming Arctic front rolls in closer to the ground. As that mass of cold air isn’t quite as deep yet, we’ll see freezing rain for several hours this morning.
“For North Texas, the freezing rain will be on and off through the morning before a transition occurs to sleet later today.” — Matt Leclercq
Trinity Metro delays
Posted 8 a.m.
Trinity Metro reported delays Saturday morning due to the icy conditions. TEXRail has shifted its schedule to operate hourly, and all of the bus routes are operating on winter weather detours for the rest of the day.
Hundreds of flights canceled
Updated 1:49 p.m.
More than 70% of scheduled flights Saturday in and out of Dallas-Fort Worth Airport are canceled, according to FlightAware. At Dallas Love Field, more than 60% are canceled. For Sunday, about 30% of DFW flights and 60% of Love Field flights have been canceled.
The massive winter storm across half the U.S. will cause major travel disruptions likely into next week. So far, Fort Worth-based American Airlines has canceled more than 900 flights Saturday across its network, and Dallas-based Southwest has canceled more than 500. Here’s what to do if your flight is canceled or you want to reschedule.
Overnight crashes on Fort Worth roads
Posted 7:50 a.m.
Around 10 accidents were reported on Fort Worth roads between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m., according to police.
“We want to thank the essential travelers for staying slow and safe on our roadways,” department spokesperson Buddy Calzada said. “Please encourage everyone to maintain the safe travels and only get out as needed as weather conditions continue to get colder.”
Posted 7:20 a.m.
Freezing rain and sleet are already making roads hazardous Saturday morning. Conditions are expected to deteriorate during the day. Motorists are urged to use extreme caution, especially on raised surfaces like bridges.
Posted 6 a.m.
In far north Fort Worth, residential streets went from mostly clear to covered in a slick, thin layer of sleet between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m.
All TEXpress lanes have been closed due to the inclement weather and the Texas Department of Transportation urges residents to stay off the roads as much as possible over the weekend.
A TxDOT map of the region shows ice and snow on multiple roads, especially to the north and west of Fort Worth.. — Harriet Ramos
Here’s the latest Fort Worth weather forecast
- Today: Freezing rain mixed with sleet, high of 26 degrees and falling to around 20 by 5 p.m. Wind chill between 7 and 17.
- Tonight: Sleet expected before 3 a.m., then sleet mixed with possible snow showers. Low around 14 with wind chill between zero and 7.
- Sunday: A chance of snow showers and sleet before 9 a.m, then a chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy and cold, with a high near 22. Wind chill values between zero and 8. North northwest wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New snow and sleet accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
- Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 8. North northwest wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
- Monday: Sunny and cold, with a high near 28. North northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 11. West northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 42. South southwest wind around 5 mph.
- Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 20. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Localized power outages
Updated at 3:15 p.m.
More than 16,000 Oncor Electric customers across Texas were without power as of about 3 p.m. Saturday, including about 5,500 in Tarrant County.
The latest estimated restoration time for some customers in Tarrant County was 12:30 a.m. Sunday or in some cases, unknown.
Posted at 10:30 a.m.
Widespread power outages were affecting nearly 14,000 Oncor customers across Texas as of 10:30 a.m. More than half were reported in the east central part of the state and in areas near the Oklahoma border.
More than 700 outages were reported in Tarrant County and 350 in Dallas County. There were close to 900 outages in Johnson County.
Posted at 7 a.m.
Nearly 9,000 Oncor customers were without power around 7 a.m., including around 800 in Tarrant County and 200 in Dallas County. The company said it expects additional impacts as the storm moves through the region, and crews will work around the clock to restore power.
“Oncor continues to closely monitor and respond to initial impacts from the ongoing winter storm, which continues to bring below-freezing temperatures and a wintry mix of precipitation across our service area,” the energy delivery company said in a news release Saturday.
Posted 5:30 a.m.
A few scattered power outages were reported Saturday morning. Around 550 Oncor customers in Tarrant County and 360 in Dallas County were without power as of 5:30 a.m.
Check the status of outages or report an outage online at stormcenter.oncor.com. To report an Oncor power outage by phone, call 888-313-4747, text OUT to 66267 (ONCOR) or use the MyOncor App. Call 911 if you see downed power lines. — Harriet Ramos
Many schools announce Monday closures
Many North Texas K-12 school districts including Fort Worth ISD have already canceled classes for Monday. Find our complete list of closings and delays here for Tarrant County K-12 school districts and colleges. This list will be updated as more information becomes available. — Amy McDaniel
How to prevent your pipes from bursting
When it’s below freezing for several days, and especially when it drops below 10 degrees, you’re at risk of your pipes freezing and bursting. You do not want that to happen. Here’s how to prepare:
- Keep your indoor faucets dripping.
- Insulate exposed pipes outside the house. Hardware stores sell special insulation to wrap pipes and cover your outdoor spigots.
- Check if pipes in unheated parts of the home are insulated.
- Make sure outside faucet washers are secure.
- Disconnect hoses from outside faucets and use insulated faucet covers.
- Make sure the water meter box doesn’t freeze by keeping the lid on.
- Keep open cabinet doors that hold water pipes to allow heat in.
- Keep extra water drawn up.
This story was originally published January 24, 2026 at 5:01 AM.
