North Texas Ice Storms???

[David Brookshier]

I've only been living here in Denton County Texas for about 4 years and I've heard many rumors from Texans about all the great ice storms this state can get. 2000 was even quoted as being a significant ice storm event including some downed power lines and loss of power. I moved to Texas for the storms mainly the spring chase events and easy access to central Oklahoma through I35. So now I wonder is all this talk of ice storms in Texas really true if so and if any of you guys who live in this state have some pics please show them off. I would love to see any photos of any ice storms from Texas you have, please include the year and county they were taken. Who knows if the rumors are true maybe this will be the year we get a great winter set up in north Texas hopefully in time for Christmas. If anyone has any significant blizzard events please include them as well. I came from Colorado and got to see the historic blizzard of 1982 and more recently the blizzard of 1998 in which we received 38" of snow. I miss winter storms, hopefully the north Texas rumors are true, if they are it's only a matter of time and an added bonus to the supercells we get.

 

[mikegeukes]

Dec 30 1978 Big Ice Storm
Jan 30-31 1950 Big Ice Storm

Oklahoma/Northern Texas Winter Storm
of December 25-27, 2000

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/storms/20001227/
http://archives.cnn.com/2000/WEATHER/12/13/winter.storm.01/index.html
http://www.noble.org/Press_Release/Ag/IceDamage2000/

Other:
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/fwd/CLIMO/dfw/annual/dsnows.html


North Texas Sleet and Ice Storm
February 24th

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/fwd/sleeticefeb242003.htm

 

[David Brookshier]

Dec 30 1978 Big Ice Storm
Jan 30-31 1950 Big Ice Storm

Oklahoma/Northern Texas Winter Storm
of December 25-27, 2000

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/storms/20001227/
http://archives.cnn.com/2000/WEATHER/12/13/winter.storm.01/index.html
http://www.noble.org/Press_Release/Ag/IceDamage2000/

Other:
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/fwd/CLIMO/dfw/annual/dsnows.html


North Texas Sleet and Ice Storm
February 24th

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/fwd/sleeticefeb242003.htmhttp://www.srh.noaa.gov/fwd/sleeticefeb242003.htmhttp://www.srh.noaa.gov/fwd/sleeticefeb242003.htm

Thanks for the links it was a great read and verifies the rumors. Maybe this will be the year I get to see an ice storm. Time to get my chase equipment ready, bring it on winter the springtime supercells are a long way off so give me something to shoot.

 

[Shawn Scovel]

I've lived here in central tx for about 15 years or so (most of my life) and have seen a total of 3 ice storms here that i remeber. Basically the ice storms we have here the northern population would laugh at us because of such thin ice and the way EVERYTHING shuts down. I've herd rumors that when ice storms hit, trucks have to be driven from louisiana and other states because texas doesnt own any (or very very few) for sand. Although it is possible to get some ice/snow.... You might see an event every 2-5 years or so.

-shawn

P.S. last year we had not one trace of ice other than frozen dew here in Austin

 

[Josh Richardson]

I've lived here in central tx for about 15 years or so (most of my life) and have seen a total of 3 ice storms here that i remeber. Basically the ice storms we have here the northern population would laugh at us because of such thin ice and the way EVERYTHING shuts down. I've herd rumors that when ice storms hit, trucks have to be driven from louisiana and other states because texas doesnt own any (or very very few) for sand. Although it is possible to get some ice/snow.... You might see an event every 2-5 years or so.

-shawn

P.S. last year we had not one trace of ice other than frozen dew here in Austin

Actually there was some ice last year, only about a quarter inch I think it was in November. I just moved back from Austin this last spring so I remember the so-called ice storm that produced about 500 accidents last winter. Surely you remember this?

 

[David Brookshier]

Actually there was some ice last year, only about a quarter inch I think it was in November. I just moved back from Austin this last spring so I remember the so-called ice storm that produced about 500 accidents last winter. Surely you remember this?

I was here then and that defenitly does not qualify as a REAL ice storm. I'm waiting for one that can crystalize trees and bring down power lines then it would qualify as an event. I certainly don't wish destruction to the city I just want to see the incredible beauty an ice storm can display, it would make for some great photos that may even help alleviate SDS (maybe a little). I never got to see the ice storm quoted earlier that hit north Texas in 2000 does anyone have photos of this event any pics of glazed trees or power lines?

 

[Josh Richardson]

I was here then and that defenitly does not qualify as a REAL ice storm. I'm waiting for one that can crystalize trees and bring down power lines then it would qualify as an event. I certainly don't wish destruction to the city I just want to see the incredible beauty an ice storm can display, it would make for some great photos that may even help alleviate SDS (maybe a little). I never got to see the ice storm quoted earlier that hit north Texas in 2000 does anyone have photos of this event any pics of glazed trees or power lines?

Trust me, I was not referring to that as an ice storm, I'm from Iowa for one thing. I was just simply replying to the post above about the trace of ice in Austin TX last year.

 

[Shawn Scovel]

I do remember now.... must of slipped my mind on that one. Yeah, i remember hearing on the radio every five minutes "oops another accident" and seing countless video shoot of cars off the road, damaged or in the process of wrecking... Went somewhere that next morning and just in the two miles i drove i saw 5 cars that were still there left from overnight (stuck in ditches, or one big van even slid off the road and the front end was hanging over a concrete ditch)

Anyway, i might have some pictures from 2000, if i remember right, i think that is the one im thinking of. I'll look this week and get back to ya.

-Shawn

 

[Chris Nuttall]

The Christmas Ice Storm of 1987 was also particularly bad for Oklahoma and North Texas.

Freezing rain and sleet began before sunrise, and was the start of an infamous 2-day ice storm that left parts of Oklahoma without power for over a week. Sleet prevailed across the western and northern parts of Oklahoma City, while freezing rain devastated southern and eastern parts of the metro area. Despite heavy sleet and ice accumulations of up to 2 inches, total snowfall was only a trace.

The accumlated ice from this storm caused a 1,900-ft TV transmission tower near Coweta, OK, to collapse knocking KTUL-TV in Tulsa off-the-air.

I was in Oklahoma City when this happened, and I remember it pretty well. I could not get home for 2 days after the event. I wound up having to come back to Oklahoma City on New Year's Eve for a funeral. None of the ice had melted yet.

My grandmother has a terraced lawn, and we parked our car on the street instead of the driveway. I remember my uncle jumping onto the ice in cowboy boots and skiing down to the street, grabbing the front of the van, and swinging around to the driver's side door.

Here's another good write up on the January 2002 ice storm in Oklahoma:
http://climate.ocs.ou.edu/eventsummaries/Oklahoma_Ice_Storm_01_2002.pdf

I can only imagine what ice storms do in Dallas with all those elevated freeways.

 

[Mickey Ptak]

I remember the 2000 ice storm well. I had picked up my son from his mothers on Christmas day in Ardmore, Ok. I35 was ok from 7-10am in the southern half of the state, but once I hit a hill near Purcell the spinning car game began. I was only going 35 mph on I35 when I got to Purcell because I noticed ice on the interstate. Once I crossed a hill just north Purcell I was in the ditch.

As I started to go down the downward slop of the interstate I kept gain speed, naturally. I kept tapping my brakes off and on trying to control my speed, but there was far too much ice.

Luckily I managed to get out of the ditch just as soon as I got in it because only my right tire was in it. The rest of the way home was a freaking head ache. 10 mph the rest of the way home but I still had to fight those hills.

When I got home I had no power!

Mick