In Texas…a major ice storm continues with an Arctic airmass in place, temperatures near or below freezing and an approaching upper level disturbance. Ice storm warnings remain in effect through Monday morning for much of North Central Texas including Dallas, Fort Worth, Denton, Mineral Wells, Paris and Lampasas. 1/4 to 3/4 of an inch of ice accumulation is expected.
East of this area, flooding is a concern with an additional 1-2 inches of rain expected. Flash flood watches are in effect.
At 8:20 a.m., the NWS Fort Worth reported moderate freezing rain on I-20 in Fort Worth with icy bridges numerous accidents. Some thunder is expected with the heavier convective freezing rain this morning.
DFW reported freezing rain and 32F at 9 a.m. Denton had 30F with freezing rain. Paris, in NE Texas, had 36F and cloudy with a light N wind.
A winter storm warning continues for the Austin area.
In Oklahoma, the most damaging ice accumulations will be over the SE part ofthe state (including Ardmore) where 1/2 to 1 inch of freezing rain and some sleet may accumulate. Across the central part of the state including Wichita Fallas, Oke City and Stillwater, 1/4 to 1 inch of sleet is expected to fall with some freezing rain. A sleet/snow miz will fall of the NW, with 1 to 3 inches accumulating. Ice storm warnings cover the central and eastern parts of the state with a winters storm warning in the northwest.
Oklahoma City had a THUNDERSTORM at 9 a.m. with a temperature of 25F! Tulsa was cloudy and 24F, but heavy freezing rain is expected later with thunder likely. There is a thunderstorm on the Will Rogers Turnpike between OKC and Tulsa. It is probably dumping as much as one half inch of rain per hour. Falling into temperatures in the 20s, that is a devastating combination.
Arkansas…NWS Tulsa reports 3.4 of an inch of ice at Bella Vista in Benton County, AR. Numerous trees and limbs down. They also reproted Muskogee, OK had 1/2 inch of ice covering everything with lots of debris and numerous roads closed.
An ice storm warning is in effect for NW Louisiana and SW Arkansas including Shreveport and Texarkana.
4.21 inches of rain fell in Little Rock yesterday, establishing a new record for the date. Numerous flash flood watches and warnings are in effect for northeastern Texas, Arkansas and NW Louisiana.
On the otehr side of the thermometer…the morning low at Corpus Christi was 71F this morning, a record warm minimum for the date.
