Dangerous ice storm to spread from Texas to the Ohio Valley

15 million Americans are under winter storm and ice storm warnings

By Matthew Cappucci
January 30, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. EST

A potentially significant ice storm is underway across the south-central United States and will spread northeast and affect parts of the Tennessee and Ohio Valleys by Monday afternoon. Multiple waves of freezing rain, which will deposit a dangerous glaze of ice on roadways, structures and vegetation, are expected through Wednesday, making for treacherous travel and potential power outages.

While some 15 million Americans are under winter storm and ice storm warnings, the hardest hit will be Texas, where up to two-thirds of an inch of ice buildup is likely to bring down power lines and tree limbs over the next 48 hours. Almost two years ago, freezing drizzle caused a 133-car pileup in Fort Worth that killed six people, and with a more widespread and significant ice storm looming this time, the effects could be serious.

“It doesn’t take much ice or melted sleet that refreezes at night to cause very slick and hazardous travel conditions … even on the more well-traveled roads, highways, and interstates,” the National Weather Service office in Fort Worth wrote Monday morning.

Ice storm warnings have been issued for Memphis and Little Rock, where the Weather Service is warning that “travel could be nearly impossible.” Across central Texas, including Dallas, Austin, Abilene and San Angelo, plus a portion of southeast Oklahoma, a winter storm warning is in effect.



(NWS)

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What is freezing rain?



(National Weather Service)

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Just a reminder, freezing rain falls as liquid and freezes on contact. Sleet, falls as pieces of ice and accumulates.
Glazed Donut = Freezing Rain
Sprinkled Donut = Sleet

You might need this reminder by Tuesday morning .

Link to tweet

Freezing rain looks and sounds like ordinary rain — except it forms an invisible icy glaze. That’s what makes it so dangerous.

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By Matthew Cappucci
Matthew Cappucci is a meteorologist for Capital Weather Gang. He earned a B.A. in atmospheric sciences from Harvard University in 2019, and has contributed to The Washington Post since he was 18. He is an avid storm chaser and adventurer, and covers all types of weather, climate science, and astronomy. Twitter https://twitter.com/MatthewCappucci