Texas Fall/Winter thread!

[Western]

News said North and West of the metromess will see at least 96 hrs below 32 degrees, looks like the real cold rolls in over the weekend, 11-12 degrees Sunday and Monday night out here. Wife will stay at daughters since its about a mile to her job Bella and I will hunker down and hope the water is protected well enough.

 

[two_bit_score]

Cold Temps are coming to Texas this weekend!

Protect pipes and be ready to bust ice for cattle.

Some of our worst damage from weather has happened in February!

:cold::cold::cold::cold::snowman::frosty::frosty::frosty::frosty::frosty::snowflake::snowflake::snowflake::snowflake::snowflake:

.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

In 1985, Matagorda bay FROZE OVER, and there was a huge fishkill. I believe it got down to 7F

 

[robbyr]

Daughter in law showed me a video of a horrible pileup this morning. Think in Fort Worth but not sure.

 

[riptides]

Be careful down there.....is on national news now...5 dead...over 100 cars.

 

[JamesHW]

Hope there are no more casualties in Fort Worth. Horrific scene mass casualty incident w/ people trapped in their cars and I understand widespread conditions affecting a lot of folks in the region. We keep emergency blankets in the car in case we are ever stuck in the winter.

Do they almost “never” get bad ice on the roads in Fort Worth? Hearing that the highway wasn’t salted despite the oncoming ice storm and an emergency manager was talking about how they were seeking salt or “whatever ice melt” to put down. Wondering if deicing protocols and supplies, if they existed, go by the wayside due to lack of use (mayors lose their job here if the response isn’t robust enough, like potholes).

My advice for driving on ice is don’t.

 

[Tinhack]

Just came in for lunch about 1:00pm. It was the first break in the heavy rain since 8:00am. Temp has been about 38 all morning. We'd be neck deep in snow if it was colder. Lightening hit REAL close to the barn. I thought I would need to wipe after that one. I jumped and dropped the wrench I was holding. I guess the barn is the safest place though. All metal so it acts like a faraday cage. It was still scary.

 

[Western]

Reports now 8 dead, could climb, over 30 sent to the hospital.

What it looks like to me, is the original crash that started this chain reaction, was either and overpass, or underpass that had ice, lighter ice likely on the main road gave those drivers a false sense and by the time they realized the accidents ahead, they where committed. Saw several videos and imo, would have be far less if folks would have been prudent and taken this seriously.

I dont do facebook, so dont know how to show a cell video someone else took, but you can see cars, trucks and semis plowing right into the stopped cars. One vehicle that appears to be a FJ, is demolished by one semi, heard to watch even having a LE background.

 

[Bearsixty7]

Daughter in law showed me a video of a horrible pileup this morning. Think in Fort Worth but not sure.

It was, on I35W, FB has a couple different videos of part of it happening, it's almost 2 minutes long and semi's and cars and trucks still piling into it, you can see one white chevy pickup get hit and pushed up and around by a semi. Terrible thing to see on video, I can't imagine actually being there.

It's almost like they were driving out of a fog bank at full speed and no time to stop, hard to imagine they were sliding for such a long distance. I think they are still clearing it, 5 casualties was the last I heard but they still hadn't got to all the vehicles yet and hypothermia was a concern.

 

[JamesHW]

I saw three videos from different angles that showed a FedEx truck plowing into another semi and climbing up on the Jersey wall. Regular Joe Schmoo from Pocomo is one thing, but you would think in an age where they can track drivers every move they could send out an alert to their drivers to park and take a break in an imminent ice storm.

 

[Bearsixty7]

5 o'clock news said 6 confirmed so far and still working on it.

 

[Western]

5 o'clock news said 6 confirmed so far and still working on it.

Yeah, saw that, hopefully it doesn't climb to early reports of 8
Also, better video shows the majority of the vehicles where on a very long over pass, appears the wreck started just as the cars would have got down to flat road. Such a light glaze of frozen precip and looks like many didn't pay much head, or didnt realize the danger on the surface. Just a sad deal for those involved.

 

[Bearsixty7]

133 vehicles reported involved. Yes, it was an elevated section of road. One trucker involved was interviewed said the highway was dry and clear from Denton to there (about 30 miles) and wanted to know why that section wasn't treated. The news room reporter said that according to the 2 different maintenance departments for that stretch claim it had been treated a couple times. At the 6 o'clock news hour the live overhead looked like they still had 40-50 vehicles to clear. going to be a long night for them.

 

[robbyr]

Dennis, I saw the same video you did with the FJ. Hard to imagine anyone surviving that.

 

[Western]

Here is a clip of several angles, WARNING: Some language as witnesses take it in.

 

[two_bit_score]

A little south on IH35 a 25 car pile up in Austin.

Icy roads are treacherous.

 

[bindian]

A little south on IH35 a 25 car pile up in Austin.

Icy roads are treacherous.

I heard 26 car pileup on 45 (toll road) near Austin. Glad I am retired and don't have to drive in this upcoming weather across Houston.
hugs, Brandi

 

[MickeyDBC]

I heard 26 car pileup on 45 (toll road) near Austin. Glad I am retired and don't have to drive in this upcoming weather across Houston.
hugs, Brandi

I saw that one this morning going in to work and it was pretty bad. On the way home there was another six car wreck in the same place.

Right now they are calling for wintry mix and or snow for the next six days with a low of 7 degrees on Monday. We have trees and branches down all over the place right now and it is just starting. This is going to be a real mess.

 

[Bearsixty7]

What makes it even more sad about the lives lost and people injured is by about 2pm yesterday most every where the ice had melted or more accurately, evaporated away around here. One news station said a lot of the people involved were health care workers and truckers.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Maybe they need to enact legislation for 18 wheelers to get off the roads in icy weather? No one can stop 80,000 lbs on ice quickly. Use those amber warning signs on the interstates, etc.