Late on the 26th and on the 27th an arctic cold front moved through Texas. A slow moving upper level storm was slowly approaching Texas from the southwest states.
Every event with a place to put it; 41 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS FWD wrote it up.
Late on the 26th and on the 27th an arctic cold front moved through Texas. A slow moving upper level storm was slowly approaching Texas from the southwest states. The flow aloft became southwest over north Texas as the storm approached, producing overrunning conditions across the state from the 27th through early on the 29th. As surface temperatures dropped below freezing across western parts of north Texas on the 27th, a mixture of freezing rain and sleet began, and changed to snow across the extreme west the night of the 27th, continuing on the 28th. Three to five inches of snow fell across Stephens, Young, and Montague counties. One to two inches fell across Eastland,Jack, and northwest Wise counties. A mixture of sleet and freezing rain continued intermittently across the northern 2/3 of north Texas on the 28th, and as the main storm system moved across north Texas the night of the 28th and morning of the 29th, a light mixture of freezing rain, sleet, and snow fell across all of north Texas. The wintry precipitation caused hundreds of traffic accidents, with 4 fatalities resulting indirectly from the winter weather. At various times schools and businesses were closed or opened late across the region. At major airports there were numerous flight delays due to the wintry weather.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Fort Worth, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Nov 27, 4:15 AM CST, 8 hours 15 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 415 AM CST TUE NOV 27 2001 ARCTIC AIR CONTINUES TO DIVE SOUTHWARD THROUGH THE HIGH PLAINS EARLY THIS MORNING WITH FREEZING TEMPERATURES AS FAR SOUTH AS LUBBOCK... WICHITA FALLS AND OKLAHOMA CITY. EXPECT TEMPERATURES TO CONTINUE TO FALL TODAY AND THE 6 AM READINGS WILL MOST LIKELY BE TODAYS HIGHS. EXPECT NORTH WINDS TO INCREASE WITH SECONDARY SURGE OF COLD AIR AND THIS WILL MAKE FOR A BRISK DAY ACROSS NORTH TEXAS. AS FAR AS RAIN CHANCES GO TODAY EXPECT BEST CHANCE IN THE SOUTHEAST SECTIONS IN BEST MOISTURE AND ISENTROPIC LIFT. COULD ALSO BE SOME ELEVATED THUNDERSTORMS DUE TO SOME MID LEVEL INSTABILITY. THE REST OF NORTH TEXAS WILL PROBABLY NOT SEE MUCH PRECIPITATION EARLY THIS MORNING... HOWEVER...BY MIDDAY...RAIN SHOULD BEGIN TO INCREASE IN AREAL COVERAGE WITH INCREASING UPPER DYNAMICS ASSOCIATED WITH DIGGING TROUGH IN THE SOUTHWEST U.S. LATEST ANALYSIS AND MODEL SOLUTION INDICATE A SLIGHTLY DEEPER/STRONGER TROUGH THAN IN PREVIOUS RUNS WHICH MAY CHANGE THE TIMING OF THE PRECIPITATION EVENT SLIGHTLY. LOOKS LIKE THERE MIGHT BE A DECREASE IN COVERAGE/INTENSITY OF PRECIPITATION THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT WITH A TEMPORARY DECREASE IN LARGE SCALE LIFT...HOWEVER...LIFT SHOULD INCREASE AGAIN TOWARD SUNRISE WEDNESDAY ASSOCIATED WITH EJECTING UPPER LOW. WILL KEEP THE WINTER STORM WATCH IN PLACE TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...ALONG AND NORTH OF A LINE FROM TEMPLE...TO CORSICANA TO EMORY. MODELS...ESPECIALLY THE NGM APPEAR TO BE UNDERESTIMATING THE STRENGTH OF THE COLD AIR. THIS IS EVIDENT WHEN COMPARING THE 00Z FWC GUIDANCE WITH THE CURRENT OBS EARLY THIS MORNING. THEREFORE...EXPECT RAIN TO CHANGE TO A MIXTURE OF FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET ALONG AND NORTH OF A EASTLAND TO GAINESVILLE LINE THIS EVENING THEN CHANGING TO MAINLY TO SNOW AND SLEET WEDNESDAY MORNING. ACROSS THE REST OF THE WATCH AREA...TEMPERATURES WILL COOL TO NEAR FREEZING THIS EVENING AND SHOULD SLOWLY COOL TO JUST BELOW FREEZING BY SUNRISE WEDNESDAY. THE DEPTH OF THE COLD AIR IS STILL IN QUESTION AND FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET LOOK MORE LIKELY EARLY IN THE MORNING...WITH SOME SNOW AND SLEET POSSIBLE BEFORE 18Z WEDNESDAY. THE REST OF NORTH TEXAS SHOULD REMAIN ABOVE FREEZING WITH ONLY RAIN EXPECTED. ALL PRECIPITATION SHOULD END ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AS UPPER LOW BEGINS TO PULL OUT. CLOUDS WILL BE ON THE DECREASE WITH TEMPERATURES IN THE 20S BY THURSDAY MORNING. DFW 41/30/33/27 6990 ACT 49/32/34/26 7990 .FWD...WINTER STORM WATCH TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY FOR AREA NORTHWEST OF A LINE FROM EMORY...TO CORSICANA...TO TEMPLE. CAUTION ON AREA LAKES ALL GROUPS TODAY. 79
TXZ091>095-100>107-115>123-129>135-141>148-156>162-174-175-272200- HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTH TEXAS NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 1218 PM CST TUE NOV 27 2001 ...WINTER WEATHER... AREAS OF RAIN AND SLEET CONTINUE TO DEVELOP NORTHWEST OF A LINE FROM BONHAM...TO COMANCHE EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. THIS TREND IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT AS WARM...MOIST AREA MOVES OVER AN ADVANCING ARCTIC AIR MASS AT THE SURFACE. TEMPERATURES SHOULD REMAIN ABOVE FREEZING FOR MOST OF THE AFTERNOON...SO LITTLE IF ANY ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED. AS TEMPERATURES FALL BELOW FREEZING THIS EVENING...SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ACCUMULATING. BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES WILL BEGIN TO ICE UP FIRST...BUT WITH WARM GROUND CONDITIONS...OTHER ROADWAYS MAY TAKE SEVERAL MORE HOURS BEFORE BECOMING SLICK AND HAZARDOUS. A WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY FOR AREAS NORTH AND WEST OF A LINE FROM EMORY TO CORSICANA...TO TEMPLE. NEW ATMOSPHERIC DATA SUGGESTS AN EVEN HIGHER THREAT FOR WINTER WEATHER TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING...THUS THE WATCH WILL LIKELY BE CHANGED TO A WARNING LATE THIS AFTERNOON. DETAILS OF ANY WARNING AREAS...AND ACCUMULATIONS...WILL BE AVAILABLE AROUND 4 PM. NORTH TEXAS RESIDENTS AND TRAVELERS SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF THIS WINTER STORM. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND OTHER LOCAL MEDIA FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES. ...LIGHTNING... A FEW THUNDERSTORMS MAY BE EMBEDDED WITHIN AN AREA OF PRECIPITATION THAT WILL FORM ACROSS MUCH OF NORTH TEXAS THIS AFTERNOON. THESE STORMS WILL PRESENT A HAZARD OF CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING THROUGH TONIGHT.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
41 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Early morning rain changed to a mixture of freezing rain and sleet by 1230 PM, and continued intermittently through November 29. Schools were closed and numerous accidents were caused by icing.
Freezing rain and sleet began around mid afternoon, then became mixed with snow late Tuesday night.Eastland reported 1 inch of sleet and snow. Numerous accidents occurred on area highways, and by Wednesday night 20 to 30 people were stranded on interstate 20. There were power outages from power lines downed due to ice accumulations.
Freezing rain and sleet began mid afternoon Tuesday the 27th, and changed to snow Wednesday morning. 3 to 5 inches of snow fell across the county, with many businesses closed. School was cancelled Wednesday and Thursday.
A mixture of freezing rain, sleet, and snow left ice accumulations up to 1/2 inch across northern parts of the county from the Alvord area northward, with 1.5 inches of snow at Alvord.
Freezing rain was causing icing on bridges and overpasses. By 1228 PM on the 28th, Interstate 35 was closed northbound into Oklahoma due to icing. Gainesville reported 1.2 inches of snow and sleet.
A mixture of freezing rain and sleet began Tuesday evening and changed to snow early Wednesday. Snow accumulations of 2 to 3 inches occurred across central and western parts of the county. Large branches were downed from icing, schools and businesses were closed, and numerous accidents occurred.
Patchy ice from freezing rain and sleet began Tuesday night, and by Wednesday morning, bridges and overpasses were ice covered, and the precipitation changed to snow. The Lake Possum Kingdom dam reported 2 inches of snow. By the night of the 28th, interstate 20 along with other highways were ice covered, with numerous accidents being reported.
Bridges, overpasses, and secondary roads were becoming slushy and dangerous. At 501 AM on the 28th, heavy sleet was causing icing on roads, bridges, and overpasses. The Olney cooperative observerreported 3.5 inches of snow.
A mixture of freezing rain and sleet from the morning of the 28th to the morning of the 29th, resulted in icy bridges, overpasses, and highways. The morning of the 29th, one persons was killed due to a weather related accident on an ice covered bridge in the south part of Hillsboro.
Cooperative observer reported one inch of snow.
Cooperative observer reported .1 inch of snow and sleet.
Patchy ice was reported on roads, bridges, and overpasses from freezing rain and sleet.
A mixture of freezing rain and sleet was icing bridges, overpasses and highways on the west side of Fort Worth. By early afternoon, there were reports of numerous power lines down across west and northern sections of Tarrant county, and some power outages.
Interstate 75 was icy on bridges and overpasses. On the 28th, 1 to 2 inches of snow fell across central and northwest parts of the county.
Interstate 20 and all other highways covered with ice, with numerous accidents occurring.
Several farm to market roads covered with ice and snow in the northern part of the county.
Icing was reported on Highway 183 the morning of the 28th, from freezing rain and sleet. By 900 pm on the 28th, icing was occurring on all roadways from Lometa northward.
Bridges and overpasses were icy from freezing rain and sleet.
Bridges and overpasses icy from freezing rain and sleet.
Freezing rain and sleet was occurring on Interstate 30 between Greenville and Sulphur Springs, causing hazardous driving conditions. Sulphur Springs reported 0.5 inch of sleet and snow.
Freezing rain and sleet was falling on Interstate 30 between Greenville and Sulphur Springs, resulting in hazardous driving conditions. Greenville reported 0.4 inch fo sleet and snow.
Freezing rain and sleet was occurring on Highway 69, resulting in slick dangerous driving conditions. Emory reported 0.2 inch of sleet and snow.
Highway 82 between Paris and Bonham was slick and icy due to a mixture of freezing rain and sleet.Snow and sleet accumulations of 1 to 1.4 inches were reported around the county.
Highway 82 between Paris and Bonham was slick and icy from a mixture of freezing rain and sleet. Sleet and snow accumulations ranged from 0.5 inch at Paris to 1.2 inches at Honey Grove.
Highway 380 west of Denton was closed due to ice and sleet accumulations on the roadway. Icing was also responsible for downing large tree limbs. The morning of the 28th, a fatal accident occurred, which was indirectly caused by icy highways. Justin reported 1 inch of snow on the 28th.
Sleet was accumulating on bridges and overpasses.
Sleet began to fall and by 425 AM on the 29th, interstate 35 was closed due to icing and accidents.
Sleet began to fall and by 200 AM on the 29th, heavy sleet was causing icing on Interstate 35 and Highway 190.
Sleet was beginning to fall, causing hazardous driving conditions on highways.
One person was killed Wednesday night around 1030 PM, when a vehicle went out of control after hitting a patch of ice on Highway 183 in Irving. Interstate 635, the LBJ Freeway, was closed due to icing and accidents Thursday morning. Hundreds of accidents occurred due to icy streets and highways Wednesday and Thursday. There were also numerous flight delays at the DFW Airport due to icy conditions.
Roads were icy due to freezing rain and sleet.
Roads were icy due to freezing rain and sleet.
Bridges and overpasses were icy due to freezing rain.
Bridges and overpasses were icing from freezing rain.
Bridges and overpasses were icy from freezing rain.
Interstate 30 across Lake Ray Hubbard was icy and dangerous.
Patchy icing was reported on highways between Plano and Lake Lavon.
The cooperative observer at Pilot Point reported 0.2 inch of sleet Thursday morning.
A mixture of freezing rain and sleet made bridges and overpasses icy and dangerous.
Icing on Interstate 20 west of Terrell was causing traffic accidents.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2001Every state in 2001This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, November 2001
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5272106, 5274659, 5274660, 5272105, 5272164, 5272107, 5274661, 5272165, 5272109, 5274869, 5274875, 5274874, 5274663, 5274768, 5274767, 5274765, 5274870, 5274662, 5274664, 5274764, 5274775, 5274776, 5274777, 5274769, 5274770, 5272108, 5274766, 5274772, 5274773, 5274774, 5274771, 5274864, 5274865, 5274867, 5274866, 5274868, 5274871, 5274872, 5274876, 5274877, and more.