Three to seven inches of snow fell across the northeastern portions of north Texas in a region primarily east of Interstate 35 and north of Interstate 30. The highest totals occurred in Lamar, Delta, Hopkins, and Hunt County.
Every event with a place to put it; 8 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.
Three to seven inches of snow fell across the northeastern portions of north Texas in a region primarily east of Interstate 35 and north of Interstate 30. The highest totals occurred in Lamar, Delta, Hopkins, and Hunt County. The main impact of the heavy snow was numerous traffic accidents across the area. There was one indirect fatality in Collin County when a vehicle skidded into oncoming traffic due to the icy roadways. This accident took the life of a 21 year old male.
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 Jan 9, 5:47 AM CST, 2 hours 13 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 547 AM CST SUN JAN 9 2011 .AVIATION... /12Z TAFS/ CONDITIONS CONTINUE TO DETERIORATE ACROSS NORTH TEXAS THIS MORNING AS WIDESPREAD RAINFALL SATURATES THE LOWER LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE AND CEILINGS CONTINUE TO FALL. EXPECT A RAPID TRANSITION FROM VFR CIGS TO IFR CONDITIONS THIS MORNING WITH RAIN CONTINUING. IT IS LOOKING MORE LIKELY THAT A TRANSITION TO SNOW WILL OCCUR LATER TODAY IF AT ALL AT THE METROPLEX AIRPORTS. HEAVIER SNOWFALL TOTALS ARE EXPECTED NORTHEAST OF THE MAJOR AIRPORTS. WILL CONTINUE WITH RA THROUGH MORNING WITH IFR CIGS BY 16Z ALL LOCATIONS. AS FOR SNOW...WILL CARRY A TEMPO -RASN FROM MIDDAY INTO MID AFTERNOON WITH PRECIP TAPERING OFF AFTER THAT TIME. IFR CIGS EXPECTED MUCH OF THE AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. MAIN CONCERN FOR TONIGHT WILL BE INCREASING LIKELIHOOD OF FREEZING DRIZZLE DEVELOPING AFTER MIDNIGHT AS TEMPS FALL TO BELOW FREEZING. WILL SHOW -FZDZ AFTER 9Z WITH CIGS LOWERING TO OVC003. LOW CIGS EXPECTED TO PERSIST INTO MONDAY. DUNN && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 527 AM CST SUN JAN 9 2011/ AT FORECAST TIME WIDESPREAD RAINFALL WAS OVER AREAS GENERALLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 20 IN NORTH TX. WITH A DRY LOW LEVEL AIRMASS IN PLACE AHEAD OF THIS PRECIPITATION...THE CONCERN WITH THE ONSET OF THIS PRECIPITATION WAS THAT PERSISTENT RAINFALL WOULD SATURATE THE ATMOSPHERE FROM THE TOP DOWN CAUSING TEMPERATURES TO DROP RAPIDLY. WHILE THIS PROCESS HAS LOWERED TEMPERATES A BIT THIS MORNING...IT SEEMS THAT LOW LEVEL WARM AIR ADVECTION HAS PREVENTED THE LOWER TROPOSPHERE FROM WET BULBING BELOW FREEZING ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. TEMPERATURES WITHIN THE REGION OF WIDESPREAD RAIN HAVE BEEN HOLDING IN THE UPPER 30S WITH DEW POINT VALUES HOLDING IN THE MID TO UPPER 30S FOR MOST LOCATIONS. THE UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM THAT IS LARGELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS EARLY MORNING PRECIPITATION WAS LOCATED ROUGHLY NEAR DEL RIO...MOVING NORTHEAST TOWARDS NORTH TX. REGARDING SNOW POTENTIAL TODAY...SHORT RANGE ENSEMBLE GUIDANCE REGARDING SNOWFALL POTENTIAL FOR TODAY ACROSS NORTH TEXAS CONTINUES TO FORECAST A WIDE RANGE OF POSSIBILITIES. THE PRIMARY REASON FOR THIS LARGE SPREAD APPEARS TO BE HOW VARIOUS FORECAST MODELS HANDLE THE TIMING OF THE TRANSITION FROM RAIN TO SNOW ACROSS NORTH TX DURING THE DAY TODAY. THE 09/00Z NAM OFFERED UP THE COLDEST SOLUTION OUT OF THE RANGE OF OPERATIONAL GUIDANCE. THIS SOLUTION HAS BEEN LARGELY DISCOUNTED AS THE MODEL WAS ALREADY 5 TO 7 DEG F TOO COOL ON SURFACE TEMPERATURES 6 HOURS INTO ITS FORECAST...OR AROUND MIDNIGHT THIS MORNING. OTHER GUIDANCE SEEMS TO OFFER A SIMILAR SOLUTION WHICH IS TO BRING ABOUT A TRANSITION FROM RAIN TO SNOW FROM NORTHEAST TO SOUTHWEST ACROSS NORTH TX SLOWLY DURING THE DAY TODAY. AS THE UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVES OVER THE SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF NORTH TX TODAY IT WILL CAUSE THE SURFACE LOW TO MOVE NORTHEAST ALONG THE TX COAST. FOR NORTH TX THIS WILL RESULT IN A BACKING OF OF THE LOW LEVEL WINDS AROUND TO THE EAST BY LATE THIS MORNING AND THRU THE AFTERNOON HRS. WITH THE COLDEST SURFACE WET BULB TEMPERATURES NORTHEAST OF THE FORECAST AREA...THIS WILL RESULT IN COLD AIR ADVECTION THRU THE LOWEST 5 KFT OF THE ATMOSPHERE OVER MUCH OF NORTH TX. BECAUSE THE LOWER TROPOSPHERE IS ALREADY FAIRLY SATURATED OVER NORTH TX THIS COLD AIR ADVECTION IS EXPECTED TO LOWER TEMPERATURES GRADUALLY THROUGHOUT THE DAY. THIS IS IN CONTRAST TO A MORE RAPID TEMPERATURE FALL THAT WOULD OCCUR WITH THE PASSAGE OF A STRONG COLD FRONT OR EVEN THE WET BULBING OF A VERY DRY AIRMASS. WITH THE COLD AIR EXPECTED TO FILTER INTO NORTH TX SLOWER THAN PREVIOUSLY FORECAST...A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO FALL AS RAIN ACROSS THE AREA BEFORE TRANSITIONING TO SNOW LATER IN THE DAY. THE LOCATIONS THAT ARE EXPECTED TO SEE THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL AMOUNTS ARE THOSE LOCATIONS CLOSEST TO THE COLD AIR...AREAS GENERALLY AROUND AND NORTHEAST OF GREENVILLE. THESE LOCATIONS MAY PICK UP AS MUCH AS 3 TO 4 INCHES OF SNOWFALL TODAY. GENERALLY SNOWFALL AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED TO DIMINISH TO THE SOUTHWEST OF GREENVILLE. ANYWHERE FROM 1 TO 3 INCHES OF SNOWFALL MAY OCCUR OVER THE METROPLEX WITH AROUND AN INCH OF SNOWFALL POSSIBLE SOUTHWEST OF THE METROPLEX. WITH AREA SOIL TEMPERATURES WELL ABOVE FREEZING...THE IMPACTS OF THIS SNOWFALL ON AREA ROADWAYS IS EXPECTED TO BE SOMEWHAT LIMITED. BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES WILL LIKELY DEVELOP SOME ICY OR SLUSHY PATCHES WHILE SNOW FALLS...HOWEVER ROAD SURFACES IN CONTACT WITH THE GROUND MAY SEE MUCH OF THE SNOWFALL MELT DURING THE DAY TODAY. OF COURSE SNOWFALL AMOUNTS ARE TIED VERY CLOSELY TO THE TIMING OF THE TRANSITION FROM RAIN TO SNOW. IF THE COLD AIR MOVES IN STRONGER FROM THE NORTHEAST RAIN WILL CHANGE OVER TO SNOW EARLIER IN THE DAY INCREASING SNOWFALL AMOUNTS FOR THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA. CONVERSELY IF COLD AIR ADVECTION IS WEAKER THAN EXPECTED LITTLE TO NO SNOW ACCUMULATION MAY OCCUR. THE WINTER STORM WATCH HAS BEEN REPLACED BY A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY ACROSS NORTH TX. THIS IS LARGELY DUE TO LOWER CONFIDENCE IN ANY HEAVY /GREATER THAN 4 INCH/ SNOWFALL AMOUNTS ACROSS THE AREA COMBINED WITH A RELATIVELY LOW ANTICIPATED IMPACT TO TRAVELERS. CONFIDENCE IN SNOWFALL AMOUNTS REMAINING BELOW 4 INCHES IS INCREASED BY THE PRESENCE OF PERSISTENT...STRONG THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY SOUTH OF NORTH TX. THINKING IS THAT THIS ACTIVITY WILL LIKELY RESULT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MID LEVEL POTENTIAL VORTICITY ANOMALY /MID LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM/ WHICH WILL LIKELY DIVERT THE BEST MID LEVEL LIFT AND MOISTURE EAST OF NORTH TX TODAY. ASSUMING THE TRACK OF THE UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM CAN BE TRUSTED...LARGE SCALE FORCING FOR ASCENT WILL STILL SPREAD OVER NORTH TX THROUGHOUT THE DAY TODAY KEEPING CONFIDENCE HIGH IN WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION. CONFIDENCE IN HEAVY PRECIPITATION FALLING OVER NORTH TX IS LOWERED SUBSTANTIALLY BY THIS MID LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OFF TO THE SOUTH. THE NEXT AREA OF CONCERN THEN SHIFTS TO SUNDAY NIGHT/MONDAY MORNING. FORECAST SOUNDINGS ARE CONSISTENT IN BRINGING A SHALLOW SATURATED LAYER IN PLACE OVER NORTH TX DURING THIS TIME FRAME. FORECAST SOUNDINGS ARE ALSO DEPICTING SOME SHALLOW LIFT THRU THIS LAYER WHICH RAISES CONFIDENCE IN DRIZZLE DEVELOPING OVER MUCH OF NORTH TX AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. THE PRIMARY PROBLEM WITH DRIZZLE AFTER MIDNIGHT IS THAT COLD AIR ADVECTION IS EXPECTED TO LOWER TEMPERATURES ACROSS MUCH OF NORTH TX BELOW FREEZING BY THIS TIME. TEMPERATURES WITHIN THE SHALLOW SATURATED LAYER ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN IN THE -1 TO -6 DEG C RANGE...MEANING THAT ICE CRYSTALS WILL LIKELY NOT BE PRESENT WITHIN THIS LOW CLOUD LAYER. ASSUMING THIS PANS OUT AS EXPECTED...SUPERCOOLED WATER DROPLETS WILL FALL ONTO PRIMARILY ELEVATED SURFACES THAT HAVE COOLED BELOW FREEZING INSTANTLY CREATING A THIN ICY SHELL. BECAUSE THIS SATURATED LAYER IS ONLY EXPECTED TO BE A COUPLE OF THOUSAND FEET THICK...DRIZZLE WILL BE LIGHT IN NATURE. HOWEVER A THIN ICY ACCUMULATION IS LOOKING MORE LIKELY ON ELEVATED SURFACES ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTH TX EARLY MONDAY MORNING. ASSUMING BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES ACCUMULATE A THIN ICY COATING MONDAY MORNING THIS WOULD LIKELY CAUSE SUBSTANTIAL DELAYS DURING THE MORNING COMMUTE. THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY HAS BEEN CONTINUED THRU THE OVERNIGHT HOURS TO COVER THIS POTENTIAL FOR FREEZING DRIZZLE MONDAY MORNING AS THESE AREAS ARE EXPECTED TO RECEIVE THE MOST WIDESPREAD FREEZING DRIZZLE. EVEN WITH LESS THAN A HUNDREDTH OF AN INCH OF ICE ACCUMULATION EXPECTED...THIS MAY CAUSE MORE TRAVEL HEADACHES THAN SNOWFALL TODAY ACROSS NORTH TX. EXTENDED...DID NOT MAKE ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST. BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES CONTINUE TO LOOK LIKELY FOR THE MIDDLE OF THIS WEEK. CAVANAUGH && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... DALLAS-FT. WORTH, TX 38 28 40 25 38 / 100 20 20 10 0 WACO, TX 40 30 43 28 39 / 100 5 10 10 0 PARIS, TX 32 25 33 19 35 / 100 60 20 10 5 DENTON, TX 37 28 38 24 35 / 100 20 20 10 0 MCKINNEY, TX 36 27 36 23 35 / 100 40 20 10 0 DALLAS, TX 38 28 39 23 37 / 100 20 20 10 0 TERRELL, TX 37 28 37 26 38 / 100 30 20 10 0 CORSICANA, TX 38 30 41 28 39 / 100 20 10 10 0 TEMPLE, TX 41 31 48 26 40 / 100 5 10 10 0 MINERAL WELLS, TX 38 29 43 21 37 / 100 20 20 10 0 && .FWD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 9 AM CST MONDAY FOR TXZ092>095-102>107-117>123-131>135-146>148. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 445 AM CST SUN JAN 9 2011 TXZ091>095-100>107-115>123-129>135-141>148-156>162-174-175-101200- MONTAGUE-COOKE-GRAYSON-FANNIN-LAMAR-YOUNG-JACK-WISE-DENTON-COLLIN- HUNT-DELTA-HOPKINS-STEPHENS-PALO PINTO-PARKER-TARRANT-DALLAS- ROCKWALL-KAUFMAN-VAN ZANDT-RAINS-EASTLAND-ERATH-HOOD-SOMERVELL- JOHNSON-ELLIS-HENDERSON-COMANCHE-MILLS-HAMILTON-BOSQUE-HILL-NAVARRO- FREESTONE-ANDERSON-LAMPASAS-CORYELL-BELL-MCLENNAN-FALLS-LIMESTONE- LEON-MILAM-ROBERTSON- 445 AM CST SUN JAN 9 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH TEXAS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. AREAS OF SNOW ARE EXPECTED TO MIX WITH RAIN LATER TODAY AND BECOME ALL SNOW ACROSS PARTS OF NORTH TEXAS BY THIS AFTERNOON. AREAS MAINLY NORTH AND EAST OF A CANTON TO FORT WORTH TO BOWIE LINE WITH HAVE THE BEST CHANCE FOR SNOW THROUGH THIS EVENING. AMOUNTS BETWEEN 2 TO 4 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE FROM GREENVILLE TO SULPHUR SPRINGS TO PARIS THROUGH THIS EVENING. LIGHTER AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED FARTHER WEST. AREAS OF FREEZING DRIZZLE ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP LATE TONIGHT ACROSS MUCH OF NORTH TEXAS. FREEZING DRIZZLE MAY CAUSE SIGNIFICANT TRAVEL IMPACTS ACROSS THE REGION INTO EARLY MONDAY MORNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. AREAS OF FREEZING DRIZZLE WILL CONTINUE INTO MONDAY MORNING ACROSS MUCH OF NORTH TEXAS. A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH NORTH TEXAS EARLY TUESDAY. WIND CHILLS WILL BE IN THE SINGLE DIGITS EARLY TUESDAY MORNING AND WEDNESDAY MORNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME BUT REPORTS OF SNOWFALL ARE REQUESTED ACROSS NORTH TEXAS. DUNN
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
8 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Four to five total inches of snow fell across the county. Several minor traffic accidents occurred due to the snow, but no other major impacts were reported.
Three to five inches of snow fell across the county. Over 60 traffic accidents were attributed to the heavy snow, with 41 of those accidents in the city of Sherman.
Four to six inches of snow fell across Lamar County. There were only a few traffic accidents reported across the county. No other impacts were reported.
Three to five inches of snow fell across Collin County, with the heavier totals in the eastern portions of the county. The main impact experienced was numerous traffic accidents. One accident resulted in a fatality near the town of Blue Ridge.
Five to six inches of snow fell across Delta County.
Five to seven inches of snow fell across the county. Numerous vehicle accidents occurred across the county, especially along Interstate 30.
Four to five inches of snow fell across the county. Several minor accidents occurred throughout the county.
Four to six inches of snow fell across Hunt County. The only major impact was numerous vehicle accidents.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy Snow, Collin | 2011-01-09 | 21 | Male | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Indirect |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, January 2011
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: 276727, 276720, 276733, 276737, 276742, 276743, 276744, 276741.