A high impact winter storm event affected most of West Central Texas during the period from January 30, 2014 through noon on January 2, 2015. The winter storm continued into the midnight hours of January 3rd.
Every event with a place to put it; 21 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 SJT wrote it up.
A high impact winter storm event affected most of West Central Texas during the period from January 30, 2014 through noon on January 2, 2015. The winter storm continued into the midnight hours of January 3rd. The freezing rain and sleet formed an icy glaze on area roads that either slowed or shut down ground travel, air travel and commerce across much of the region by the morning of December 31st. There were numerous accidents in the cities of Abilene and San Angelo. A hospital in San Angelo had to divert patients as it ran out of room. An arctic cold front caused temperatures to drop below freezing across much the region by the afternoon and the evening of the 30th and continued through New Years Eve and New Years Day.
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 San Angelo, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 30, 5:52 AM CST, 5 hours 6 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANGELO TX 552 AM CST Tue Dec 30 2014 .AVIATION... /12Z TAFS/ Very poor flying conditions over the next 24 hours. IFR to MVFR CIGS are quickly enveloping the entire area as an arctic cold front moves through the region. Combined with slightly more humid air intruding from the east, visibilities are also lowering as the front moves through. KABI currently sits at 1 1/2SM with a CIG of 300 feet. Believe this is temporary this morning and should improve slightly to near 5SM and between 500 and 1000 foot CIGS. Light drizzle is also expected to develop across the area with the possibility of freezing drizzle occurring, mainly tonight and especially at the KABI terminal. Have not introduced any freezing precipitation into the prevailing conditions yet, but they may be needed later. Expect the IFR to low end MVFR conditions to prevail through the next 24 hours. Light and variable winds initially will become northeast between 10 and 15 knots. 20 && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 358 AM CST Tue Dec 30 2014/ SHORT TERM... Today and Tonight) ..Winter Weather Event beginning today... A Winter Weather Advisory will be issued for northern areas this afternoon, and the rest of the area tonight. The arctic airmass that has been anticipated for the past several days has made its way into the area early this morning...with temperatures in lower 30s along and north of Interstate 20 under a deck of low clouds. Farther south, there are actually a few readings in the upper 20s where clear skies have allowed for good radiational cooling. For the Big Country, those current temperatures will not vary much throughout the rest of the day. We may see a few degrees of warming this morning, but cold air advection continues to strengthen throughout the day, which will either slow or reverse any warming along and north of I-20 later today. Similar patterns are expected for the Concho Valley, Heartland and south, but initial temperatures should be warmer so, we may see temperatures hovering closer to the mid 30s for the Concho Valley east into the Brownwood area, and near 40 for areas along and south of the I-10 corridor. Temperatures tonight will drop below freezing for all areas as cold air continues to filter south into the region. Models indicate isentropic lift today through tonight over the cold airmass, and this is likely the only significant source of lift in the area with no significant shortwaves moving across the area. That argues for very light precipitation across the area. Depending on where you are this will be in the form of light drizzle or light rain, or some form of very light freezing and/or frozen precipitation. Will show light freezing drizzle or freezing rain for northern areas throughout the day today, although better chances will exist later this afternoon as isentropic lift gain momentum. We could see some of this freezing precipitation as far south as Irion County later today as the best push of cold air is actually centered west of our area, and we may see some of this freezing precipitation as far east as northwestern Tom Green and Coke Counties, so have begun the Winter Weather Advisory for all of the Big Country, and western areas of the Concho Valley at 18Z today. A Winter Weather Advisory for the rest of the area will begin at midnight tonight. Will show a change from mainly freezing drizzle/freezing rain to freezing drizzle/light sleet tonight generally along and north of a Sterling City to Cross Plains line as soundings show temperatures just above the surface dropping to -7 to -10 Celsius which may allow for some light sleet to develop as opposed to all freezing precipitation in these areas. Farther south, will show freezing drizzle and/or light freezing rain as temperatures aren't as cold off the surface, but still drop to below freezing in all areas by midnight. As far as accumulations go, have gone with less than a tenth of an inch of ice everywhere, with the best chances of accumulating ice west of an Abilene to San Angelo line. The very light nature of the precipitation will preclude significant accumulations, but bridges and overpasses will be susceptible to a light glaze of ice, and that is why the Advisory will be issued. LONG TERM... (Wednesday through Tuesday) Wintry precipitation will continue through Thursday morning, and will thus continue the winter weather advisory through the period. portions of the area, mainly southeast of a San Angelo to Abilene line may need to be upgraded to a warning for Wednesday Night and Thursday morning, but will get the word out now with the advisory and see if later models continue the trend. Main upper low will drop into the southwest US by late Wednesday. It will remain far enough west during the day that the only real lift going on will be weak isentropic lift. This will produce light precipitation with totals less than one tenth of an inch. However...given the subfreezing temperatures, this will be in the form of freezing drizzle/very light freezing rain/and light sleet. Do not expect major problems on area roadways, but bridges and overpasses may still be effected. As we have talked about for several days, of more concern in the Wednesday Night and Thursday morning time frame. More significant wintry precipitation is likely as as shortwave rounds the base of the main upper low and ejects out across the area. Soundings still haven't changed, with freezing rain and sleet the most likely precipitation types. Still a little uncertain on the track and timing of this wave, and rather than have a confusing mix match of a winter weather advisory for one area for one period of time, and a second somewhat overlapping Winter Storm Watch for a different area for a second time period, just opted to simplify and run the Winter Weather Advisory through the entire period. Would not be surprised to see portions of the advisory area upgraded at a later time however. Have continued the mention of precipitation changing to all rain for Thursday afternoon, although this will be have to be monitored as well. Surface temperatures across the I-20 corridor may try to stay below just freezing well into the afternoon. But even if temperatures stay right at freezing, a warm rain would still have a hard time freezing on contact. Upper low pulls out across the South Plains Friday Night, so decent rain chances will continue for Thursday night into Friday night. Strong warm advection going on for a big part of the time should keep precipitation as just rain. But again, if the cold core of the upper low drops a little farther south and southeast and crosses the area, portions of the northern and western Big Country north and west of Abilene may see a changeover back to snow Friday night. Will have to monitor that as well. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Abilene 34 20 28 25 35 / 20 30 30 40 50 San Angelo 38 26 30 27 38 / 20 40 40 50 50 Junction 46 30 33 29 37 / 10 20 20 50 50 && .SJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY from Noon today to Noon CST Thursday FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: Callahan...Coke...Fisher...Haskell... Irion...Jones...Nolan...Shackelford...Sterling...Taylor... Throckmorton...Tom Green. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY from Midnight tonight to Noon CST Thursday FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: Brown...Coleman...Concho... Crockett...Kimble...Mason...McCulloch...Menard...Runnels...San Saba...Schleicher...Sutton. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANGELO TX 522 AM CST TUE DEC 30 2014 TXZ049-054-064>066-071>073-076>078-098-099-113-114-127-128-139- 140-154-155-168>170-311130- FISHER-NOLAN-STERLING-COKE-RUNNELS-IRION-TOM GREEN-CONCHO- CROCKETT-SCHLEICHER-SUTTON-HASKELL-THROCKMORTON-JONES-SHACKELFORD- TAYLOR-CALLAHAN-COLEMAN-BROWN-MCCULLOCH-SAN SABA-MENARD-KIMBLE- MASON- 522 AM CST TUE DEC 30 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL TEXAS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT TODAY AND TONIGHT. AREAS OF LIGHT FREEZING DRIZZLE...FREEZING RAIN...AND SLEET WILL DEVELOP LATER TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT. THE MAIN HAZARD WILL BE ICY CONDITIONS DEVELOPING ON AREA ROADWAYS...ESPECIALLY BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES. ALTHOUGH AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE LIGHT...ANY AMOUNT OF ICE ON AREA ROADWAYS COULD PRODUCE DANGEROUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY FREEZING DRIZZLE...FREEZING RAIN...AND SLEET WILL AGAIN BE POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING...ESPECIALLY SOUTH OF A BROWNWOOD TO OZONA LINE. THIS ADDITIONAL FREEZING PRECIPITATION WILL CONTINUE TO CAUSE HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS FOR NEW YEARS EVE INTO NEW YEARS DAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
21 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
A half an inch of sleet and freezing rain was reported in Sweetwater along with numerous accidents.
A quarter inch of ice and sleet was reported at Abilene State Park. Over 100 accidents were reported from the night of the 30th through New Years Day. The Abilene Airport was closed.
A trained spotter estimated about four tenths of an inch of ice and sleet in Baird.
A trained spotter reported a quarter inch of ice and sleet 2 miles east northeast of Rochester. A motorist was traveling South on US-277, 2 miles south of Haskell and lost control of his vehicle on the icy road. The vehicle spun and left the roadway to the east. The vehicle traveled through the front yard of a residence and struck a tree killing the occupant.
About 0.39 inches of ice and sleet was reported 1 mile north northwest of Roby.
About half an inch of ice and sleet was reported in Anson.
A quarter inch of sleet and freezing rain was reported in Sterling City. Law enforcement officials reported dangerous driving conditions and several accidents in the county. They also reported it was difficult for emergency personnel to reach these accidents.
Two tenths of an inch of sleet and freezing rain was reported in Robert Lee.
Two tenths of an inch of freezing rain was reported in Wingate and a quarter inch of sleet and freezing rain was reported in Novice.
Trained spotter reported a half an inch of freezing rain in Eldorado.
A quarter of an inch of freezing rain was reported in Brady.
A quarter inch of freezing rain and sleet was reported in Mertzon.
A quarter inch of freezing rain and sleet was reported in Eden.
A quarter inch of freezing rain was reported in San Angelo. West Texas Community went on full diversion because of an increase number of fractures and other health problems. Full diversion status means there are not enough beds or staff available in the facility to adequately care for more patients. There were also numerous wrecks reported. Grocery stores ran out of some food items. Over 100 accidents were reported from the night of the 30th through New Years Day. The San Angelo Airport was closed.
A quarter inch of freezing rain and sleet was reported in Ozona.
A National Weather Service Cooperative Observer reported a tenth of an inch of freezing rain. The sheriff's office reported U.S. Highway 83 was blocked 3 miles south of Menard by three 18-wheeler trucks that collided.
A quarter inch of ice and sleet was reported in Throckmorton.
A quarter inch of ice and sleet was reported in Albany.
A quarter of an inch of freezing rain was reported in Santa Anna.
The sheriff's office reported 0.13 inches of freezing rain along with numerous accidents in the area.
The sheriff's office reported 0.13 inches of freezing rain about 11 miles west of Sonora.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, December 2014
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: 553435, 553438, 553440, 553458, 553459, 553463, 553490, 553492, 553494, 553495, 553403, 553496, 553498, 553499, 553362, 553391, 553500, 553501, 553506, 553388, 553404.