As an arctic cold airmass settled over the area, widespread light freezing drizzle developed and resulted in a thin glaze of ice on roads and walkways across a large part of West Central Texas throughout the morning. Many school districts and government offices in Abilene, San Angelo, Brownwood, Brady, Haskell, and surrounding areas closed for the day.
Every event with a place to put it; 9 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.
As an arctic cold airmass settled over the area, widespread light freezing drizzle developed and resulted in a thin glaze of ice on roads and walkways across a large part of West Central Texas throughout the morning. Many school districts and government offices in Abilene, San Angelo, Brownwood, Brady, Haskell, and surrounding areas closed for the day. Three people were killed and one was injured in Tom Green County when an ambulance traveling from Sterling City to San Angelo flipped over and burned.
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 Feb 10, 11:36 PM CST, 54 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANGELO TX 1136 PM CST MON FEB 10 2014 .AVIATION... /06Z TAFS/ Widespread freezing drizzle and fog along with LIFR CIGS will continue overnight at TAF sites across West Central Texas. Some light snow may mix in at times, particularly 6 AM to Noon as an upper shortwave approaches the region. CIGS begin lifting midday as the upper shortwave moves east, bringing more subsident conditions in the afternoon. Expect CIGS to return to MVFR in the afternoon and VFR late afternoon/evening. 04 && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 817 PM CST MON FEB 10 2014/ .DISCUSSION... Temperatures are generally at or below freezing as far south as the I-10 corridor at this hour, so have gone ahead and started the Winter Weather Advisory for our southern counties at 9 PM as opposed to the original Midnight start time. The updated WSW has been sent, and the updated ZFP and PFM will be sent shortly. 20 && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 556 PM CST MON FEB 10 2014/ AVIATION... /00Z TAFS/ IFR/LIFR CIGS and visibilities will continue into the morning hours Tuesday. Freezing drizzle potential will increase after 06Z as an upper shortwave approaches from the west. Precipitation potential should decrease mid morning. Subsidence with passage of upper shortwave, should allow CIGS to rise to MVFR early afternoon and VFR late afternoon. KABI will have the main impact from freezing precipitation as temperatures remain in the lower and mid 20s though 15Z Tuesday. 04 PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 310 PM CST MON FEB 10 2014/ SHORT TERM... (Tonight and Tuesday) ..Another round of freezing drizzle and freezing fog possible late tonight and Tuesday... Temperatures across the area this afternoon range from the mid 30s across the Interstate 10 corridor, to the mid 20s north of Interstate 20. Although freezing drizzle has decreased this afternoon, areas of freezing fog and mist continue, with temperatures near to below freezing generally north of a Mertzon...to San Angelo...to Brownwood line. A Winter Weather Advisory continues for these areas as patchy ice will continue through the evening hours, with temperatures slowly falling after sunset. The main upper level trough will approach West Central Texas tonight, and swing across the area on Tuesday. Areas of mainly light freezing drizzle will develop, first across the Interstate 20 corridor after midnight, then across much of the rest of the region through the early morning hours. The Winter Weather Advisory for areas generally north of a Mertzon...to San Angelo to Brownwood line will continue this afternoon through 6 PM Tuesday, while areas south of here the Winter Weather Advisory will be in effect from 12 AM to 6 PM Tuesday. Forecast model soundings continue to not be very impressive for snowfall development, even across the Big Country. A fairly stout warm layer is evident, with a fairly unsaturated profile in the -10 to -16 degree C layer. My current thinking is that mostly freezing drizzle will occur, with some sleet mixed in across much of Big Country, Concho Valley and Heartland initially, then freezing drizzle and some sleet across all of the area during morning hours. During the mid to late morning hours, profiles look a bit more favorable for snow across the Big Country, so I have included snow in the mix, although very little to no accumulation is forecast. Although the precipitation is forecast to be very light, accumulations of up to one tenth of an inch will be possible. It only takes a glaze of ice to result in hazardous driving conditions, and residents are urged to drive with caution overnight and throughout the day Tuesday. Daniels LONG TERM... (Tuesday Night through next Monday) The upper level short wave will move east across the forecast area tomorrow afternoon with any associated precipitation located east of the CWA. Upper level ridging will build over the western CONUS into the coming weekend with a resulting northwest flow aloft over the forecast area. Looking for very cold temperatures tomorrow night with lows on Wednesday morning in the low to mid 20s under mostly clear skies with light winds. Any residual moisture on area roadways Tuesday night will remain frozen through most of Wednesday morning with temperatures finally warming above freezing by 11am. Wednesday afternoon highs will be in the mid 50s to around 60. After one more freezing morning on Thursday with lows in the lower 30s, subsequent morning lows will be above freezing across all of the forecast area. Expecting mid to upper 30s on Friday morning and generally low to mid 40s for morning lows into the beginning of next week. Afternoon highs on Thursday will be in the upper 60s to around 70 with mostly mid 70s expected into the beginning of next week. Tuesday night through next Monday will remain dry. 15 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Abilene 23 33 22 55 32 / 30 50 10 0 0 San Angelo 26 34 22 60 32 / 30 50 10 0 0 Junction 30 35 22 61 29 / 40 50 10 5 0 && .SJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY until 6 PM CST Tuesday FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: Brown...Callahan...Coke...Coleman...Concho...Fisher... Haskell...Irion...Jones...Nolan...Runnels...Shackelford... Sterling...Taylor...Throckmorton...Tom Green. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY until 6 PM CST Tuesday FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: Crockett...Kimble...Mason...McCulloch...Menard...San Saba...Schleicher...Sutton. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANGELO TX 310 PM CST MON FEB 10 2014 TXZ049-054-064>066-071>073-076>078-098-099-113-114-127-128-139- 140-154-155-168>170-112115- 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- 310 PM CST MON FEB 10 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL TEXAS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT AREAS OF FREEZING DRIZZLE AND FREEZING FOG CONTINUE GENERALLY NORTH OF MERTZON...TO SAN ANGELO...TO BROWNWOOD LINE THIS AFTERNOON AND WILL CONTINUE INTO THIS EVENING. AREAS OF FREEZING DRIZZLE...FREEZING FOG AND SLEET WILL DEVELOP ACROSS MUCH OF WEST CENTRAL TEXAS AFTER MIDNIGHT. MINOR ICE ACCUMULATIONS COULD OCCUR ACROSS THE AREA...WITH MINOR SLEET ACCUMULATIONS MAINLY ACROSS THE BIG COUNTRY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY ON TUESDAY...AREAS OF FREEZING DRIZZLE AND SLEET WILL CONTINUE ACROSS A LARGE PORTION OF THE AREA INTO THE EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS. LIGHT SNOW WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE ACROSS PARTS OF THE BIG COUNTRY...BUT LITTLE TO NO ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED. MINOR ACCUMULATIONS OF ICE AND SLEET ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS AND LOCAL OFFICIALS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY ACCUMULATIONS OF WINTRY PRECIPITATION TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SAN ANGELO.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
9 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
A Sterling City ambulance lost control on some ice along U.S. Highway 87 near Water Valley or about 10 miles north of San Angelo. The vehicle flipped and caught on fire and resulted in three fatalities and one injury.
At 3 PM a National Weather Service employee reported 0.10 inches of ice remained on the ground in San Angelo. At 5 PM a National Weather Service employee reported 0.20 inches of ice remained on the ground in Christoval.
The Taylor County Sheriff's Office reported freezing drizzle with roads becoming icy around 2:30 AM. The Abilene Department of Public Safety reported reported a continuation of icy conditions and several accidents in the area at 8:31 AM.
The Concho County Sheriff's Office reported ice along U.S. Highway 83 at 4:51 AM.
The Haskell County Sheriff's Office reported freezing drizzle with roads becoming icy.
The Sterling County Sheriff's office reported roads becoming icy at 3 AM.
The Runnels County Sheriff's Office reported many roads iced over in the city of Ballinger at 4:54 AM.
The Sutton County Sheriff's Office reported U.S. Highway 277 as very treacherous due to ice and reported two accidents. The Texas Department of Transportation reported exit 398 along Interstate 10 West, was closed. Several accidents were reported along Interstate 10.
The Brown County emergency manager reported roads between Coleman and Brownwood were covered in ice. Schools and public offices were closed. Several accidents were also reported.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Weather, Tom Green | 2014-02-11 | 52 | Male | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Indirect |
| Winter Weather, Tom Green | 2014-02-11 | 45 | Male | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Indirect |
| Winter Weather, Tom Green | 2014-02-11 | 43 | Male | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Indirect |
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, February 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: 504072, 504073, 504071, 504075, 504079, 504074, 504076, 504077, 504078.