A mix of freezing rain, sleet and snow fell on southeast New Mexico and west Texas as an arctic airmass resided over the region, and ahead of a slow moving upper trough.
Every event with a place to put it; 19 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 MAF wrote it up.
A mix of freezing rain, sleet and snow fell on southeast New Mexico and west Texas as an arctic airmass resided over the region, and ahead of a slow moving upper trough.
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 Midland/Odessa, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 31, 10:42 PM CST, 1 hour 33 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX
1042 PM CST Wed Dec 31 2014
.DISCUSSION...
See 06z aviation discussion below.
&&
.AVIATION...
Areas of light snow, freezing drizzle, sleet, and freezing rain will
be possible across the area through the overnight period; however,
forecast soundings indicate sleet will be the predominant
precipitation type. There is a slight chance of freezing fog around
12z to 15z. The chances of precipitation continue through the day
tomorrow and may even change over to rain as temperatures begin to
warm up to above freezing in the afternoon. Winds are expected to
remain light out of the northeast to southeast through the period.
&&
PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 253 PM CST Wed Dec 31 2014/
DISCUSSION...
.Additional ice accumulations likely overnight along and south of
the I-20 corridor...
Temperatures have remained in the teens and 20s this New Years Eve as
Arctic air has taken hold on the region. Light snow and freezing
drizzle have also continued with little additional accumulations.
Even with light freezing rain and freezing drizzle we were able to
accumulate a quarter inch of ice on grassy surfaces and a half
inch of ice on north-facing surfaces! With temperatures so cold,
the ground will remain frozen and any additional precip will
accumulate on roads and any exposed surfaces. That leads me to my
next point. Models have come into much better agreement that a
shortwave will break off from an upper low over the Desert SW and
cross the area overnight. This will lead to an increase in
precipitation across locations along and south of I-20. Will
continue on the colder side of guidance given it has been too warm
for last night and today. Atmospheric profiles suggest most of the
precip will be in the form of freezing rain as a warm layer
thickens above the sfc. Will need to monitor this event closely as
up to 0.40" of ice accumulation will be possible along and
southeast of a line from Colorado City to Rankin. This amount of
ice may cause power outages and even more problems on the roads.
The Winter Storm Warning will be extended for areas along and
south of I-20 until Noon Thursday. North of I-20, a Winter Weather
Advisory will be issued for lighter amounts of freezing rain and
freezing drizzle.
Precip should begin to wane by late morning as the disturbance moves
off to the northeast. Temperatures will remain cold all day
Thursday, but should rise above freezing across all but the
northern Permian Basin. Several more disturbances are progged to
move across the area as long as the slow moving upper low remains
to our west. These waves are hard to time until we are about 12
hrs or so out so will continue with areawide PoPs through Friday
night. Precip type will also be hard to determine given the vast
difference in temperatures in the models. For now will keep a mix
of rain, freezing rain, and sleet changing to snow by Friday night
as the upper low moves overhead. The forecast will continue to be
refined through this event and more winter weather headlines will
likely be needed.
Temperatures warm a bit Saturday before another strong cold front
moves through early Sunday. Dry conditions are expected Saturday and
beyond.
&&
.MAF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NM...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY until 11 AM MST Thursday FOR THE
FOLLOWING ZONES... Central Lea County...Eddy County
Plains...Guadalupe Mountains of Eddy County...Northern Lea
County...Southern Lea County.
TX...WINTER STORM WARNING until Noon CST Thursday FOR THE FOLLOWING
ZONES... Big Bend Area...Crane...Davis/Apache Mountains
Area...Ector...Glasscock...Howard...Marfa Plateau...
Martin...Midland...Mitchell...Pecos...Reagan...Reeves
County and Upper Trans Pecos...Scurry...Terrell...Upton...
Ward.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY until Noon CST /11 AM MST/ Thursday FOR
THE FOLLOWING ZONES... Andrews...Borden...Dawson...Gaines...
Guadalupe Mountains...Loving...Van Horn and Highway 54
Corridor...Winkler.
&&
99
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http://weather.gov/midlandHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...RESENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX 503 PM CST WED DEC 31 2014 NMZ027>029-033-034-TXZ045>048-050>053-057>063-067>070-074-075- 079>082-258-011945- GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS OF EDDY COUNTY-EDDY COUNTY PLAINS- NORTHERN LEA COUNTY-CENTRAL LEA COUNTY-SOUTHERN LEA COUNTY-GAINES- DAWSON-BORDEN-SCURRY-ANDREWS-MARTIN-HOWARD-MITCHELL- VAN HORN AND HIGHWAY 54 CORRIDOR-REEVES COUNTY AND UPPER TRANS PECOS- LOVING-WINKLER-ECTOR-MIDLAND-GLASSCOCK-WARD-CRANE-UPTON-REAGAN- DAVIS/APACHE MOUNTAINS AREA-PECOS-PRESIDIO VALLEY-MARFA PLATEAU- BIG BEND AREA-TERRELL-GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS- 142 PM CST WED DEC 31 2014 /1242 PM MST WED DEC 31 2014/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO...SOUTHWEST TEXAS AND WEST TEXAS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT VERY COLD AIR WILL CONTINUE ALONG WITH LIGHT SNOW AND FREEZING FOG RESULTING IN LIGHT ICE ACCUMULATIONS THROUGH MID EVENING ACROSS MOST AREAS. LITTLE IMPROVEMENT IN DRIVING CONDITIONS IS EXPECTED. A WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR MOST AREAS. THE POTENTIAL FOR RENEWED FREEZING RAIN WILL INCREASE OVERNIGHT...ESPECIALLY SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 20 WHERE SIGNIFICANT ICE ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE RESULTING IN WORSENING DRIVING CONDITIONS. FREEZING FOG IS ALSO FAVORED ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE MOUNTAINS SLOPES WITH LIGHT ICE ACCUMULATIONS. THE WINTER STORM WATCH WILL BE EXTENDED THROUGH THURSDAY NOON FOR AREA ALONG AND SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 20 AND A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY WILL REPLACE THE WARNING FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY FREEZING RAIN WILL BE POSSIBLE UNTIL AROUND NOON THURSDAY ESPECIALLY FOR THE SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST BASIN AND THE LOWER TRANS PECOS. A WINTRY MIX WILL STILL BE POSSIBLE INTO FRIDAY AS THE UPPER SYSTEM FINALLY NEARS THE AREA. STAY TUNED FOR THE LATEST WEATHER UPDATES FOR THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY FOR POTENTIAL CHANGES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ALTHOUGH SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED LOCAL EMERGENCY OFFICIALS WILL PROBABLY BE BUSY WITH THE ICY CONDITIONS...EVEN ON BUSY ROADS LIKE INTERSTATES...HIGHWAYS...AND BUSINESS ROADS. THIS PRODUCT...ALONG WITH OTHER WATCHES...WARNINGS...ADVISORIES... AND STATEMENTS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN MIDLAND CAN BE FOUND ON THE INTERNET AT /LOWER CASE/ HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/MIDLAND
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
23 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Near 0.25 inch of ice and sleet accumulation. Roads between Crane and Rankin were very icy.
One quarter to one half inch of ice covering everything. Driving in Alpine was nearly impossible. Frequent dense freezing fog had been going on since December 30th.
The Brewster County Sheriffs Office closed Highway 67 between Alpine and Fort Stockton until further notice since a major power line which supplies power to Marathon and Terlingua failed due to icy conditions. Restoration time was estimated for 1200 LST January 3rd.
Report of 2 inches of snow on top of 0.25 inch of ice. Roads are treacherous.
A quarter inch of ice accumulation extrapolated from surrounding counties.
Ice accumulation around 0.25 inch at the Interstate 10 and Interstate 20 split, which is 39 miles southwest of Pecos. Ice accumulation was only around one tenth of an inch in Pecos.
Close to 1 inch of ice accumulation. They had partial power outages in Grandfalls and Barstow.
The Odessa Automated Surface Observing System reported 0.25 inch of ice by 1053 LST on January 2nd, and a total ice accumulation of 0.42 inch. This was in addition to around 0.25 inch already accumulated from December 30th and 31st.
Oncor Utilities reported 7,500 customers without power, and Sharyland reported 800 customers without power across Ector County from downed power lines due to icing. The Odessa Police Department reported streets becoming flooded from moderate to heavy rainfall and ice blocking drainage.
Odessa Fire and Rescue reported numerous power lines down, in addition to high water rescues, and advised residents to stay away from Tom Green, Muskingum and Dixie streets between 52nd street, south to 16th street.
A Park Ranger reported 3 inches of snow on top of 0.25 inch of ice in Guadalupe Mountains National Park.
The Fort Stockton Automated Surface Observing System reported 0.25 inch of ice accumulation by 1441 LST on January 2nd, and a total of 0.37 inch. This was in addition to around 0.25 inch of ice accumulation from December 30th and 31st.
Around 0.25 inch of ice and sleet accumulation. Roads were very icy between Crane and Rankin.
Reports of 0.25-0.50 inch of ice accumulation with numerous trees and power lines down. From 1100 to 2300 LST on January 2nd, the Andrews Sheriffs Office had over 30 calls about power lines down. In some cases, trees laden with ice fell on the power lines and started fires.
The Midland Automated Surface Observing System reported 0.25 inch of ice accumulation by January 2nd at 1048 LST. The total ice accumulation was 0.30 inch. This was in addition to around 0.25 inch of ice accumulation from December 30th and 31st. Three quarters of an inch of ice was measured at the Midland National Weather Service Office on the morning of January 3rd.
Oncor Utilities reported 3,100 customers without power, and Sharyland reported 800 customers without power from down power lines due to icing.
One quarter to one half inch of ice accumulation. This was in addition to 0.10 to 0.25 inch of ice accumulation on December 30th and 31st.
One half inch of ice accumulation with several power outages reported. Sharyland Utilities reported over 2,100 customers without power across Martin County from downed power lines due to ice accumulation.
Roads were icy in Big Spring. They had a mix of freezing rain, sleet and snow with ice accumulations varying between one tenth and one quarter inch.
An electric company reported 3400 customers without power from power lines down due to icing across Gaines, Dawson and Borden counties.
An electric company reported 3400 customers without power across Gaines, Dawson and Borden counties from power lines down due to icing.
Heavy sleet fell on the morning of January 1st with 2 inch accumulations in the northern part of the county. Ice accumulation of one tenth to one quarter inch. Interstate 20 was very icy and they were tending to several wrecks the morning of January 2nd.
Near 0.50 inch of ice accumulation. Big Lake and surrounding areas described as a skating rink.
Heavy sleet fell over southern portions of the county on January 1st with around 2 inches of accumulation. Icing was less, especially in Snyder where 0.10 inch of ice accumulation was reported.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, January 2015
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: 549418, 549422, 549435, 549445, 549454, 549437, 549446, 549407, 549434, 549447, 549408, 549419, 549444, 549405, 549431, 549409, 549430, 549436, 549443, 549453, 549423, 549449, 549428.