A high impact winter storm event affected much of West Central Texas during the period from January 30, 2014 through noon on January 2, 2015. The winter storm continued through midnight on January 3rd for areas north of Interstate 20.
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 much of West Central Texas during the period from January 30, 2014 through noon on January 2, 2015. The winter storm continued through midnight on January 3rd for areas north of Interstate 20. 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 these freezing temperatures remained 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 31, 11:47 PM CST, 13 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANGELO TX 1147 PM CST WED DEC 31 2014 .AVIATION... /06Z TAFS/ Expect very challenging flight weather to continue for the next 24 hours. The primary precipitation will be freezing drizzle; however, occasional sleet is possible. There may be some improvement late tomorrow afternoon, when ceilings may lift above 1000 feet above ground level; but, confidence isn't high enough to include that in any of the terminals this cycle. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 524 PM CST WED DEC 31 2014/ AVIATION... /00Z TAFS/ Plan for extremely challenging flight weather to continue for the next 24 hours. Whats more, expect weather conditions to further deteriorate during the next 12 hours, as another wave of wintry precipitation moves across West Central Texas. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 348 PM CST WED DEC 31 2014/ SHORT TERM... (Tonight and Thursday) The anticipated lull in precipitation this afternoon will continue for a few more hours, but conditions are expected to deteriorate by late evening into the early morning hours as the next wave moves across the region. Temperatures have failed to warm more than a few degrees today with 3 PM temperatures ranging from the upper teens in the Big Country to the mid 20s along I-10. Large scale ascent is increasing to our west as echoes are becoming more prominent across the Trans-Pecos region. The latest model runs continue to ramp up QPF amounts for the overnight period. The GFS is particularly wet, producing near 1/2" of rain across the Concho Valley. The NAM and ECMWF show a more reasonable 1/4" or so. Either way, conditions tonight look ugly regarding the icing potential. We'll maintain a cold surface layer, with temperatures primarily below 30 degrees through mid-morning. There is some indication that temperatures will follow a very slow warming trend overnight due to warm advection but diabatic cooling will help offset this warming. The warm nose will intensify, providing classic freezing rain thermal profiles across the area. With QPF amounts exceeding 1/4", we anticipate additional ice accumulations up to 1/4". This may result in power outages, downed small tree limbs, and treacherous road conditions. Temperatures are expected to warm above freezing by early afternoon, generally south of a Sterling City to Brownwood line. This should bring an end to wintry precipitation for the Concho Valley and I-10 corridor. Farther north over the Big Country, temperatures will top out near 32 degrees. This will continue the threat for additional (but lighter) ice accumulations after noon. Johnson LONG TERM... (Thursday night through next Wednesday) Some additional freezing rain is expected Thursday night into Friday. With the upper low over Arizona on Thursday, the 12Z models indicate that one vorticity maximum will eject northeast from the low toward the central Plains Thursday night, while the remnant low tracks slowly southeast to the state border with southeast Arizona and southwest New Mexico on Friday. This low is forecast to move east across south-central New Mexico Friday night, before lifting northeast across the Texas Panhandle on Saturday. Ahead of this low, models develop additional QPF across our area Thursday night into Friday, with an embedded disturbance entering our area in southwest flow aloft. Isentropic upglide is also indicated with low condensation pressure deficits across our central and northern counties. Model soundings continue to show a warm nose between 700 mb and 850 mb, suggesting a rain or freezing rain scenario when the precipitation occurs. Surface temperatures will be critical on whether rain or freezing rain occurs. Surface winds be east to northeast, and models have trended a little colder with the temperatures. With this in mind, carrying rain/ freezing rain for our area roughly north of a line from Ozona to Mason to San Saba Thursday night and Friday morning. Could also have drizzle/ freezing drizzle at times with high boundary layer moisture, but to avoid complication in the wording, focusing on rain/freezing rain for the main precipitation types. Not expecting the precipitation to be as organized or intense as what occurs tonight into Thursday morning, but any additional ice accumulation is hazardous and this is something we are also closely monitoring. By Friday afternoon, temperatures are expected to climb into the mid to upper 30s (lower 40s along Interstate 10 corridor), with just rain in the afternoon. Have a rain chance Friday night as the main upper system approaches and begins to lift out. Temperatures across some of the north and northwest part of our area could drop to to or just below freezing (mainly after Midnight), so have a chance for freezing rain as well as rain across that area. At this time, not anticipating snow or sleet, given model soundings and with the cold core aloft with the upper system staying northwest of our area. Precipitation chances will end Saturday morning, with clearing skies expected from the west during the day. Temperatures should recover into the upper 40s for mid 50s for highs Saturday afternoon. A dry cold frontal passage is progged for early Saturday night, with highs Sunday about 10 degrees colder than Saturday. A quieter pattern is indicated for the first part of next week, with a dry cold frontal passage on Tuesday. 19 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Abilene 21 31 29 35 31 / 80 60 60 50 50 San Angelo 24 36 30 38 32 / 80 50 50 50 50 Junction 28 41 34 41 34 / 60 60 60 50 50 && .SJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WARNING until Noon CST Thursday FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: Brown...Callahan...Coke...Coleman...Concho...Crockett... Fisher...Haskell...Irion...Jones...Kimble...Mason...McCulloch... Menard...Nolan...Runnels...San Saba...Schleicher...Shackelford... Sterling...Sutton...Taylor...Throckmorton...Tom Green. && Aviation: Huber
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANGELO TX 308 PM CST WED DEC 31 2014 TXZ049-054-064>066-071>073-076>078-098-099-113-114-127-128-139- 140-154-155-168>170-011200- 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- 308 PM CST WED DEC 31 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL TEXAS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT FREEZING DRIZZLE...FREEZING RAIN...AND SLEET ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THIS EVENING ACROSS THE CONCHO VALLEY...SPREADING ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF WEST CENTRAL TEXAS OVERNIGHT. ADDITIONAL ICE ACCUMULATIONS NEAR 1/4 OF AN INCH ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH EARLY THURSDAY MORNING. THIS WILL RESULT IN TREACHEROUS ROAD CONDITIONS AND MAY CAUSE POWER OUTAGES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY FREEZING DRIZZLE...FREEZING RAIN...AND SLEET WILL BE POSSIBLE THURSDAY MORNING OVER WEST CENTRAL TEXAS...AND OVER THE BIG COUNTRY THURSDAY AFTERNOON. FREEZING DRIZZLE AND FREEZING RAIN WILL BE POSSIBLE NORTH OF A BROWNWOOD TO SAN ANGELO LINE THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING...AND AGAIN FRIDAY NIGHT. THIS FREEZING PRECIPITATION MAY CAUSE ADDITIONAL HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... LOCAL OFFICIALS AND WEATHER OBSERVERS ARE REQUESTED TO RELAY ICE ACCUMULATIONS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SAN ANGELO. JOHNSON
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 ice and sleet was reported in Albany.
A quarter inch of ice and sleet was reported in Throckmorton.
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.
A quarter of an inch of freezing rain was reported in Santa Anna.
A quarter inch of freezing rain and sleet was reported in Mertzon.
A quarter inch of freezing rain was reported in San Angelo. West Texas Community Hospital 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 reopened by January 2, after being closed on New Years Day.
A quarter of an inch of freezing rain was reported in Brady.
A quarter inch of freezing rain and sleet was reported in Eden.
Trained spotter reported a half an inch of freezing rain in Eldorado.
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 freezing rain and sleet was reported in Ozona.
The sheriff's office reported 0.13 inches of freezing rain about 11 miles west of Sonora.
The sheriff's office reported 0.13 inches of freezing rain along with numerous accidents in the area.
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: 556040, 556041, 556043, 556048, 556049, 556051, 556059, 556062, 556069, 556074, 556078, 556079, 556080, 556084, 556085, 556091, 556093, 556097, 556098, 556099, 556102.