Temperatures in the upper 20s combined with sleet and freezing rain resulted in icy conditions on bridges along the Interstate 10 corridor encompassing Ozona, Sonora and Junction. This frozen precipitation resulted in two fatalities.
Every event with a place to put it; 6 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.
Temperatures in the upper 20s combined with sleet and freezing rain resulted in icy conditions on bridges along the Interstate 10 corridor encompassing Ozona, Sonora and Junction. This frozen precipitation resulted in two fatalities.
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 Jan 9, 5:38 AM CST, 1 hour 37 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANGELO TX 538 AM CST FRI JAN 9 2015 .AVIATION... /12Z TAFS/ A few showers were affecting areas near KABI this morning, but most TAF sites were dry. There were MVFR CIGS affecting the KJCT site, and winds had turned to the northeast at all sites, as a cold front moves into the area. These northeast winds will pick up and become gusty later this morning. MVFR CIGS are expected to develop across most of the area later today behind the cold front. While there is a chance for light precipitation across the area today, believe that the coverage will not be high enough to warrant a mention in TAFs at this time. However more widespread coverage is possible after 06Z tonight in the KSOA/KJCT areas. 20 && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 433 AM CST FRI JAN 9 2015/ SHORT TERM... A very light wintry mix of precipitation is still possible this morning, and again late tonight. At 330 AM, there was a band of light precipitation affecting areas from southern Nolan County, southeast through northern Runnels, Coleman and central Brown County. Temperatures were still hovering just above freezing, so this light precipitation was falling as rain. A cold front was moving south through the Texas Panhandle and Oklahoma, and a strong upper level low was moving slowly east across northwestern Mexico. Another arctic surge of air continued to move south toward the area as well. While winds were light and southerly or southeasterly for the most part across our forecast area, winds were out of the north-northeast along and north of a line from Seminole, to Wichita Falls, to Tulsa. Temperatures north of this front were generally freezing or colder and falling. This front will bring those cold temperatures into the area today, as well as slightly enhancing precipitation along the line of light rain already occurring. Temperatures are expected to hold near freezing for most of the area today. For Abilene areas and northward, expect the cold front to be near or through there early this morning, so have gone with a chance for light freezing rain or sleet as soundings continue to show a well-developed warm nose centered near 750mb through the morning hours with temperatures below freezing at the surface. Farther south, temperatures may initially be warmer than freezing at the surface, with freezing temperatures between the elevated warm nose and the surface, possibly yielding a mixture of sleet with light rain. Expect any precipitation that falls, especially after noon today to be very light. Have indicated the trend toward light precipitation with flurries or very light freezing drizzle for this afternoon, although no significant accumulations of ice or snow are expected. With temperatures cooling throughout the vertical column this afternoon, would lean toward most of the afternoon precip being closer to a snow type, but it's impossible to rule out some light freezing drizzle if the warm nose can be maintained aloft. Tonight, as the main upper level low approaches the area, increased large scale lift will move into the area from the southwest. Have kept at least a slight chance for additional wintry precipitation for areas mainly south of a Mertzon, to Eldorado, to San Saba line. With the cool temperatures at the surface, have kept precipitation in the form of sleet, freezing rain, or snow, with the better chances for snow farther west where there will be better cooling/moistening aloft associated with the low allowing for a better chance of ice crystal formation. There is more uncertainty with how heavy the precipitation will be with this round overnight, so an advisory may be needed, mainly for areas west of a Mertzon to Sonora line, but will allow the day shift to take a better look. 20 LONG TERM... A complex forecast with more possibilities of light wintry precipitation continues into the early part of next week. For Saturday, expect to see some lingering freezing/frozen precipitation during the morning hours with some light accumulation of sleet or snow possible mainly across Crockett county and higher elevations across the southwest. Not expecting any significant travel issues at this point...but if precipitation amounts end up a bit higher...we could need an advisory for parts of the area. Temperatures warm above freezing by afternoon Saturday. Temperatures will cool back to around freezing Saturday night, with some lingering precipitation across the eastern half of the area...so we could see a few icy spots develop mainly east of a Brownwood to Sonora line briefly by Sunday morning. Finally warmer Sunday...but this will be short-lived as another cold front moves into the area by Monday. Another weak shortwave trough will move across West Central Texas Monday night into Tuesday, with yet another round of light wintry precipitation possible as temperatures fall below freezing. Areas affected by this next round will mainly be across the Big Country in higher hilly areas and north of I-20. Still too far out for too many details on precipitation types and amounts for Monday into Tuesday...but kept accumulations light for now. Finally precip moves out by Wednesday with a warm-up back into the 50s to near 60 by the end of the work week. 08 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Abilene 32 18 36 31 54 / 30 5 10 20 10 San Angelo 32 19 38 32 57 / 20 5 30 20 10 Junction 35 25 35 32 55 / 20 20 40 30 20 && .SJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANGELO TX 420 AM CST FRI JAN 9 2015 TXZ049-054-064>066-071>073-076>078-098-099-113-114-127-128-139- 140-154-155-168>170-101030- 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- 420 AM CST FRI JAN 9 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL TEXAS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR A WINTRY MIX OF PRECIPITATION TODAY AND TONIGHT ACROSS MOST OF WEST CENTRAL TEXAS. THE MAIN HAZARD WILL BE A FEW ICY SPOTS ON ROADWAYS...ESPECIALLY BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES. REMEMBER...EVEN A GLAZE OF ICE PRODUCES DANGEROUS DRIVING OR OUTDOOR WALKING CONDITIONS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THE POTENTIAL FOR WINTRY PRECIPITATION WILL CONTINUE ACROSS MOST OF WEST CENTRAL TEXAS THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING. THE MAIN HAZARD WILL BE A FEW ICY SPOTS ON ROADWAYS...ESPECIALLY BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES. THERE WILL BE AN ADDITIONAL CHANCE OF A WINTRY MIX OF PRECIPITATION MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY NIGHT MAINLY ACROSS THE BIG COUNTRY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANGELO TX 513 AM CST FRI JAN 9 2015 TXZ049-054-064>066-071>073-076>078-098-099-113-114-127-128-139- 140-154-155-168>170-092300- 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- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ROTAN...ROBY...SWEETWATER... STERLING CITY...ROBERT LEE...BRONTE...BALLINGER...WINTERS... MERTZON...SAN ANGELO...EDEN...OZONA...ELDORADO...SONORA... HASKELL...THROCKMORTON...WOODSON...STAMFORD...ANSON...HAMLIN... ALBANY...ABILENE...CLYDE...BAIRD...CROSS PLAINS...COLEMAN... BROWNWOOD...BRADY...SAN SABA...MENARD...JUNCTION...MASON 513 AM CST FRI JAN 9 2015 AS AN UPPER-LEVEL DISTURBANCE MOVES ACROSS THE REGION TODAY...A LIGHT WINTRY MIX OF FREEZING RAIN...SLEET...OR LIGHT SNOW...IS POSSIBLE...MAINLY NORTH OF AN OZONA TO SAN ANGELO TO BROWNWOOD LINE. EXPECT ONLY LIGHT ACCUMULATIONS OF ICE...MAINLY ON OVERPASSES...BRIDGES AND ELEVATED...EXPOSED SURFACES ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE CONCHO VALLEY AND BIG COUNTRY COUNTIES. PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO END BY MIDDAY...BUT AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN NEAR THE FREEZING MARK. ANOTHER ROUND OF WINTRY PRECIPITATION WILL BE POSSIBLE LATER TONIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING...MAINLY SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 20. THE MOST LIKELY PRECIPITATION TYPES WILL BE FREEZING RAIN OR SLEET...WITH ACCUMULATIONS AGAIN REMAINING RELATIVELY LIGHT. THE BEST CHANCE OF ACCUMULATING SLEET OR ICE WILL BE ACROSS CROCKETT...SCHLEICHER AND SUTTON COUNTIES. TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST TO CLIMB ABOVE FREEZING BY SATURDAY AFTERNOON...ALLOWING ANY LINGERING PRECIPITATION TO CHANGE OVER TO RAIN. IMPACTS WITH THESE WEATHER SYSTEMS ARE EXPECTED TO BE MINOR AND GENERALLY CONFINED TO HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS. ICE ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE MOST LIKELY ON BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES...BUT MAY BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD IF PRECIPITATION IS HEAVIER THAN CURRENTLY FORECAST. A DIFFERENCE OF ONLY A FEW DEGREES COULD RESULT IN A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN PRECIPITATION TYPE. CONTINUE TO MONITOR YOUR LOCAL WEATHER FORECAST FOR UPDATED INFORMATION.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
6 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Radio Station DJ called to report that Interstate 20 was slick on bridges and overpasses between Baird and east of Abilene.
A trained spotter in Fisher County reported some ice on car and trees and a bit on roadways.
Sheriff's office reported mainly sleet falling and sticking to roadways.
The sheriff's office reported light icing on bridges and overpasses across the county.
At 628 AM CST, law enforcement reported two rollover accidents on Interstate 10 overpasses, resulting in two fatalities at mile markers 343 and 369.
Sheriff's office reported moderate sleet that covered the ground with one minor accident. The Stripes located near I-10 reported significant melting at 1103 AM.
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, Crockett | 2015-01-13 | Male | Unknown | Direct | |
| Winter Weather, Crockett | 2015-01-13 | Unknown | Direct |
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: 557257, 557258, 557259, 556567, 556562, 556564.