A cold Arctic airmass pushed south through North and Central Texas December 30th. While temperatures had dropped into the 20s early New Year's Eve, areas of freezing drizzle developed and created travel problems across the region.
Every event with a place to put it; 27 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 FWD wrote it up.
A cold Arctic airmass pushed south through North and Central Texas December 30th. While temperatures had dropped into the 20s early New Year's Eve, areas of freezing drizzle developed and created travel problems across the region.
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 Fort Worth, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 30, 6:29 PM CST, 31 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Fort Worth TX 629 PM CST Sat Dec 30 2017 .AVIATION... An Arctic cold front has moved through the TAF sites as of 23z. Expect borderline MVFR/IFR conditions through the evening at the Metroplex sites with ceilings mainly 1000-1300 feet which may lower to around 700 feet in drizzle and fog. Some drier air will work its way in from the northeast mid to late evening, so have ended the -DZ at 04z. Temperatures across the Metroplex ranged from 35 degrees at KAFW to 40 degrees at KDAL as 23z. Temperatures will slowly fall throughout the night and should reach freezing around 03z at KAFW, 08-09z at KDFW and around 10z at KDAL. Weak lift over the shallow cold airmass should result in redevelopment of some drizzle overnight, which would become freezing drizzle on elevated surfaces as temperatures fall below freezing. Thus have included -FZDZ starting at 08z and continuing through 14z. Ceilings should improve to MVFR in the Metroplex around 15z and to VFR after 01z Monday. Northerly winds around 10 knots will prevail through the overnight hours and speeds will increase to 12 to 14 knots mid to late Sunday morning with some gusts over 20 knots are likely late Sunday morning through the afternoon hours. At Waco, ceilings should remain IFR through 13z Sunday and through not mentioned in the TAF, some brief LIFR conditions are possible in the fog and drizzle. Ceilings are expected to remain IFR through early Sunday afternoon with an improvement to MVFR by 20z. North winds around 10 knots will prevail overnight and increase to 12 to 15 knots late morning into the afternoon with some gusts to over 20 knots possible. 58 && .SHORT TERM... /Issued 329 PM CST Sat Dec 30 2017/ The first surge of arctic air was already through the northwest half of North Texas this afternoon with the cold front near a line from Comanche to Dallas to Paris at 3 PM. The front will continue to move southward through the evening and clear the entire CWA by mid evening. Although drier air continues to work in from the north, some patchy drizzle/freezing drizzle will still be possible through the evening as per NAM solution (which has done fairly well thus far). We have decided to issue a Winter Weather advisory for freezing drizzle beginning at 4 PM along and north of a line from Comanche to Weatherford to Denton to Paris to account for the possibility of light icing, mainly on elevated surfaces. We still expect precipitation to be very light and not measurable, but any precipitation with temperatures below 32 degrees could cause some travel problems. We have decided to leave the immediate DFW Metroplex out of the advisory for now since freezing temperatures will be a bit slower to arrive, but the next shift may need to adjust/expand the Advisory if the drizzle lingers/redevelops after temperatures reach freezing. The most likely window of time for freezing drizzle to impact the northwest half of North Texas, including the Metroplex, will be during the overnight/predawn hours. The remainder of North Texas will continue to see cloudy skies, patchy drizzle/fog and falling temperatures through the night, but most locations south of a line from Goldthwaite to Hillsboro to Canton should remain above freezing through sunrise Sunday. 79 && .LONG TERM... /Issued 329 PM CST Sat Dec 30 2017/ /Sunday through Saturday/ Patchy freezing drizzle and fog/freezing fog will be ongoing across the northwest half of the forecast area to start the last day of 2017. Therefore, we will continue the Winter Weather Advisory for freezing drizzle through the morning Sunday. Temperatures across the advisory area will be generally in the middle and upper 20s at sunrise with 30s elsewhere. The zone for droplet growth will be confined to the lowest 4000 ft of the atmosphere so we are confident that the primary precipitation type will be drizzle/freezing drizzle with mainly trace amounts expected. There is a slight chance that some very light snow/snow grains may develop across the northern zones after sunrise as the arctic air deepens with the arrival of a second arctic intrusion. However, this second surge of arctic air will be much drier and should shut precipitation down quickly behind it. By Sunday afternoon, most precipitation will have moved into Central Texas where temperatures will be hovering near or just above freezing. Temperatures on Sunday will be cold and remain steady or fall through the day with most locations well below freezing by sunset. The good news is that all precipitation will exit the CWA by early evening and clouds will partially clear. This will set the stage for a very cold start to 2018 with temperatures at midnight generally in the teens and 20s. Wind chills will be in the single digits Sunday night/Monday morning and will be close to Wind Chill Advisory criteria in many locations. The low level moisture will finally get purged out across the region by Monday and the sun will return, but some higher clouds will move in through the day which will keep warming to a minimum. Daytime highs Monday will be below freezing with the exception of the far southern zones where temperatures will briefly creep into the middle 30s. The medium range models do continue to indicate some shortwave energy moving across Southwest Texas on Monday with light precipitation accompanying it. The last few model runs have kept all precip south of the CWA (most likely due to how dry it will be in the low levels of the atmosphere), so will not include any PoPs at this time. Once the sun sets Monday night, temperatures will plummet and reach the teens in most spots by Tuesday morning. The only good news is that wind speeds will be relatively light so wind chills won't be much colder than the actual temperatures. The remainder of the week will see a slight warmup with temperatures finally warming above freezing by Wednesday afternoon. However, another cold front will move across the region Wednesday night and Thursday and lower temperatures once again. A more significant warmup will occur on the weekend as an upper ridge attempts to build in from the west and southerly winds return. 79 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Dallas-Ft. Worth 29 30 16 27 18 / 20 20 0 0 0 Waco 33 37 20 30 18 / 10 20 10 5 5 Paris 30 32 15 26 15 / 20 20 0 0 0 Denton 24 29 13 26 14 / 20 20 0 0 0 McKinney 27 30 14 26 15 / 20 20 0 0 0 Dallas 30 30 17 28 18 / 20 20 0 0 0 Terrell 31 35 17 29 17 / 20 20 5 0 0 Corsicana 34 36 20 31 18 / 10 20 10 5 5 Temple 33 39 21 30 18 / 10 20 10 10 5 Mineral Wells 26 29 12 26 13 / 20 20 0 5 0 && .FWD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Weather Advisory until noon CST Sunday for TXZ091>095- 100>104-115>117-129. && 58/24
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Fort Worth TX 353 PM CST Sat Dec 30 2017 TXZ091>095-100>107-115>123-129>135-141>148-156>162-174-175-311230- Montague-Cooke-Grayson-Fannin-Lamar-Young-Jack-Wise-Denton-Collin- Hunt-Delta-Hopkins-Stephens-Palo Pinto-Parker-Tarrant-Dallas- Rockwall-Kaufman-Van Zandt-Rains-Eastland-Erath-Hood-Somervell- Johnson-Ellis-Henderson-Comanche-Mills-Hamilton-Bosque-Hill-Navarro- Freestone-Anderson-Lampasas-Coryell-Bell-McLennan-Falls-Limestone- Leon-Milam-Robertson- 353 PM CST Sat Dec 30 2017 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for North and Central Texas. .DAY ONE...Tonight. Patchy freezing drizzle is possible tonight north of a line from Goldthwaite to Dallas to Emory. While this precipitation will not be heavy, any amounts that accumulate could be sufficient to produce some impacts to travel especially north of a line from Comanche to Denton to Paris where a Winter Weather Advisory is in effect. A thin coating of ice may occur on some bridges, overpasses, and on exposed surfaces such as windshields and stop signs. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday. The threat for freezing drizzle will continue on Sunday, but will end from north to south Sunday afternoon and evening. While this precipitation will not be heavy, any amounts that accumulate could be sufficient to produce some impacts to travel. Very cold temperatures are expected Sunday through Tuesday night. Overnight lows will be in the teens and 20s, but the wind chill values will fall into the single digits and teens in many locations with even a few spots below 0 early Monday morning. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time but reports of any frozen precipitation tonight and Sunday are appreciated.
Special Weather Statement...UPDATED National Weather Service Fort Worth TX 510 PM CST Sat Dec 30 2017 TXZ105>107-118>123-130>135-141>148-156>162-174-175-310915- Hunt-Delta-Hopkins-Tarrant-Dallas-Rockwall-Kaufman-Van Zandt- Rains-Erath-Hood-Somervell-Johnson-Ellis-Henderson-Comanche-Mills- Hamilton-Bosque-Hill-Navarro-Freestone-Anderson-Lampasas-Coryell- Bell-McLennan-Falls-Limestone-Leon-Milam-Robertson- Including the cities of Greenville, Commerce, Cooper, Sulphur Springs, Fort Worth, Arlington, Dallas, Rockwall, Heath, Terrell, Kaufman, Forney, Canton, Grand Saline, Wills Point, Van, Edgewood, Emory, East Tawakoni, Point, Stephenville, Dublin, Granbury, Oak Trail Shores, Glen Rose, Cleburne, Burleson, Waxahachie, Ennis, Midlothian, Athens, Gun Barrel City, Comanche, De Leon, Goldthwaite, Hamilton, Hico, Clifton, Meridian, Valley Mills, Hillsboro, Corsicana, Teague, Fairfield, Wortham, Palestine, Lampasas, Copperas Cove, Gatesville, Killeen, Temple, Fort Hood, Waco, Marlin, Mexia, Groesbeck, Buffalo, Centerville, Jewett, Normangee, Oakwood, Cameron, Rockdale, Hearne, Franklin, and Calvert 510 PM CST Sat Dec 30 2017 ...Freezing precipitation and minor icing possible tonight and into Sunday for parts of North and Central TX. Low wind chills are also anticipated late Sunday into Monday Morning for much of the area... * LOCATIONS IMPACTED...While all of North and Central Texas may see light freezing drizzle, the greatest risk of light ice accumulations will occur along and northwest of a Comanche to Denton to Paris line. * TIMING....Beginning as early as 10 PM Saturday evening...light icing due to freezing drizzle may occur near and northwest of an Eastland to Denton to Paris line. The threat area for light icing due to freezing drizzle could expand southward towards a Comanche to DFW to Sulphur Springs during the overnight hours. After sunrise and into the day on Sunday, there will remain a risk for very light icing as far south as a Killeen to Waco to Athens line. All wintry precipitation will end from north to south starting around midday Sunday across the north and by Sunday evening over the south. * ACCUMULATIONS...Light icing of a trace to a couple hundredths of an inch are possible...especially near and northwest of an Eastland to Denton to Paris line. * IMPACTS...Light icing on elevated surfaces, such as bridges, overpasses and some surface streets may lead to hazardous travel...especially north and west of the D/FW Metroplex. * COLD TEMPERATURES...Wind chills Sunday evening will drop into the teens across the entire area. By Monday morning single digit wind chills are likely and a wind chill advisory will more than likely be required. Prepare for the possibility of some hazardous travel in parts of North and Central Texas late tonight through Sunday evening. Normal travel should remain possible, however, be prepared to practice safe winter driving techniques - especially when crossing bridges and overpasses. In addition, individuals are encouraged to prepare for low wind chills Sunday night into Monday and dress in layers to avoid hypothermia or frostbite. 24-Bain
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
27 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Eastland County Sheriff's Department reported that approximately a hundredth of an inch of freezing drizzle was causing icing on a Highway 6 bridge north of the city of Cisco, TX.
A trained spotter reported that a light glaze was forming on elevated surfaces from freezing drizzle in the city of Weatherford, TX.
A social media report indicated snow falling 1 mile west of the city of Sadler, TX.
Cisco Police Department reported freezing drizzle, with accidents on Interstate 20 near Cisco.
A social media report indicated light snow with minor accumulations across the county.
A social media report indicated light snow with minor accumulations across the county.
A social media report indicated light snow with minor accumulations across the county.
A social media report indicated light snow with minor accumulations across the county.
A social media report indicated an icy bridge near the Erath/Hood County line.
Sulphur Springs Police Department reported snow flurries in and around the city of Sulphur Springs.
A social media report indicated that black ice was forming on roads across the county.
A social media report indicated that black ice was forming on roads across the county.
A social media report indicated that bridges were icing up across the county.
Fire and rescue reported a traffic accident due to ice near the Archer County line.
A trained spotter reported that the Highway 183 bridge over Interstate 35W was closed due to ice. Accidents had been reported on bridges across the county, and approximately a tenth of an inch of ice had accumulated.
Amateur radio reported icy roads with multiple vehicle accidents across the county.
Fire and rescue reported a vehicle accident on Interstate 20 in the city of Weatherford, TX. Approximately a tenth of an inch of ice had accumulated.
Amateur radio reported that approximately one-eighth of an inch of ice had accumulated on roads in the city of Cisco, TX.
Hood County Sheriff's Department reported a roll-over vehicle accident due to ice near the 900 block of Highway 377 in the city of Granbury, TX.
Amateur radio reported that Highway 281 from Stephenville northward to FM 3025 was shut down due to icy roads and vehicle accidents.
Dallas County Sheriff's Department reported accidents along Interstate 20 - one at Hampton and another at Highway 67 - due to ice.
Amateur radio reported multiple accidents between Greenville and Sulphur Springs due to icy roads.
Amateur radio reported multiple accidents across the county due to icy roads.
Broadcast media reported numerous accidents (including 6 within 30 minutes) and closures of bridges and flyovers due to icy roads. A light glaze eventually formed on service streets as well.
A NWS employee reported icy bridges and overpasses and witnessed first responders attending to one accident on a flyover in the city of Hillsboro.
Emergency management and Amateur radio reported icy bridges and overpasses across Bell County with multiple vehicle accidents (including 4 within 20 minutes).
Amateur radio reported icing on overpasses in Killeen and Copperas Cove, specifically along Highway 190 and Highway 9.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, December 2017
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: 731895, 731896, 731897, 731905, 731906, 731907, 731908, 731909, 731910, 731911, 731912, 731913, 731914, 731915, 731919, 731916, 731917, 731925, 731926, 731955, 731956, 731957, 731958, 731960, 731961, 731962, 731963.