Ice Storm in Texas, January 14 to 15, 2017

Name: Ice Storm in Texas, January 14 to 15, 2017
Start: 2017-01-14T14:11
End: 2017-01-15T12:00
Location: Texas

January 14 to 15, 2017 · NWS AMA · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 7 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $14 million
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 7

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS AMA wrote it up.

A strong upper level low pressure system moved due east near the US/Mexico border and was centered over northern Mexico near the New Mexico state line by the morning of the 15th. With the jet streak around the base of the upper level low to the south and a northern stream jet with its western extent over Nebraska, a large region of vertical ascent with upper level divergence was also present. The strong mid level winds helped to steer the south-southeasterly 850-700 hPa flow. As a result, throughout the 14th and early on the 15th, upper air soundings showed a pronounced warm nose of around 5C between 800-850 mb. With below freezing temperatures right at the surface, this was ideal for a pronounced freezing rain event with several batches of precipitation working through the region, even some precipitation bands had convection associated with them. Extensive damage was reported with damage totals well into the tens of millions across the northern and northeastern TX panhandle. As indicated by Xcel Energy company, 58,000 customers were impacted at the height of the storm. This was their largest event in almost 17 years. Much of the financial losses reported were due to broken power poles and downed power lines of the electric coops and debris clean-up from numerous downed tree limbs. Several homes where damaged or destroyed due to electric fires caused by the ice.

What forecasters said that 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 Amarillo, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 14, 11:20 AM CST, 2 hours 51 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 14, 11:20 AM CST, 2 hours 51 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED
National Weather Service Amarillo TX
1120 AM CST Sat Jan 14 2017

.AVIATION...
18Z TAFS...Thunderstorm activity to continue across much of the
Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles into this afternoon. KAMA and KGUY
will have best chances, while KDHT may see showers but no
thunderstorms. Temperatures will continue to hover near or below
freezing, so rain and freezing rain will present an aviation icing
threat as well throughout the entire TAF period. With abundant low
level moisture, IFR and LIFR conditions will persist through the
period. There is an expectation for visibilities to remain in the
IFR range, but LIFR visibilities at 1/2 mile or less with fog are
forecast to develop after 06z Sunday at KAMA and KDHT, and after 12Z
Sunday at KGUY.

Garcia

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /Issued 944 AM CST Sat Jan 14 2017/

UPDATE...
Strong enough lift for thunderstorms with approaching systems. Will
update all forecasts to reflect the threat of thunder as well as
freezing rain. Temperatures across southern Texas Panhandle will
likely remain at or below freezing until just after noon.

Garcia

PREV DISCUSSION... /Issued 540 AM CST Sat Jan 14 2017/

AVIATION...12Z TAFs...LIFR to IFR conditions with CIG around 500
ft are present at KAMA and KDHT, while MVFR CIG around 1500 to 3500
ft are present at KGUY. Latest radar trends indicate
increasing coverage of rain or freezing rain, which is expected to
impact the terminals around 14/14Z. LIFR conditions will occur as
freezing rain or rain (dependent on temperature) moves over the
terminals AFT 14/14Z. Winds will be AOB 10 kts throughout the
forecast period.

Bieda

PREV DISCUSSION... /Issued 529 AM CST Sat Jan 14 2017/

DISCUSSION...
A messy and complicated forecast continues to be the prevailing theme
across the OK and TX Panhandles today through Monday morning. The
strong and closed upper level low pressure system seen on water vapor
satellite imagery continues to dig swd as of this writing, and is
progged to be off the nrn Baja CA coast by 12Z this morning, then
dig a bit further southeast before making the eastward turn later
today to a projected position near the nrn Gulf of CA as seen in
latest 00Z models. Precipitation has been very slow to develop so
far, largely due to dry air that intruded the region Thursday behind
a cold front and persisted into Friday. Latest radar imagery and sfc
obs suggest light freezing rain has finally began to develop in srn
TX Panhandle as the upper level low pressure system begins to exert
its influence on the region. Expect this area of precipitation to
expand and move northward today.

For tonight, periods of light rain and light freezing rain will
continue as the upper level storm system heads east to near the NM
bootheel by 12Z Sunday. Current winter weather highlights issued
earlier remain plausible. As the upper level low gets closer to our
area, strong warm air advection will likely cause most precipitation
to turn to all rain Sunday afternoon with even a threat for tstms. This
storm system is progged to track across sern NM by 00Z Monday, then
to NW OK by 12Z Monday. This projected path is a bit further
southeast compared to previous model runs. Should this verify, then
more of the area may receive accumulating snows Sunday night as the
cold core of the upper level low moves across the area. Have
conservatively included this psblty in the grids for that time
period. Snowfall accumulations Sunday night and early Monday should
remain on the light side at this time, with overall highest snowfall
accumulation potential expected to be in the northwest zones.

Dry weather and moderating temperatures are foreseen from next
Tuesday through Friday. Medium range models suggest another storm
system may impact the srn high plains sometime next weekend. However,
they disagree on all important details, so have gone with a model
consensus solution for this fcst pckg pending better agreement.

Andrade

&&

.AMA Watches/Warnings/Advisories...
TX...Ice Storm Warning until noon CST Sunday for the following zones:
     Hemphill...Lipscomb...Ochiltree...Roberts...Wheeler.

     Freezing Rain Advisory until noon CST Sunday for the following
     zones: Armstrong...Carson...Collingsworth...Dallam...
     Donley...Gray...Hansford...Hartley...Hutchinson...Moore...
     Oldham...Potter...Randall...Sherman.

OK...Ice Storm Warning until noon CST Sunday for the following zones:
     Beaver...Texas.

     Freezing Rain Advisory until noon CST Sunday for the following
     zones: Cimarron.

&&

Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 14, 9:47 AM CST, 4 hours 24 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
947 AM CST SAT JAN 14 2017

OKZ001>003-TXZ001>020-150400-
CIMARRON-TEXAS-BEAVER-DALLAM-SHERMAN-HANSFORD-OCHILTREE-LIPSCOMB-
HARTLEY-MOORE-HUTCHINSON-ROBERTS-HEMPHILL-OLDHAM-POTTER-CARSON-
GRAY-WHEELER-DEAF SMITH-RANDALL-ARMSTRONG-DONLEY-COLLINGSWORTH-
947 AM CST SAT JAN 14 2017

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA
PANHANDLES.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE LIKELY TODAY. SOME SMAILL
HAIL COULD ALSO OCCUR WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS. IN ADDITION TO THE
STORMS...PERIODS OF LIGHT TO OCCASIONALLY MODERATE FREEZING RAIN ARE
EXPECTED ACROSS MOST OF THE OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS PANHANDLES TODAY AND
TONIGHT. AN ICE STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT FOR
THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE AS WELL AS THE NORTHEAST
TEXAS PANHANDLE. IN ADDITION...A FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY REMAINS IN
EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS
PANHANDLES EXCEPT DEAF SMITH COUNTY.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

PERIODS OF LIGHT TO OCCASIONALLY MODERATE FREEZING RAIN ARE EXPECTED
SUNDAY MORNING ACROSS MOST OF THE OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS PANHANDLES. AN
ICE STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON SUNDAY FOR THE CENTRAL AND
EASTERN OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE AS WELL AS THE NORTHEAST TEXAS PANHANDLE
...WHERE TOTAL ICE ACCUMULATIONS OF ONE QUARTER TO ONE HALF OF AN
INCH ARE ANTICIPATED. IN ADDITION...A FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY IS IN
EFFECT UNTIL NOON SUNDAY FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS
PANHANDLES EXCEPT DEAF SMITH COUNTY. TOTAL ICE ACCUMULATIONS SHOULD
REMAIN GENERALLY LESS THAN ONE QUARTER OF AN INCH IN THIS AREA.

LIGHT SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY MORNING ACROSS
MUCH OF THE OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS PANHANDLES. SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS
SHOULD REMAIN LESS THAN 3 INCHES AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME.

GARCIA

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jan 14, 1:36 PM CST, 35 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
136 PM CST SAT JAN 14 2017

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0134 PM     FREEZING RAIN    2 E DARROUZETT          36.45N 100.29W
01/14/2017  E0.25 INCH       LIPSCOMB           TX   STORM CHASER

            1/4 INCH ICE ACCUMULATION ON TREE BRANCHES.

&&

EVENT NUMBER AMA1700076

JMG

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Ice Storm, Hutchinson

When: January 14, 2:11 PM CST to January 15, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Hutchinson forecast zone
Property damage: $1.2 million
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 35.840, -101.355 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The number of residents affected were 6482. There were 117 business that also reported economic injuries. Damages and economic impact also resulted from: debris cleanup (downed trees, etc), numerous downed power lines and broken power poles, and damaged to roads and bridges.

Ice Storm, Hansford

When: January 14, 4:11 PM CST to January 15, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Hansford forecast zone
Property damage: $2.8 million
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 36.278, -101.354 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Resident count of 2,132 affected with four homes severely damage due to electrical fires and one home was destroyed There were 320 business that also reported economic injuries. Damages and economic impact also resulted from: debris cleanup (downed trees, etc), numerous downed power lines and broken power poles, and damaged to roads and bridges.

Ice Storm, Lipscomb

When: January 14, 5:11 PM CST to January 15, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Lipscomb forecast zone
Property damage: $2.2 million
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 36.278, -100.273 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Resident count of 701 affected. There were 12 business that also reported economic injuries. Damages and economic impact also resulted from: debris cleanup (downed trees, etc), numerous downed power lines and broken power poles, and damaged to roads and bridges.

Ice Storm, Ochiltree

When: January 14, 6:11 PM CST to January 15, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Ochiltree forecast zone
Property damage: $5.7 million
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 36.278, -100.816 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The number of residents affected were 3066. There were 413 business that also reported economic injuries. Damages and economic impact also resulted from: debris cleanup (downed trees, etc), numerous downed power lines and broken power poles, and damaged to roads and bridges.

Ice Storm, Roberts

When: January 14, 6:11 PM CST to January 15, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Roberts forecast zone
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 35.839, -100.813 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Hemphill

When: January 14, 6:11 PM CST to January 15, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Hemphill forecast zone
Property damage: $2.3 million
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 35.838, -100.270 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The number of residents affected were 1088. There were 250 business that also reported economic injuries. Damages and economic impact also resulted from: debris cleanup (downed trees, etc), numerous downed power lines and broken power poles, and damaged to roads and bridges.

Ice Storm, Wheeler

When: January 14, 9:11 PM CST to January 15, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Wheeler forecast zone
Property damage: $188,000
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 35.401, -100.270 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Ice Storm: Freezing rain accumulating a quarter inch or more of ice, or less where it caused significant damage.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Texas in 2017 Every state in 2017 This day in weather history Warnings in Texas, January 2017

Sources

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: 677505, 676705, 673102, 673101, 673103, 673104, 673105.