Ice Storm — Stonewall, Texas

2023-02-01 to 2023-02-02 · Stonewall, Texas

Wider weather episode

This is a continuation of an event that began late January. Several consecutive days of wintry precipitation occurred from late January through early February. Temperatures tumbled 30-40 degrees behind an arctic cold front cold front from the 28th into the 29th. Even colder air settled into the region on the night of the 29th and morning of the 30th, as temperatures dipped into the teens over all of the South and Rolling Plains, and single digits in the Texas Panhandle. The bitter cold was accompanied by enough moistening to result in the development of areas of light freezing drizzle, light sleet, and light snow. Though light, the wintry precipitation did create some travel difficulties as it quickly stuck to the sub-freezing roadways. The light drizzle, sleet, and snow diminished toward midday on the 30th. Pockets of light freezing drizzle and snow flurries redeveloped over parts of the region for the second morning in a row on the 31st. The light frozen precipitation again created problems on area roadways, including in and around Lubbock. Unfortunately, there were four fatalities and two injuries from vehicle wrecks that hit icy spots on the roadway. One fatality and injury occurred on US Highway 62/82 near Wolfforth where a vehicle hit a slick patch on an overpass and rolled over. Three additional fatalities and one injury occurred along US Highway 380 west of Brownfield (Terry County) as a vehicle rolled over into a ditch. The South Plains region experienced another lull in the precipitation on afternoon and evening of the 31st. Periodic spurts of freezing rain and sleet continue through the evening of the first and into early morning on the second as temperatures lingered a few degrees below freezing. A final band of precipitation exited the region to the east by late morning on the second as temperatures finally rebounded above freezing across the region. Many locations across the South Plains and Rolling Plains had experienced sub-freezing temperatures continuously from early on the 29th until mid-morning on the second. Ice accumulation totals were highest in the Rolling Plains, where a tenth to quarter inch was common.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1070070. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.