Winter Storm — Jefferson, Texas

2021-02-14 to 2021-02-15 · Jefferson, Texas

Event narrative

Temperatures fell through the afternoon and evening across Jefferson County as showers developed. Rain turned to freezing rain during the evening and then quickly over to sleet. Light snow mixed in by the end of the event. Accumulations ranged from around half an inch on the coast to near 2 inches north of Beaumont. Bridges and overpasses became iced and closed. Most roads were hazardous. A 65 year old man in Labelle died from hypothermia due to exposure.

Wider weather episode

The first in a series of Arctic Cold Fronts arrived during the 12th pushing tide levels down along the coast, however the subfreezing temperatures and winter weather did not arrive until the 14th. The event on the 14th began at many places as a light glaze of freezing rain, but quickly changed over to sleet or snow. Another round of winter weather occurred on the 17th, however this round was mainly freezing rain. The long duration event set many records in the area and rivaled the historic freezes of the region. The event was likely the longest and coldest since December 1989. Interior sections of Southeast Texas saw lows in the single digits and mid teens were recorded at the coast during the coldest night.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 943342. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.