Advisory on today’s hazardous roads

The National Weather Service forecasts a winter storm warning and wind advisory for 3 pm today through Thursday at noon.  Expect freezing rain, sleet and snow tonight and hazardous road conditions.

Today

Rain before 1 pm, then rain, freezing rain, and sleet. Temperature falling to around 30 by 5pm. Windy, with a north wind 15 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Total daytime ice accumulation of less than a 0.1 of an inch possible. Total daytime sleet accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Tonight

Rain, freezing rain, and sleet before 7pm, then snow and sleet between 7pm and 1am, then snow likely after 1am. Some thunder is also possible. Low around 24. Windy, with a north wind 15 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Little or no ice accumulation expected. New snow and sleet accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.

TxDOT:  Drive safely today.  Roads are wet and slick and will be hazardous, especially tonight and tomorrow morning.  Check forecasts and road conditions before you travel.

Our crews are out checking/monitoring roads across the TxDOT Paris District, pre-treating roads as needed and working to fix roadway damage from the last storm.

As of 9 a.m. today (Wed. March 4), our crews are reporting light rain and mist across most of the district. The NWS has most of North and Northeast Texas under a winter storm watch and wind advisory, beginning this afternoon at 3 p.m. and extending until Noon on Thursday, March 5. Today’s rain is expected to turn to freezing rain, sleet and snow tonight, with accumulations of 1-3 inches of snow on top of a layer of frozen precipitation by dawntomorrow. Roads will be wet and slick today and will become hazardous tonight. Bridges, overpasses, etc. will likely be affected by freezing rain/sleet first, especially those with no insulation from the ground/earth. Roadways and travel will become more hazardous as the storm progresses. There is also a wind advisory and wind chill advisory in effect with this storm warning. Cold temps and 15-25 mph sustained winds, with gusts of 30-40 mph possible, will make it hazardous to be outside during this weather event. Winds will also affect travel conditions, and make driving even more hazardous. North winds could make travel east or west on area roadways perilous at best.

Please encourage your readers/audience to continue to check local road conditions before they travel, and to use caution when driving today: dress for the weather, drive to road conditions, give other vehicles and our trucks/equipment extra room around your vehicle, be prepared for slick roads, and make sure your vehicle is okay to travel. Stay home tonight and tomorrow morning if at all possible, and use extreme caution if you must get out. Make sure your pets are well cared for this evening/tonight…bring them and cold susceptible plants inside tonight.

National Weather Service

Baker