weather.com meteorologists
The final bout of freezing rain and sleet from a significant ice storm will contribute to more dangerous travel, power outages and tree damage from Texas to Arkansas and Tennessee through early Thursday.
This weather system has been named Winter Storm Mara (MARE-uh) by The Weather Channel.
(MORE: How Winter Storms Are Named)
Mara's ice threat has unfolded in multiple rounds since Monday. The map below shows all of the sleet and freezing rain reports along the storm's path, stretching from Texas to the Mississippi and Ohio valleys and the central Appalachians.
Current Status
Wintry precipitation from the final wave of moisture associated with Mara is spreading across Texas this morning. That has resulted in widespread freezing rain across central portions of the state, including Austin.
More than 200,000 homes and businesses had lost electricity statewide as of Wednesday morning, according to poweroutage.us. See this link for live updates on the storm's impacts, which includes details on power outages and how travel is being hampered.
Current ConditionsIce storm warnings and winter storm warnings are in effect from western, central and northern Texas to southeast Oklahoma, much of Arkansas, northwest Mississippi and western Tennessee. That includes Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Little Rock and Memphis.
Icing in these areas could be heavy enough to cause tree damage and knock out power, and will make most roads hazardous.
Locations in winter weather advisories like Nashville, Tennessee, and Oklahoma City, could see disruptions to daily life, including slippery travel.
Ice Forecast
There is a high chance of additional ice accumulating at least 0.10 inch thick through Thursday from western, central and northern Texas into southern Oklahoma and parts of Arkansas.
Those ice accumulations could be on various surfaces like tree limbs, power lines and cars. Elevated roads and bridges will ice first in these areas, but many roads may become icy.
(MORE: What Ice Accumulations Mean)
The areas shown in darkest purple in the map below have the highest chance of more damaging ice accumulations capable of tree damage and power outages.
That includes parts of Austin, Dallas-Ft. Worth and near the Little Rock area.
Much of that icing is associated with the final wave of wintry precipitation from Mara that will spread across these areas through Wednesday night.
Some patchy lingering freezing rain is still possible early Thursday from northern Texas and southern Oklahoma to Arkansas and western Tennessee before precipitation is pushed farther south into above-freezing air later Thursday.
Residents in these areas need to plan for the potential of power outages that could last at least several hours. You also need to consider postponing or canceling travel in these areas until the storm is over.
Storm Recap
Monday
Up to an inch of sleet was reported Monday in parts of eastern Oklahoma, including the Tulsa metro area, accompanied by lightning, at times. About a half inch of sleet was reported in Denton, Texas.
Portions of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex saw a mix of freezing rain and sleet.
Freezing rain was reported in Fayetteville and Fort Smith, Arkansas, as well as Joplin and Springfield, Missouri. Sleet and freezing rain was observed as far south as the Texas Hill Country, including the Austin and San Antonio metros.
Tuesday
There were been multiple reports of serious accidents in the Austin and Dallas-Ft. Worth metro areas because of icy conditions Tuesday. Icing also forced closures on stretches of Interstate 40 and has downed power poles in eastern Arkansas.
Lightning accompanied moderate to heavy bursts of sleet in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.
The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.
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