Dangerously cold temperatures are headed to North Texas this weekend, bringing strong chances of sleet, ice and snow.
The National Weather Service’s Fort Worth office released on Thursday a new forecast showing totals of how much ice, sleet and snow North Texas could see over the course of the storm.
Parts of Dallas-Fort Worth could receive between a quarter-inch to half-inch of ice on the ground from freezing rain. Northern parts of the region, such as Sherman and Denton, could get 3 to 5 inches of snow and sleet, which will fall on top of existing ice. Areas like Dallas and Fort Worth are expected to see between 2 to 4 inches.
D-FW Weather Wise
The temperature is predicted to drop all day on Friday, with most locations dipping below freezing sometime that evening. Precipitation should start as rain earlier in the day, before transitioning to a mixture of freezing rain and sleet once temperatures fall enough.
Sleet is expected to be the main form of precipitation in North Texas, but freezing rain and snow are also in the forecast.
In anticipation of Dallas’ winter weather, the National Weather Service’s Fort Worth office has issued a winter storm watch and an extreme cold watch. Gov. Greg Abbott has also activated state emergency response resources in preparation. As Texans prepare to hunker down, here’s where preparations stand.
Road treatments
Crews with the Texas Department of Transportation and the North Texas Tollway Authority began pretreating major highways, bridges and overpasses across the region Wednesday.
To fight against slickness, agencies usually put down a mixture that typically includes a saltwater brine made of sodium chloride to prevent icing, a TxDOT spokesperson told The Dallas Morning News. The mixture also contains sand and “chat” — a fine, gravel-like material — to boost traction and increase friction.
The NTTA “will make every effort to make the roads safe for extremely slow travel,” a spokesperson said, however, “drivers must adjust to these severe conditions.”
Shelters
Municipalities and nonprofits across the region are preparing to provide shelter from the cold to those in need.
The city of Dallas’ primary temporary overnight shelter will open at 4 p.m. on Friday at Fair Park’s Grand Place building, 3701 Grand Ave. The Austin Street Center and OurCalling, homelessness service providers in Dallas, will operate the inclement weather shelter in partnership with the city.
Other shelters will also open around Dallas and in Tarrant and Collin counties. For a complete list of shelters across North Texas, click here.
Groceries
Grocery stores have seen an increase in demand as the winter weather nears, but are working hard to keep the most desired items in stock.
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At Kroger, the company is getting items from a distribution center in Keller to its sites, where employees are working hard to replenish and rebuild every day, said John Votava, spokesperson for the chain. Water bottles and firewood were some of the most desired items so far, Votava said, but staples like eggs and milk have also been a priority.
Grocery retailers also recommended getting to the store early to avoid dangerous conditions.
Airports and flights
Several airlines are already offering passengers a chance to rebook their flights free of charge, including American Airlines, Delta and United.
Flights are likely to start being affected Friday evening, and spokespeople for both DFW International Airport and Dallas Love Field said the airports are monitoring conditions closely and preparing for the freezing precipitation.
Tom Kines, AccuWeather senior meteorologist, said freezing rain is the key worry for airports, with snow and sleet being easier to manage. As of Thursday morning, both airports were forecast to get a quarter- to a half-inch of ice accumulation.
More winter weather resources:
