East Texas streets and roadways received a coating of ice as winter arrived in a chilly fashion this past week. (Photo by Terry Cannon)
It didn’t take long into the new year for winter’s fury to arrive as East Texans shivered through some serious, bone-chilling temperatures beginning early Monday (Jan. 15).
Winter storm watches and warnings accompanied the icy weather with accumulations ranging to just under an inch in most places.
Temperatures dropped into the lower teens late Monday and early Tuesday, keeping roads and highways slick from the ice accumulation.
Some snow flurries arrived Monday afternoon across Smith County, but no heavy snowfall was reported.
Thanks to some sunshine late Tuesday, roads began to thaw. But the moisture that remained froze again overnight leaving some slick areas on heavily used roadways and rural areas.
By Wednesday, temperatures rose above freezing, melting the remaining ice.
Highs reached the mid-50s later in the week.
Utility companies reported power outages beginning early Monday morning with Smith County showing more than 2,300 customers affected. Cherokee County had more than 1,200 outages, Henderson 900 and Van Zandt 360.
Lindale ISD closed schools on Tuesday and reopened two hours later on Wednesday, while non-emergency Smith County offices were closed on Tuesday with most reopened by Wednesday, said County Public Information Officer Casey Murphy.
She reported there were several major vehicle accidents in the county on Tuesday.
Any closings or delays, unless specifically stated, do not close essential, emergency, residential and detention operations.
The County Judge and/or Commissioners Court has the authority to close general governmental operations due to emergency conditions, including inclement weather conditions that cause a serious hazard for employees such as road conditions due to flooding, ice or snow, Murphy said.
The commissioners court’s regular meeting on Tuesday was postponed until Friday (Jan. 19) and the Lindale City Council’s regular Tuesday meeting was cancelled.
Texas Department of Transportation spokesman Jeff Williford said work crews worked around the clock beginning early Monday and through Wednesday clearing and treating roadways.
Preparation for the storm actually began on Friday (Jan. 12) with crews applying a brine solution sprayed on the roadways.
After temperatures dropped, Williford said crews switched to a granular-based material, combined with sand, salt and crushed limestone.
The brine solution helped to keep the moisture from sticking to the roads, and the granular material provided better traction, he said.