3 dead, power outages skyrocket as relentless ice storm wreaks havoc in Texas, mid-South for 3rd day
Ice will begin to increase in intensity once again Wednesday morning. The AM commute will be dangerous to impossible in many locations such as Memphis, Little Rock, Dallas, and Austin.
DALLAS – Another death has been reported in Texas, bringing the death toll to at least three from a crippling ice storm that has plunged more than 240,000 customers into the dark across the Lone Star State.
The storm that has been sliding across the region is the result of a bitter blast of arctic air that was in place across the central U.S. and is expected to continue to have a significant impact across the region throughout Wednesday.
"The best piece of advice is to wait this storm out," FOX Weather meteorologist Stephen Morgan said Tuesday night.
THE HIDDEN DANGERS OF ICE STORMS. HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Treacherous travel leads to deadly crashes across Texas
White Settlement, Texas, chief of police and director of public safety Christopher Cook recorded video of ice covering the roads on North Loop 820 from Benbrook into White Settlement on Tuesday.
(Christopher Cook/Twitter)
Driving proved nearly impossible for millions of people starting Monday. Rain fell through the warm air aloft to the freezing surface below, which then created a sheet of ice on roads across the region from Texas to Tennessee.
"Bridges and overpasses are considered treacherous," White Settlement, Texas, police Chief Christopher Cook said in a tweet Monday. "People must slow down when approaching elevated surfaces."
WHY DO BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES FREEZE BEFORE ROADS?
An animation showing why bridges and overpasses freeze before roads.
(FOX Forecast Center / FOX Weather)
The Arlington Police Department in Texas said a 45-year-old man was killed after being thrown from his vehicle when he lost control while driving over the Green Oaks Boulevard overpass at unsafe speeds.
Police said he crashed into a guardrail, the vehicle went airborne and then rolled down an embankment. Police said they don't believe he was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.
Austin-Travis County EMS said another person was killed in a crash involving at least 10 vehicles in Austin.
And according to the Texas Department of Public Safety, a woman was driving northbound on U.S. 277 late Tuesday night when she lost control of her vehicle due to the icy conditions and crashed into a tree about 8 miles north of Eldorado.
Semi-trailer crashes into guard rail during ice storm in OK
Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper captures the moment when a large truck spun out of control and hit a highway barrier in Sequoyah County. An ice storm has brought dangerous travel conditions to the South on Tuesday. (Credit: @OHPDPS/ Twitter)
There was also a report of a fire truck that had been hit by another vehicle while it was responding to reports of a different crash on Highway 290, according to Austin fire officials. No injuries were reported in that crash.
On Tuesday morning, FOX 4 Dallas reported hundreds of drivers were stuck in a 20-mile traffic backup on Interstate 20 in Palo Pinto and Parker counties because of icy road conditions.
Treacherous driving conditions were also reported along Interstate 40 in Forrest City, Arkansas. The Forrest City Fire Department posted photos to Facebook showing a mangled mess of tractor-trailers involved in a crash because of the icy road conditions.
And a terrifying incident unfolded in Travis County, Texas, on Tuesday morning when a Travis County Sheriff's Office deputy was hit by a tractor-trailer and became pinned beneath one of its tires.
The deputy was freed by EMS personnel and taken to a local hospital, where he underwent surgery. Officials said he is expected to survive.
"I want to offer my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who responded and assisted this deputy in his time of dire need. Both his biological and TCSO family are relieved and thankful that he’s alive," Sheriff Sally Hernandez said. "Please, please don’t drive on these icy roadways. It’s not worth your life or the lives of the first responders who are literally putting their personal safety on the line."
HOW DOES DE-ICING WORK? INSIDE UNITED AIRLINES' WINTER OPERATIONS AT ITS LARGEST HUB
Flights canceled, schools closed
Ice storm impacts air travel in Tennessee
Glen Thomas, Director of Strategic Marketing and Communications/PIO of Memphis International Airport, provides an update on delays and winter storm conditions.
Thousands of flights into and out of the region were also heavily impacted because of the crippling effects of the ice storm, with Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) leading the pack with the most cancellations and delays.
https://www.fox7austin.com/news/central-texas-weather-school-closuresThe Federal Aviation Administration also issued a ground stop at the airport on Tuesday because of the ice, which led to numerous delays.
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