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United Supermarket team member Denise McCauley (left) braved the cold weather and helped Bridgette Green (right) bring groceries to her car.
An Arctic cold front passed through Scurry County late Tuesday, sending temperatures plunging below freezing. Early morning rain and mist left icy roadways and made driving extremely hazardous in many areas.
Conditions are expected to get worse tonight and Thursday.
Scurry County is part of a four-county area under a winter weather advisory until noon Thursday. The National Weather Service forecasts light freezing rain through much of today, changing to mostly light snow tonight.
“Snowfall amounts of between one and three inches are expected,” the advisory stated. “Any ice accumulations will be less than a quarter of an inch.”
The advisory covers Scurry, Howard, Borden and Mitchell counties.
NWS officials warn that the wintry mix of snow and ice may remain in this area through Thursday morning.
Tonight’s weather forecast calls for a 70 percent chance of snow, with a low temperature of 26 degrees expected. On Thursday, the chance for snow decreases to 60 percent, with temperatures climbing to just above freezing.
Several accidents this morning were being blamed on icy roads, particularly on U.S. Hwy. 84 near Inadale and Hwy. 208 north of Snyder.
At least seven accidents were reported to Scurry County dispatchers before 9:30 a.m. today, including a one-vehicle rollover near the Scurry-Kent county line on Hwy. 208 that left the driver with a head laceration.
In an accident near the Inadale Gin along U.S. Hwy. 84, a Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) vehicle was rear-ended by an SUV going at a high rate of speed, officials reported. No injuries were reported.
Numerous other reports of vehicles sliding off roadways were received as well, although no injuries were reported.
Major roadways in this area were pre-treated by TxDOT crews earlier this week, but even on those roads, travel was potentially very hazardous, officials said. Untreated roads in Snyder this morning were slick with a thin coat of ice.
With road conditions expected to deteriorate through today and tomorrow, officials are urging motorists to stay off the roads.
“We are asking people to be extremely careful while driving, especially with the icy roads,” Snyder Police Chief Brian Haggard said. “It’s hard sometimes to tell where the ice is. Some stretches may be fine and then get icy. If you don’t need to be out, just stay home. And if you have to be out, be extremely careful.”
Injuries weren’t limited to vehicle accidents this morning. Scurry County EMS personnel were called to Snyder City Hall this morning after a man slipped and suffered a head injury outside the building. They were also called to at least one home where the resident had slipped on ice outside.
The winter weather is expected to clear out of our area by Friday morning. Temperatures are expected to climb into the 60s over the weekend.
Icy conditions today forced Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) officials to close all driver’s license offices in the area, including Snyder.
Both City of Snyder and Scurry County offices were open this morning, although county officials said the courthouse would close at 3 p.m. today and all non-emergency offices will be closed Thursday.
Ira ISD students are scheduled to return to class Thursday, but Superintendent Brian Patterson said he was monitoring weather reports and would make a decision on whether to cancel classes either later today or early Thursday.