Schools, government announce early closings
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Icy overpasses made travel slow on U.S. Hwy. 180 early today. A winter weather advisory was in effect until 3 p.m. today for Scurry County and most of the Permian Basin.
This may not have been the precipitation everyone was hoping for.
A cold front blew through Scurry County late Tuesday and early today, bringing freezing rain and sleet that quickly made roads slick and treacherous and forced school and childcare service closures in the area.
The weather system moved into the area from the south, quickly dropping temperatures below freezing and leaving freezing rain and sleet on roadways. Slick conditions were blamed for several traffic accidents in the area, including one on U.S. Hwy. 84 early this morning that caused three 18-wheelers to leave the roadway.
No major injuries were reported in the incident.
Reports of icy overpasses along U.S. Hwy. 180 and U.S. Hwy. 84 were being reported to Scurry County dispatchers this morning. Deputies also reported that roads in the Fluvanna area were iced over.
Mary Belle Olson of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) said today icy road conditions were reported in all 13 counties in TxDOT’s Abilene district and that crews were continuing to treat roads with granular de-icer and snow plows. TxDOT crews in Scurry County were using a snow plow to clear roads.
As freezing precipitation continues, motorists are encouraged to stay off roadways, Olson said.
Hermleigh ISD canceled classes today because of the weather. Snyder Christian School released its students at noon. Snyder ISD announced an early release beginning at 1:45 p.m., according to the district’s Facebook page.
Head Start classes in Snyder also were canceled today.
Ira ISD dismissed at 2 p.m. today and will begin school at 10 a.m. Thursday.
Western Texas College officials announced that classes would end at 11 a.m. today and would not resume until 9:15 a.m. Thursday.
Scurry County offices closed at 1:45 p.m. today. With the courthouse closing, County Clerk Melody Appleton said early voting for the March 6 election ended at the same time. She confirmed with the Texas Secretary of State’s office that the polling place could close due to weather conditions.
The Scurry County Library closed at 1:30 p.m.
The only other announced closure as of press time was at the Texas Department of Public Safety driver’s license office.
Scurry County Senior Citizens Center officials said the facility was open today, but no meals would be delivered.
A winter weather advisory was in effect until 3 p.m. today for Scurry County and surrounding areas, National Weather Service (NWS) officials said today. Light freezing rain and sleet are expected across the Permian Basin and western low Rolling Plains into the afternoon hours.
“Light ice accumulations will form on power lines, vehicles and other elevated surfaces first, then on bridges and overpasses,” the NWS advisory stated. “In addition, thunderstorms will change precipitation to sleet at times. Generally less than one inch of sleet is expected, but locations affected by thunderstorms could see an inch or two of sleet accumulate.”
Today’s high temperature is expected to reach 30 degrees, with a 90 percent chance of wintry mix weather forecast for the daylight hours. Tonight calls for a 70 percent chance of wintry mix weather and a forecast low temperature of 26 degrees.
Thursday, the NWS is forecasting a 40 percent chance of patchy freezing rain, turning into a 40 percent chance of rain as the day progresses. A high of 45 degrees and a low of 32 degrees is forecast.