Snow shuts down Scurry County

That’s the word from local first responders about the best way to deal with the recent deluge of snow that has blanketed much of West Texas, including Scurry County. 
“Stay off the road,” said Snyder Police Chief Brian Haggard. “It’s even going to get worse tonight when the sun goes down. It gets even colder and all this snow is going to turn to ice. So unless you have a real emergency, I’d suggest you stay inside and stay off the road.”
Scurry Count Sheriff Trey Wilson agreed.
“Everybody needs to stay home. Absolutely stay home,” the sheriff advised. “The roads are treacherous. If they don’t have to move, we’re requesting that they just stay home because it helps us.”
Between about 10 p.m. Tuesday and 10 a.m. today, both of the top law enforcement officials indicated that there had been only about three accidents, but officers and deputies have responded to more than 40 motorist assist calls, helping drivers who found they couldn’t deal with the deep snow or icy roads.
Julie Phillipson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Midland office, said the conditions will remain bad through Thursday morning.
“We’re looking at another band of snow that’s currently extending from all the way down south of Fort Stockton all the way up toward Lubbock, and that’s moving east right now. So y’all are going to have another band of snow moving through there probably right before lunchtime, is my guess. That could give y’all another quick shot of maybe another couple of inches of snow before all is said and done,” Phillipson said. “We’re not forecasting temperatures today to get above freezing and it’s going to be very, very cold tonight. Looks like low temperatures tonight up there in Scurry County are going to drop into the mid-teens so that snow’s going to be sticking around until tomorrow. It looks like temperatures tomorrow could get up into the 40s, but we’re keeping a close eye on that, because if there’s a bunch of snow on the ground, that’s going to keep those temperatures from warming up as much as they were otherwise. It’s looking like it’s going to stay pretty icy, pretty snowy, at least through tomorrow morning. Road conditions tomorrow morning may even be worse than this morning, simply because if there’s any melting, there’s going to be some re-freezing that happens when it gets real cold, so everyone’s going to have to be really careful tomorrow.”
Phillipson said that, as of 10 a.m. this morning, some parts of Scurry County had seen as much as 10 to 12 inches of snow accumulation.
Due to the weather and also because a large number of students and teachers are absent with the flu, Snyder ISD schools are closed today and Thursday. Also due to the winter weather: 
•Ira ISD, Hermleigh ISD and Snyder Christian School did not have school today and school-related activities are canceled. Officials at each school or district will decide this evening about whether schools will open Thursday. 
•Western Texas College did not hold classes today, and the campus is closed. School officials will determine this evening whether classes will be held tomorrow.
•City of Snyder offices are closed today. Emergency personnel will remain active as usual. 
•Scurry County offices are closed today, although emergency personnel, such as sheriff’s department and EMS personnel will be on the job as usual.
•Prosperity Bank and First Bank and Trust are on regular schedules today. Community Bank is open this morning and will close at noon. West Texas State Bank and AimBank will close at 3 p.m. Scurry County School Federal Credit Union officials  could not be reached.