Scary Icy Weather Conditions in Central Texas

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   KCC Big Countryposted 14 years ago

   Last Friday we had several inches of snow after a few really cold days (temps in the teens).  I was able to easily drive to work in it.  Today was a different story.  We had freezing rain and ice hit just before I left to go to work.  90% of my journey to work is on the interstate highway. 
   
   As I was getting on there was an 18-wheeler in the right lane so I had to remain in the on ramp as he passed and get in behind him.  Within seconds another 18-wheeler was passing us both and jackknived.  The two 18-wheelers became tangled up with each other and all I could do was let off the gas and hope they slide and spun without hitting me (or anyone else).  Luckily, they both eventually slid into the ditch together. I had glanced in my rearview mirror several times during this to see how people were doing that were approaching us from behind.  At least half a dozen were sliding all over the place.  I can only assume they were either going too fast when they hit an icy patch or had attempted to brake when they saw the 18-wheelers sliding all over the place, or both. 
   
   All I know is about a dozen vehicles in all were scattered all over the highway, ditches and median.  I managed to escape unharmed and promptly exited at the next exit, took a couple of right turns on some backroads and came back home.
   
   I called my boss and reported that I'd have to be in later if conditions improved.  However, it's now snowing here with 80% chance of snow for the remainder of the day.  Temps are in the mid 20s and expected to drop to teens again tonight. 
   
   It's supposed to warm up the rest of the week and be back in the mid 60s by Saturday.  LOL

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      txgalposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Be careful out there. I'm in Austin trying to stay warm.

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         KCC Big Countryposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Thanks.  I'm north of Waco and the temps are definitely dropping.  We made cinnamond rolls earlier for breakfast and now we've put a pot of pinto beans on and took out some stew meat.

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      qwarkposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I'm in Corpus Christi.
      The temp is 38 degrees now at 11:00 AM.
      It's getting colder by the minute.
      Gonna freeze tonite.
      We need a little "global warming!"
      Qwark

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         KCC Big Countryposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         It's 19 degrees here right now according to Weather.com. It was 25 about an hour ago, so we're dropping too. We have 30 mph winds that bite right through you.  We're expecting a low of 15 tonight. 
         
         I'm with you......bring on some global warming!  LOL

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      qwarkposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      It just dropped down to 32 degrees here in Corpus!
      I turned on the water.
      Ya'll better do the same if yer livin' here in TX!
      Qwark

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   Lisa HWposted 14 years ago

   It does sound scary.  We've had so much ice around here I feel like there's a chance I'll be killed just going out to my mailbox.  LOL    Glad you weren't hurt - but I do envy that 60 degrees you've got coming.  We're looking forward to a day or two of "toasty warm" forties next week. 

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      KCC Big Countryposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks, Lisa.  We had those incredibly low temps and chill factors last week and by the weekend we had warm sunny weather again.  People were wearing shorts!  Then it's been up to the high 50s and 60s until yesterday.  But, we had another front come through and to drop it back down again.  I hate the cold!

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   Michael Willisposted 14 years ago

   We are just getting snow here in central Arkansas. Ice is no fun at all to drive on. Glad you made it back home safely!!!

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      KCC Big Countryposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks!  I'm glad I made it back too! Once I got off the interstate I called back home and told my daughter to stay put.  She was supposed to go to school.  Schools and businesses are open here since he really only started to really deteoriate around 7:30 a.m. 
      
      If it's going to snow again I want it to at least give us a couple of inches of snow.
      
      Are you expecting a big accumulation there?

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         Michael Willisposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         The forecast is for 4-6 inches. Northwest Arkansas has been hit very hard though. Just saw on the local news where the NW Arkansas Regional Airport had 20 inches already.  I hope we stay around the 6 inches amount. We have about 4 right now with snow expected to last until this evening.

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   Rafiniposted 14 years ago

   omg -  I'm glad you're ok KCC.  That must have been extremely scary.  The closest I've come to anything similar is an accident on a bridge, (just after a curve so it couldn't be seen while approaching, & after an ice storm) and when I tapped the brakes I started sliding (along with everyone else!!)
   
   The truck driver must have forgotten he was in Texas where ice storms are rare.

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      KCC Big Countryposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you Rafini!  Because we don't get ice that often we are not very good drivers in it.  We just don't get any practice at it.  I felt so much safer on the backroads alone trying to get back home than I did on the highway with all the crazies.  LOL

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   camloposted 14 years ago

   Hi KCC!
   I'm really glad you came out of that unscathed.
   Is that weather normal in Texas? My only experience of Texas weather is from watching 'Dallas', and it always seemed comfortably warm at any time of year.
   Anyway, take good care.

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      KCC Big Countryposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks, Camlo!  I've missed chatting with you!  I know you've been out of town and busy.  But, it's good to see you!
      
      No, this weather is not typical at all.  Our winters are usually very mild, but we have the odd cold/icy day here and there.  When we get it, we typically freak out.  I thought the practice we had last week with snow would get everyone in the "be careful" mode, but evidently not.  Today is incredibly cold and trecherous.

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         camloposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Yes, I miss chatting with you, too.
         I was sent home from college today with gastroenteritis, which started yesterday afternoon during a class. So, I'm off until Sunday night, but with four exams coming up between next Monday and Wednesday, I have a lot of revising to do. Anyway, I'm trying to relax today completely guilt-free.
         Keep warm and safe, KCC.

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            KCC Big Countryposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            That doesn't sound like fun at all....you definitely need to kick back and relax!

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               camloposted 14 years agoin reply to this

               No fun, but the worst is over.

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      gracenotesposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Ha ha.  I've seen most of the episodes of Dallas, and the reason the "on location" shots were always of the Ewing family dining outside on the patio for breakfast is because they were filmed during the summer.  When they couldn't be in Dallas, they created the identical patio set indoors at a Hollywood studio.
      
      In the pilot episodes ("mini-series") that they ran during the year 1978, there is an episode with ice and snow all over the ground, where you can see everyone's breath as they talk.
      
      The winters in Dallas are usually moderate enough, though.

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         camloposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         I saw every single episode of Dallas (was addicted), but can't remember the icey scenes. But that was a long time ago ...

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            gracenotesposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            Another addict!  Well, another thing about the early Dallas show is that they didn't shoot locations very long with the first mansion depicted in early episodes as the SouthFork Ranch.  Sadly, that first mansion burned to the ground within a few years.  But the best-known, most-used SouthFork is just wonderful, and still thriving as a tourist attraction.  I finally went through it for the first time last June.
            
            My favorite episode is "Barbeque" and it was shot at the original mansion during the first year.  That episode had some of their best scriptwriting.

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   megs78posted 14 years ago

   well, all i gotta say is:  WINTER TIRES!!!  we live in conditions like this all winter long and winter tires make all the difference   its actually mandatory here now to have your winter tires on before Dec. 15th.

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      camloposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Here, too.

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      KCC Big Countryposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      We don't have enough winter weather to warrant them.  It'll be back in the 60s by the weekend.  Sure would have come in handy today though.

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   lrohnerposted 14 years ago

   Wow, glad you're okay, KCC! we're still buried in ice and snow here in the Northeast from the last couple of storms. It took me 3 days to chip 3" to 4" of ice off of my walks, inch by inch by stinking inch!
   
   Our roads are clear, though, but buildings and houses are collapsing right and left from the weight of the huge amount of snow and ice on them.

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      KCC Big Countryposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you! I cannot even begin to imagine living somewhere where this is a common occurence or where I had to chip away ice on sidewalks or use a snow plow/shovel to make a path to my car.

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         Lisa HWposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Living in such a place is "a real hoot"       It's like being sentenced to Hell for a few months out of each year.      

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            KCC Big Countryposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            Some might argue that that's what living through our Texas summers is like.  LOL 
            
            Maybe it's because I've always lived in Texas, but I can always find a way to get cool, but I can never seem to get warm enough when I'm cold.  It's like the cold chills you to the bone.

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   qwarkposted 14 years ago

   That was a quick one. Temps are back up to 40 degrees.

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   KCC Big Countryposted 14 years ago

   It's 29 here with a chill factor of 16 with the strong north winds we're having.  Glad it's warming up for you qwark!

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    camloposted 14 years ago

    I have a problem relating to fahrenheit, because we always use celsius here. Having just checked out these temperatures on a converter, I realise just how cold it is where you are. It's a lot warmer here: 52°F (11°C). Almost like spring.
    Hope it warms up for you soon.

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    megs78posted 14 years ago

    last week we had a temperature of -42.  i dont know what that is in fahrenheit, but it was damned cold.  its like Arctic weather and it stayed at that temp for a full week too.  it was horrible.  We have snow and cold for 6 months of our year, but the temp doesn't usually go under about -25 for most of the time (except when there's a wind chill).  anyways, we have very warm clothes up here and a lot of woodstoves!

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    megs78posted 14 years ago

    does anybody know what minus 40 degrees celsius is in farenheit?

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       camloposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       This is confusing. 0°C  is 32°F, but -40°C is -40°F according to two different converters I just tried.

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          megs78posted 14 years agoin reply to this

          i tried the same thing and had a confusing result.  i guess minus 40 0nly exists in Canada   anyhow, its very, very cold!

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    megs78posted 14 years ago

    we have warnings not to show any skin when going outside in temps like that.  its funny to see people walking around with just their eyes peeking out from under their tuques and above their bellaclavas   i guess its also funny that people actually go outside and walk around in that kind of weather, but we do!  the other day, I did my groceries and while taking the bags from the car into the house, without my gloves, my fingers went numb and it took about 10 minutes to warm them up.  I was outside for 35 seconds.  crazy eh?

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       camloposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       I couldn't cope with that. The cold makes me miserable, and by cold I mean anything below about 10°C. What would -40°C do to me?

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          megs78posted 14 years agoin reply to this

          im not a fan of the cold either, but I've never been anywhere tropical in my life.  strange eh?  but i do love the place that I live and that makes the extreme weather bearable I guess.

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