Warmer weather expected after day of freezing rain
Frigid rain and near-freezing temperatures caused power outages and airport delays in North Texas and nearly 100 wrecks during the morning rush-hour in Lubbock on Monday, but meteorologists were predicting warmer weather for Tuesday.
About 48,000 customers were without electricity in the Dallas-Fort Worth area Monday night because of icy conditions, said Oncor spokeswoman Megan Wright. She had no estimate on when power might be restored.
Temperatures dropped below freezing at Dallas Love Field, which reported a low of 31 degrees Monday. Temperatures at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport stayed just above freezing at 33 degrees, said Nick Hampshire, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Fort Worth.
Incoming flights at D/FW Airport were delayed about 90 minutes Monday because of the weather, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The cold weather, however, was expected to be short-lived as the cold front shifted east, Hampshire said.
"The roads in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex had no problems. There were some reports of tree limbs snapping due to ice," Hampshire said. "All in all, it really could have been a lot worse."
In Lubbock, police responded to 86 wrecks from midnight until 11 a.m., with the bulk coming after 6:45 a.m. when people started heading to work, Capt. Greg Stevens said. A day with better weather might bring a dozen wrecks. There were no deaths or serious injuries reported, he said.
"All in all, it wasn't too bad," Stevens said. "We weren't overwhelmed."
There was a 20 percent chance of rain in North Texas on Tuesday with a high near 57 and a low of 37, according to the National Weather Service.
Rain was more likely in Central Texas and Southeast Texas. Forecasters predicted a 40 percent chance of rain in the Austin area, with highs in the low 60s and a low around 37. In the Houston area, there was an 80 percent chance of rain, with a high near 60 and lows in the mid-40s.
Mostly sunny skies were expected in West Texas and the Panhandle, with highs reaching the low 50s and lows in the mid to upper 20s.
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