Potential ice storm in Southern states may impact morning commute
Dr. Reed Timmer is in Moore, Oklahoma, to give an update on a potential ice storm coming through Texas, Oklahoma and other states that could impact morning travel.
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00:00 A winter weather advisory has been issued for the Oklahoma City Metro tonight through Monday morning where an icing event is possible on roads and especially the elevated surfaces.
00:09 It could be potentially impactful as well in the morning including the Oklahoma City Metro where we could get up to a tenth of an inch of ice accretion from freezing rain.
00:18 Greater totals approaching a half an inch across southern Oklahoma through northwestern Arkansas into southern Missouri.
00:25 It could even have some ice accretion rates that exceed .5 inches and there could be some tree damage up from the Fort Smith area through Fayetteville, Arkansas.
00:33 And that's where an ice storm warning is in effect.
00:35 But you can see the undulatus clouds up above me, the wavy patterns with the stratostech.
00:40 That's as we're starting to get warm advection and there is a shallow sub-freezing layer at the surface.
00:45 Right now the temperatures across the Oklahoma City Metro are right around freezing at 32 degrees Fahrenheit but it's relatively dry.
00:52 So the wet bulb temperature is certainly below freezing.
00:55 So once that precipitation starts it will likely start off as rain and then change to freezing rain overnight tonight.
01:01 And the timing is also critical across southern Oklahoma.
01:04 So that precipitation is going to move in and increase in intensity especially after sunset and that's going to allow those surface temperatures to dip below freezing.
01:13 But a classic pattern of undulatus clouds here aloft. These are altostratus clouds and these are a telltale sign that a warm advection event is about to begin.
01:22 And in this case it's going to be an ice storm and an impactful one at that especially during the morning rush hour here across the Oklahoma City Metro and along I-35 down into north Texas.
01:32 And I could even see some freezing conditions across those elevated surfaces of the DFW Metroplex as well late night tonight into the early morning hours on Monday.
01:42 So certainly do take it safe if you do have to travel in the morning.
01:47 Better yet stay off those roads. Could even be some power outages especially in the ice storm warning area.
01:52 But definitely pack that winter weather safety kit as well.
01:56 A very dangerous event coming for especially those roads and elevated surfaces.