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Forecasters say travel will be dangerous in West Texas through Thursday morning

A view of U.S. 90 in Brewster County on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023.
Carlos Morales
/
Marfa Public Radio
A view of U.S. 90 in Brewster County on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023.

Weather forecasters are warning West Texans to avoid travel in the region through at least Thursday morning, as highways and interstates from the Permian Basin to parts of the Big Bend have been blanketed with ice this week.

The National Weather Service has issued winter weather warnings covering most of the region, from the Midland-Odessa area to the Big Bend. An ice storm warning remains in effect for most of the I-20 corridor to Brewster County.

Forecasters say continued light freezing rain Wednesday morning has led to dangerous travel conditions in most of West Texas.

The Texas Department of Transportation continues to report icy conditions on Interstates 10 and 20, along with highways and smaller roads from the Permian Basin to the Marfa-Alpine-Fort Davis area.

“Areas that remain below freezing can expect near constant freezing drizzle or freezing rain,

which could become moderate to heavy at times,” the National Weather Service’s Midland office wrote in a forecast discussion Wednesday. “Thankfully, as the afternoon progresses Thursday the entire area climbs back above freezing.”

Parts of I-10 east of Van Horn were shut down for hours Tuesday afternoon after a crash involving multiple 18-wheelers. Late Tuesday night, officials began to reopen the eastbound lanes of I-10 that were closed, TxDOT said on Twitter.

More than 40 crashes were reported across the Permian Basin on Tuesday alone, according to the Midland Reporter-Telegram.

The latest information on road conditions can be found here.

Travis Bubenik is All Things Considered Host and Big Bend Reporter at Marfa Public Radio.