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.
Check out the difference in road conditions on I-10 just west of Fort Stockton in the last 15 minutes. As freezing rain continues to overspread the region, travel conditions will become hazardous very quickly! Use extreme caution if you must drive and stay home if you can! #txwx pic.twitter.com/OCAhZ5SZzL
— NWS Midland (@NWSMidland) February 1, 2023
“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.
