Driving on Icy or Slushy Roads
North Texans can handle the heat, but snowy and icy roads are a different story. Dallas-Fort Worth faces the potential for wintry precipitation late Tuesday into Wednesday when a cold front will drop temperatures into the 30s, KXAS-TV (NBC5) meteorologist Grant Johnston said. Rain "will likely change over to sleet very early on Wednesday morning,” he said. The higher likelihood for sleet is in Denton and Tarrant counties and areas to the northwest, where a winter weather advisory will be in effect from midnight through Wednesday afternoon. The advisory includes the cities of Lewisville, Denton, Carrollton, Fort Worth, Arlington and surrounding areas. The watch cautions that accumulations of sleet and snow could total 1 inch, creating the potential for slick roads and bridges.
The National Weather Service had previously issued a winter storm watch for those areas but downgraded the watch as new forecasts developed. As of Tuesday morning, Dallas and Collin counties were not under the winter weather advisory. Some areas may only see a cold rain Wednesday, but Johnston said drivers should be cautious. “There could be some sleet mixing in [with rain], and it could be enough to create some hazardous travel conditions,” Johnston said.
Texas Department of Transportation crews began treating roads Monday, using a mixture of salt and water called brine, which lowers the freezing point of water, but TxDOT urged drivers to use caution on icy or wet roads.
What should you know about driving in wintry conditions? The National Weather Service offers the following tips:
- Reduce speed and allow plenty of space between you and the vehicle in front of you.
- Avoid making sharp turns or braking suddenly.
- If your vehicle skids, gently steer in the direction of the skid to regain control; resist the urge to jerk the steering wheel in the opposite direction.
- From a stop, accelerate slowly in second gear to get better traction.
- Sand, kitty litter or cardboard can help you regain traction if your vehicle gets struck.
- Take along blankets, water, jumper cables, a flashlight and a tow rope, in case you get stranded...
