TEXAS (KXAN) — Valentine’s Day weekend in Texas isn’t all candy hearts and flower bouquets as historic winter weather descended on the Lone Star State — bringing hazardous icy conditions, biting cold, and in many areas, piles of snow.
Snow coming down at 5th Street and Congress Avenue in Austin. 11:30 p.m. February 14, 2020. KXAN Photo/ Frank Martinez.
On Friday, Governor Greg Abbott declared a State of Emergency and on Saturday he announced the further activation of state resources to combat perils on the state’s roads.
“The severity of this cold weather is unprecedented in Texas history,” Abbott said Saturday. “This is going to be a challenging time for Texas, but it’s a challenge our fellow Texans are up to.”
Sunday the icy roads turned dangerous for many Central Texas drivers and hundreds of customers across the region experienced power outages. As temperatures below freezing continued into Sunday night, the Austin area began to see more snowfall.
Here are some views from across the state so far.
Central Texas
In Central Texas, a Winter Storm Warning issued by the National Weather Service continues in the Austin metro area through noon Monday at least.
The Austin metro area saw thousands of customers with power outages and numerous vehicle crashes as streets became slick.
Round Rock Feb. 12 (KXAN/Frank Martinez)
Ice took down two large oak trees in a Round Rock neighborhood (Courtesy of Tim McCall)
People walk by a collapsed tree in Lake Oswego, Ore., Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021. The tree fell during an ice and snowstorm that left hundreds of thousands of people without power and disrupted travel across the Pacific Northwest region. (AP Photo/Gillian Flaccus)
A Pedernales Fire Department truck rolled over on west SH 71 on Saturday morning (KXAN/Julie Karam)
(KXAN)
“Ice also adds additional weight to tree limbs or leaves causing a breakage that can take out a power line as well,” a spokesperson for Austin Energy said. (Photo provided by Austin Energy)
Ice on trees, power lines near U.S. 183 at Braker Lane (KXAN/Tim Holcomb)
Near Lake Buchanan Feb. 11 – Cindy Simmons
Natalie Westbrook – Leander Feb. 11
First responders work the scene of a fatal crash on I-35 near downtown Fort Worth on Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021. Police say at some people were killed and dozens injured in a massive crash involving 75 to 100 vehicles on an icy Texas interstate. (Amanda McCoy /Star-Telegram via AP)
A tree bent by ice in Jarrell Feb. 11, 2021 (Courtesy Brittany Mahn)
Icy broken tree limbs in Cedar Park/Leander Feb. 11, 2021 (Courtesy Mitch Cooper)
Branches breaking and leaning with the ice in Cedar Park Feb. 11, 2021 (Courtesy Cindy Merryman)
Georgetown Feb. 11 – Tammy Gotti
It sounds like a battle zone
Cactus covered in ice in Pflugerville Feb. 11, 2021 (Courtesy Rose Zepeda)
Falling trees in the Oak Ridge subdivision in Leander Feb. 11, 2021 (Courtesy Brooke Fowler)
Ice on trees near U.S. 183 at Braker Lane (KXAN/Tim Holcomb)
Ice on plants near U.S. 183 at Braker Lane (KXAN/Tim Holcomb)
Ice covering everything in Cedar Park Feb. 11, 2021 (Courtesy Karalyn Capone)
In San Antonio:
Stay safe San Antonio and please stay home if at all possible. If you must travel, please use extreme caution due to current weather conditions. Here are just a few areas (pictures below) that have reported accidents within the past few hours: pic.twitter.com/bbuJ3M8AHG
In north Texas, snow has already fallen in Dallas/Fort Worth. Some views via Twitter below.
West Texas
In West Texas, residents of Odessa saw temperatures plunge below 20. Take a look below:
Sunday morning in Lubbock.
Meanwhile, in El Paso.
The most snow I’ve seen in the last 3 winters in El Paso. Sure Sasha is hating going outside to go to the bathroom, but she is not thinking of that right now pic.twitter.com/9Wou1oqINR