At a Glance
- Multiple vehicles crashes were reported around Dallas and Austin.
- Drivers were warned to avoid a portion of Interstate 35 in Oklahoma.
- More than 1,000 flights were canceled at Dallas-Fort Worth.
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At least three deaths are being blamed on the dangerous ice storm pummeling parts of the Southern Plains.
Named Winter Storm Mara by The Weather Channel, the system left interstates coated in ice and led to multiple traffic crashes in several states.
Here are our updates as the news unfolded Tuesday:
(6:29 p.m. ET) Death Toll Rises In Texas
A third death in Texas is being linked to the storm. The latest victim was a woman who died due to icy road conditions in Eldorado, Texas, according to the state Department of Public Safety.
Other victims include a man who died after his car flew off a slippery overpass in Arlington Monday night and a person killed in a 10-car pileup Tuesday morning in Austin.
(6:04 p.m. ET) Arkansas National Guard Assisting Motorists
When Spc. Aaron Coker and Spc. Jenna Jones, both with the Arkansas National Guard, came upon a person inside a disabled car on the side of the road in northwest Arkansas, they offered the driver a seat in their warm Light Medium Tactical Vehicle until a tow truck arrived.
The Guard shared a photo on their Twitter feed.
(6:02 p.m. ET) Travel Discouraged On Portion Of Interstate 35 In Oklahoma
"I-35 from Ardmore south to Texas is considered extremely slick and hazardous and travel is discouraged," the Oklahoma Department of Transportation said in a news release this afternoon. "I-35 from Oklahoma City to Purcell and I-40 from Shawnee east to the Arkansas state line is slick in spots."
The next update will be issued at 8 p.m. local time.
(3:58 p.m. ET) 1,000+ Flights Canceled At DFW
More than 1,000 flights to or from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport are canceled today, according to airline tracker FlightAware. About 285 are canceled at Dallas-Love Field and about 250 at Austin-Bergstrom International. Hundreds of other flights have been delayed.
(3:48 p.m. ET) Power Outages More Than Double In Texas
Power outages have climbed to more than 22,000 in Texas. About one-third of those are in the northeast portion of the state, according to PowerOutage.us.
(1:34 p.m. ET) Road Crews Get Ready In Little Rock
Trucks loaded with a salt solution that includes beet juice are heading out ahead of the winter weather in Little Rock, Arkansas.
The beet juice helps keep the salt brine from freezing when temperatures drop below 22 degrees.
(12:31 p.m. ET) Conditions Expected To Worsen In Parts Of Texas
“Driving conditions around the state due to the weather that we’re seeing are very dangerous," Texas Department of Transportation Director Marc Williams said in a news conference moments ago.
“Not only are they dangerous but they’re also very dynamic.”
Williams said crashes have happened in several locations, including around the Dallas metroplex and in more rural areas. A state trooper investigating a crash was injured and transported to a hospital.
Conditions are expected to worsen.
“We continue to be in the middle of an event that we expect to extend for another 24 – 36 hours," he said.
(11:52 a.m. ET) Power Outages Rise In Texas
More than 11,000 homes, businesses and other utility customers are without electricity in Texas, according to PowerOutage.us. While the outages are scattered across several counties, the highest numbers are in Red River and Hopkins counties, in the northeast corner of the state.
(11:44 a.m. ET) Huge Backup On I-40 In Eastern Arkansas
Vehicles are backed up 15 miles on Interstate 40 near Jeanette, Arkansas, in an area that drivers are being asked to avoid. Video shot by a storm chaser in the area shows the aftermath of a crash, downed power lines and a power pole on fire.
(11:29 a.m. ET) Downed Trees, Power Lines Knock Out Power In Tennessee Town
The city of Paris, Tennessee, says power is out in the downtown area due to downed trees and power lines.
"Please avoid the downtown area if at all possible to allow for restoration in this area. If you must travel, use extreme caution," a social media post from the city said.
Paris is about 87 miles northwest of Nashville.
(11:04 a.m. ET) Austin Police Respond To More Than 90 Crashes
Police in Austin, Texas, have assisted with more than 90 traffic crashes since midnight, including three that involved their own units.
There were also fires this morning involving space heaters, according to police, who tweeted: "Please, STAY HOME AND OFF THE ROADS, give space heaters plenty of space, never use your oven to stay warm, and keep generators outside."
(10:52 a.m. ET) Drivers Asked To Avoid Portion Of Interstate 40
The Arkansas Department of Transportation is advising drivers to stay off of I-40 westbound between Forrest City, Arkansas, and Memphis.
"The route is covered in ice/ice patches and we are dealing with two accidents - one at mile marker 254.2 and one at mile marker 262.1," the department said in a tweet.
(10:42 a.m. ET) 12-Car Pileup On Memphis Street
A dozen cars slid into each other on an icy Memphis street early this morning, according to WREG-TV. The incident happened on 3rd Street just off Interstate 55. One driver told the station the road was "extremely icy" and cars were slipping all over.
(10:34 a.m. ET) Fatal Crash In Arlington, Texas
Police in the Dallas suburb of Arlington have responded to multiple vehicle crashes, including a fatal rollover and a seven-car pileup.
"We continue to urge folks to stay home if you don’t absolutely have to be on the roadways right now," the agency tweeted. Conditions continue to deteriorate."
(10:14 a.m. ET) Airport Delays Mount
More than 500 flights to or from Dallas-Forth Worth International Airport are canceled, according to online tracker FlightAware, and more than 125 flights are canceled at Dallas-Love Field. More than 150 are canceled at Austin's international airport.
Southwest Airlines has the most cancellations and delays, followed by American. Southwest is waiving change fees at several airports for travel today and tomorrow, including Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin, Memphis and Oklahoma City. American is waiving change fees for flights at DFW.
(9:30 a.m. ET) If You're Using A Generator, Do It Safely
Austin paramedics said they were responding to a report of a carbon monoxide exposure at about 8:30 a.m. local time this morning. Here are some tips to remember if the power goes out and you need to find alternate means to heat your home:
-Stoves, ovens or grills should never be used to heat your home.
-If you use a generator, it must be placed in an outside area with sufficient ventilation – never inside the home.
-Be sure your generator is properly grounded to prevent shocks or electrocution.
Here are some more tips you might find helpful when it comes to using a generator properly.
(9:05 a.m. ET) Lots Of Lightning Accompanies Winter Storm
Thundersleet and freezing rain with thunder were being reported in some parts of Texas and southern Oklahoma, and imagery from the GOES-East satellite showed just how widespread the lightning was this morning.
(8:45 a.m. ET) Crashes Occurring On Both Sides Of Arkansas-Tennessee Border
Icy roads were blamed for collisions and slide-offs in the Memphis area and along Interstate 40 near Forrest City, Arkansas, west of Memphis. As a result of the conditions, stretches of the interstate were closed in eastern Arkansas.
(8:25 a.m. ET) What To Do If You're Caught In A Pileup
Being involved in a multi-vehicle pileup can be one of the scariest things to experience on a slick road, and it can also be deadly. If you find yourself in a collision, the most important thing to remember is to remain in your vehicle with your seat belt fastened. Many people who are killed in pileups have left their vehicles.
For a full list of things to remember during a pileup, watch this video.
(8:15 a.m. ET) Pileups Occurring In Austin; Death Reported
The Austin Fire Department said the number of collisions was growing rapidly as more drivers took to the roads during the icy morning commute. One pileup resulted in a death along West Ben White Boulevard; Authorities were working to confirm that the fatality was weather-related.
(8 a.m. ET) Stay Off The Roads, Authorities In Austin Warn
With nearly all elevated roads in the Austin area reportedly iced over, authorities were urging residents to stay home and not travel.
"Please don't drive if you don't have to today," tweeted the Austin District of the Texas Department of Transportation. "There are icy patches on many roadways. Crews continue to treat, but conditions can change minute by minute."
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