The Midday Ice Parade

A major ice storm continues to unfold well to the northwest, north and northeast of Alabama.

Going north on I-65 at midday, you would first encounter freezing temperatures over North Tennessee, but it is near freezing in the Nashville area. Mid 20s are reported over North Kentucky.

Traveling northwest from Birmingham, the first freezing temperatures were in Central Arkansas around Little Rock. It was 30 at Fayetteville. The Memphis area is slightly above freezing.

Going west on I-20 from Birmingham, the first freezing temperatures are as you approach the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. Most of I-20 is just south of a northward-moving warm front. Midday temperatures were mostly in the 60s across Central Mississippi and Northern Louisiana into extreme East Texas.

Further north, it was 26 in Louisville and 13 in Kansas City.

Here are some specific spot reports on icing. Please remember this is only the tip of the iceberg. It would be impossible to list all of the afflicted areas. When it gets to freezing rain, even 1/4 inch accumulation can cause all kinds of problems. In fact, even 1/10 ice accumulation can turn highways and bridges into a skating rink.

* At Mountain Home in Baxter County Arkansas, ice thickness of 1 to 1.5 inches was clinging to branches. The North Arkansas Electric Cooperative was opening shelters across North Arkansas for people with no power. South of town, numerous tree limbs were breaking and power was out.

* Numerous trees were falling around Yellville, Arkansas in Marion County. There was a 3/4-inch ice load in the trees. That is very significant. The ice load was even thicker in the trees at Moko, Arkansas in Fulton County. It had built to 1.5 inches and power was out.

* Bentonville reports widespread power outages. Power is out in most of the city.

* The town of Fern, in Franklin County Arkansas, has numerous fallen trees from the heavy ice load along Highway 215. Power is out.

* Sleet has accumulated to a depth of 3 inches at Okemah, Oklahoma.

* Westville, Oklahoma, in Adair County, has 1/2 to 3/4-inch ice thickness on trees and power lines. Limbs are breaking off and some trees are crashing to the ground. Sleet is 2 inches deep at Noble, Oklahoma.

* Tecumseh, Oklahoma has a 3-inch accumulation of sleet, which fell on top of 1/4-inch freezing rain that fell earlier.

* In Bowling Green, Kentucky, freezing rain continues. Some places report a 3/4-inch accumulation. With freezing rain, we remind you again that much is extremely significant.

* Garrard County Kentucky reports numerous trees and power lines have fallen due to the heavy ice load throughout the eastern part of the county.

* 4 inches of snow has accumulated at Cynthiana, Kentucky.

* 2 inches of snow already on the ground at Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. Many roads require all-wheel drives.

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