First Alert Weather: Live updates for Thursday, Dec. 22

A MedStar spokesperson said that as of 9:33 p.m. Thursday, 20 patients had been treated for a cold-related illness or injury.

16 of those 20 patients required transport, a rate of 80%. Two were listed as serious. 

According to DART, the switch issue near Medical Market Center has been fixed. 

However, the bus shuttle has been canceled. TRE trains have resumed normal operations, but it may take time to resume regular scheduled service. 

Gov. Greg Abbott assured Texans on Thursday that the power grid is operating without any problems despite the falling temperatures.

The McKinney Ave Transit Authority announced Thursday evening that the trolley service would be suspended through the evening due to extreme weather conditions.

TRE passengers are being told to expect delays due to a switch issue near Medical Market Center Station. 

Officials believe the problem is weather-related and have dispatched crews with a de-icer.

In the meantime, a bus shuttle is in place between Medical Market Center and Victory stations.

A MedStar spokesperson said on Thursday afternoon that as of 3:45 p.m., 12 patients had been treated for a cold-related illness or injury. 

Eight of those 12 patients required transport, a rate of 66%. One was classified as "serious."

Seven were male, and three were female.  

Their ages ranged from 40 to 77, with the average falling at 53.7.

Oncor says it's closely monitoring the weather today, noting that thousands of power stations and lines have been winterized for high winds and extreme cold.

Their statement continues, stating that "should we experience power outages, our crews are ready to respond and will work around the clock to get the lights back on as quickly and safely as possible - even on holidays."

The company added that their crews are trained to work in all types of weather conditions, including extreme cold.

If you see a downed power line, Oncor says to stay away and call 911 immediately.

To report an outage text OUT to 66267, use the MyOncor app, or select "Report an Outage" located above the map. You may also call 888-313-4747 to report your outage.   

Some North Texans affected by power outages earlier today have since seen the lights come back on, but others haven't been as lucky.

In Tarrant County, the number of outages dropped from 1,828 to 313 - nearly 80% fewer. 

The improvement in Collin County was a little less drastic, dropping about 50% from 2,281 to 1,099 outages.

Dallas County, however, has seen an increase in power outages. The number rose from 1,560 to 1,834.

Oncor still does not have an estimated time of restoration for any of these three counties.

Parker County is also seeing a spike in outages. About 1,575 customers are without power at the moment, but Oncor estimates it should only take until 3:00 p.m. to resolve the issue.  

The Tarrant Area Food Bank announced Thursday morning that it is cancelling the West Mega Mobile Distribution tonight in Weatherford due to weather.

The TAFB West Mission Market at 112 Winners Circle in Weatherford will remain open until 7:00 p.m. this evening.

According to Oncor, about 7,000 Texans are currently experiencing power outages - including over 5,700 in North Texas alone. 

Of those customers, Oncor reports that 1,828 are in Tarrant County, 1,560 in Dallas County, and 2,281 in Collin County.

As of 11:42 a.m., Oncor estimates that power in Collin County will be restored at about 2:00 p.m. today. It's not currently known how long it will take to restore power in Tarrant or Dallas Counties.

Light snow is falling in Fort Worth and slightly accumulating in some parts. It's not expected to impact travel, but TXDOT says it's keeping a close eye on the road conditions.

Texas A&M University-Texarkana announced on Thursday that although the weather will have a limited impact on campus due to the time of year, the school will be affected regardless.

Today, on Dec. 22, 2022, TAMUT will close at noon. 

Tomorrow, it will be open between 8:00 a.m. and 12 p.m. with a "skeleton crew" and all departments will have employees working remotely before closing for winter break.

The campus will reopen on Jan. 2, 2023 at 8:00 a.m.

The Prairie Lights event in Grand Prairie will be closed on Dec. 22 and Dec. 23 out of concern for the safety of their event staff, organizers announced Thursday morning.

Guests holding pre-purchased general admission tickets will be able to use them on any night through Dec. 31. Those with Fast Passes for tonight and tomorrow night will receive emails about how to redeem them for another evening.

Currently, the event is set to reopen on Christmas Eve and run through New Year's Eve as previous scheduled. Gates open at 6:00 p.m. each night and admission lines are open until 10 p.m. or the park fills up.

Hearing of some snow flurries here and there in the viewing area this morning, like in Tarrant and Parker Counties. Also in Bowie and west toward Breckenridge.  Some freezing drizzle is possible.

Don't be surprised if you see/hear about it.

Should not cause too many problems.

The bitter cold weather and gusty winds are definitely the big story for all of North Texas.

9:10 a.m. — Light snow was seen picking up in Wise County.

9 a.m. — Along and north of I-20, the National Weather Service is upgrading the forecast from snow flurries to "legitimate light snow" this morning.