Southern Snow: Havoc For Motorists
Storms that pounded the southern Plains with frozen rain and heavy snow began to taper off as Texas and Oklahoma tried to restore electricity and clear slick roads in the aftermath of the treacherous weather.
The southern Plains' first snowstorm of the season was blamed for hundreds of traffic accidents on Wednesday, with five deaths in Texas and seven in Oklahoma.
At least 9 inches of snow fell in Aspermont, Texas, about 100 miles northwest of Abilene, and Lubbock and Wichita Falls both reported several inches. Bridges were coated with ice in other cities in the Panhandle and west Texas.
About 4,000 TXU Electric and Gas customers were without power early Thursday as gusty wind and ice downed power lines in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. About 100 employees and contractors were working to restore service, spokesman Ray Granado said.
"We don't anticipate any long-term problems. Mainly it's the high winds and the ice," he said.
American Airlines canceled 50 percent of its flights Wednesday at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, the carrier's main hub, but no flights were being delayed early Thursday, airport spokesman Ken Capps said.
Most of the winter precipitation in Texas was expected to wind down Thursday, with some sun peeking out from the clouds.
Dozens of cars slid off slippery roads Wednesday in Wichita Falls, where part of Highway 287 spanning the city remained closed, said Dejuan Wallace, a Department of Public Safety spokesman.
In Oklahoma, as much as 8 inches of snow was reported in Chickasha and Shawnee, the National Weather Service said. Freezing rain pelted southeastern Oklahoma.
The snow began tapering off in western and central Oklahoma Wednesday afternoon as the storm shifted to the eastern part of the state, where four people were killed as frozen precipitation moved through the area.
Southern Oklahoma law enforcement officials responded to a slew of wrecks Wednesday, including two that closed the Red River bridge on I-35 for several hours.
"We've worked numerous accidents today related to the weather. I couldn't even begin to give you a number," said Chris Roan of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
The upper Midwest got a break Wednesday from the heavy snow that plagued the region earlier in the week. Willmar, Minn., got more than 29 inches of snow Tuesday.
Minnesota blamed three traffic deaths on slippery highways. Wisconsin and Wyoming had one each.
By APRIL CASTRO
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