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PHOTO BY LAURIE ANDERSON
Leading into the weekend, an unusually thick layer of fog rolled into the Dripping Springs area on Friday, Jan. 23, limiting visibility well into the afternoon. In this photo overlooking Patriots’ Hall from 290, the building and flag pole are barely visible.
PHOTO BY DEAN BUERSCHINGER
Roads around the area were icy and slick, resulting in numerous accidents, including this one Saturday, Jan. 24 on 290 near MacGregor that involved Arthur Six and his family. “I hit a patch of black ice, and as I understand it, spun around and ricocheted off the back of an 18-wheeler and into another car,” Six said. First responders had to use the jaws of life to get Six’s girlfriend and her dad out of the vehicle, but they are all recuperating.
PHOTO BY MADELLINE MATHIS
A transformer that exploded near Camp Lucy started a fire and resulted in a power outage for the immediate area. The fire department responded to the scene. Nearby residents also reported seeing light pillars at the site, which is a weather phenomenon that occurs during sub freezing temperatures.
COURTESY OF JORDAN HO
COURTESY OF CRYSTAL HOPKINS JOHN
COURTESY OF DANI VW
COURTESY OF HOLLY DEMRO MACPHERSON
COURTESY OF KATIE WHITELAW MCDONALD
COURTESY OF LANEY ANDERSON
COURTESTY OF STEPHANIE PASTICK PARKER
PHOTO COURTESY OF VALENTINE COURT
COURTESY OF SUZANNE PARTON CREW
A winter weather system that impacted much of the continental U.S. rolled into the Dripping Springs area on Saturday, Jan. 24, with temperatures dropping into the 20s overnight and bringing freezing rain, sleet and snow flurries.
While most areas received less than a half inch of precipitation, it was enough to cover roads and make travel unsafe. Those conditions persisted through the weekend and into the beginning of the week. Schools in the area, including Dripping Springs ISD, were closed on both Monday and Tuesday.
For the most part, homes and businesses in the area did not lose power and the system held up well, according to Pedernales Electric Cooperative (PEC), which reported minimal outages.
“We didn’t receive as much ice accumulation as we anticipated, and because of proactive planning, we were well-positioned to respond to the relatively small number of outages that occurred,” said Jason Murray, PEC’s director of safety, system reliability, and emergency preparedness.
Another reason the impact wasn’t as severe is that the service area primarily saw sleet rather than freezing rain. According to PEC, sleet typically has less of an impact on a utility system because it freezes solid before hitting a surface, while freezing rain remains liquid as it falls and then freezes on contact with a surface, weighing down power lines and potentially damaging equipment.
One notable power outage did occur near Camp Lucy on Saturday, Jan. 24 when a transformer blew in the area and started a fire. As a result, nearby residents reported seeing light pillars in the sky, which occur during sub freezing temperatures when light is reflected off of tiny ice particles in the air. The fire department was on the scene, and power had been restored to most customers by the early morning hours.
Governor Greg Abbott has issued a disaster declaration for much of the state, including 219 counties.
“Texans should continue to monitor local weather forecasts and road conditions to keep themselves and their families safe,” Abbott said in a statement on Jan. 25. “I thank Texas emergency management officials as they work around the clock to help Texans across the state recover from this winter storm.”
