Winter storm brings freezing temperatures

Ozona—Ozona felt the effects of Winter Storm Fern this week as temperatures plunged to 12 degrees, more than 20 degrees below the seasonal average and a sharp reversal from the unseasonably warm weather experienced just weeks earlier.

Snow associated with the massive system, stretching from Maine to Mexico, reached Ozona over the weekend of Jan. 24, leaving about 2 inches of winter precipitation. Up to a half-inch of ice accumulated on Interstate 10 and surrounding roadways, creating slick and hazardous travel conditions. Most ice and snow have since thawed.

An extreme cold warning remained in effect for Crockett County until noon Monday. Wind chills dipped as low as 9 degrees below zero, and the water feature at Fountain Park froze solid.

Air travel across the Concho Valley region was disrupted, with multiple flights canceled or delayed as the storm moved through West Texas.

Crockett County Consolidated Common School District closed schools Monday but reopened Tuesday. Ozona High School’s home conference basketball game against Christoval was postponed from Friday and rescheduled for the evening of Wednesday, Jan. 28.

Many area businesses remained closed Monday, and several local events were postponed or canceled. Thunder on the Pecos, a special presentation and guided battlefield tour at Fort Lancaster, has been rescheduled for Jan. 31.

Residents are urged to continue exercising caution until temperatures rise. Another arctic front is expected to arrive Friday, bringing subfreezing temperatures with a lower chance of precipitation.

Texas’ electric grid largely withstood the storm, with only minor outages reported statewide. Crockett County experienced minimal power disruptions, while Irion County and nearby areas reported approximately 100 outages as of Tuesday afternoon.

The Crockett County Sheriff's office reported no accidents over the course of the winter storm. While drivers were encouraged to stay home, workers from the Texas Department of Transportation prepared for the worst by applying a salty solution to prevent major freezing.

"TxDOT did a really good job of preparing the roads before the weather got really bad, so we didn't actually have any accidents here," a representative of the department said.

 Nationwide, the storm has been blamed for as many as 50 deaths, with hundreds of vehicle crashes reported due to icy road conditions.