A drone photo shows the snow/ice coverage that blanketed Murphy and brought activities to a halt. Courtesy City of Murphy

Residents of Earth’s circumpolar region — the Inuit in Greenland and Canada, the Aleut in Alaska and the Yupik in eastern Siberia — have dozens of words for snow. But for North Texans, there was one name for the winter storm that swept through Jan. 23-25: Fern.

Forecasters had warned for days that a winter storm would arrive over the weekend, giving residents time to winterize, gas up cars and stock up on groceries. The warnings led to temporarily empty shelves at some retailers and, in a few cases, arguments between customers in the aisles.

Organizers canceled or postponed meetings and events as police urged drivers to stay off roads unless travel was necessary.

With temperatures still above freezing Friday, Jan. 23, the storm began with rain — and plenty of it. The temperature ranged from a high of 53 degrees during the day to 33 after nightfall, with just under half an inch of liquid precipitation, according to the National Weather Service in Fort Worth.

Then, as the mercury dipped, 0.35 inches of additional precipitation — some of it freezing rain — fell along with 0.9 inches of snow and sleet. By the end of the day, the temperature had dropped to 20 degrees.

To steal a phrase from Carl Sandburg, the snow and sleet then came on little cat feet.

Another 0.9 inches fell quietly Sunday as temperatures ranged from a high of 21 degrees to a low of 13. That daily high broke a record set in 1940, when the temperature reached 23 degrees, the weather service said.

As residents worried about the possibility of power outages, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas [ERCOT], said the grid’s generating capacity remained below demand.

Because the amount of freezing rain was limited, no widespread outages from downed power lines were reported. However, Oncor reported nearly 10,000 customers in smaller pockets were without power Monday morning, Jan. 26.

“Oncor workers continue to make steady restoration progress, working around the clock in 16-hour shifts to repair outages as quickly and safely as possible,” the electric delivery company said on its dashboard. “Outage numbers are still fluctuating due to ice buildup and ongoing below-freezing temperatures.”

Warming shelters open over the weekend included the East Plano Islamic Center, the Salvation Army in McKinney, the Deffibaugh Community Center in Princeton and First Baptist Church in Farmersville.

“We had a few check-ins,” said Princeton Parks & Recreation Director Chase Bryant, who oversees the shelter. “At least the power has stayed on — that’s key for Princeton.”

Because much of the precipitation fell as sleet and freezing rain and temperatures remained below 32 degrees, roads stayed treacherous even as crews spread salt and sand.

“For those contemplating getting on 380, it’s drivable but do use caution,” Rodney Garcia of Princeton posted online Sunday. “There are some slick spots, but it’s definitely not the road conditions we saw a few years ago. Some restaurants were open, but don’t expect fast service as some employees probably called in — so don’t be rude to those who serve you.”

With little packable snow available, the usual pastime of building snowmen gave way to sledding, mostly in areas residents could reach on foot.

Tragically, two 16-year-old girls being towed behind a Jeep collided with a tree in Frisco, critically injuring one girl and fatally injuring the other.

“For your safety, please keep in mind that snow and ice can create extremely slippery surfaces and lead to serious or even deadly accidents,” the Frisco Police Department said in announcing the crash.

Even before the week began, the Plano, Wylie, Princeton, Farmersville and Garland independent school districts canceled classes and events for Monday and Tuesday.

“Thank you for your support and understanding as we prioritize the safety of our students and staff,” Wylie ISD posted. “Please stay safe and warm!”

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