Prada, a Section A Welsh Pony owned by Beth Miranda of Wylie, loves the winter weather. Courtesy Beth Miranda

A prolonged winter storm brought freezing rain, sleet and snow to Collin County over the weekend, forcing school closures, disrupting travel and prompting cities and utility providers to activate cold-weather response plans as temperatures plunged well below freezing.

Forecasters had warned residents for days that hazardous winter weather would arrive between Jan. 23 and 25, giving families time to winterize homes, stock up on groceries, gas up cars and limit travel. The warnings led to temporarily empty shelves at some retailers and, in a few cases, arguments between customers in the aisles.

As conditions worsened, local officials urged residents to stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary.

The storm began Friday, Jan. 23, with steady rainfall while temperatures hovered above freezing. By nightfall, temperatures dropped sharply, allowing rain to transition into freezing rain, sleet and snow. According to the National Weather Service in Fort Worth, nearly half an inch of rain fell before colder air arrived, followed by additional freezing precipitation and nearly an inch of snow and sleet as temperatures dipped into the low 20s.

Another round of light snow fell quietly Sunday as highs struggled to reach the low 20s, breaking a daily record set in 1940. With temperatures remaining below freezing, road conditions deteriorated across the region despite pretreatment and ongoing sanding efforts.

In Wylie, winter weather preparations were already underway before the storm arrived. City departments, along with Wylie ISD officials, met Thursday, Jan. 22, to prepare for multiple scenarios, including icy roads, snowfall, power outages and downed trees.

“Public Works is ready with two sanding trucks that will focus on major intersections and assist emergency responders, and TxDOT has pre-treated the major thoroughfares,” the city reported. “Crews are prepared with chainsaws and water keys.”

As conditions worsened, the city issued a notice at 7 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 25, advising residents to stay indoors and avoid nonessential travel due to deteriorating road conditions and dropping temperatures. City departments remained on standby to assist with emergency roadway support, power outages and downed trees.

Despite the widespread freeze, infrastructure crews responded quickly to localized issues. A water main break Saturday in front of the home of Brother Al Draper was repaired by city crews the same day.

“We want to commend the City Utility Department for their quick response and repair of the water main in front of our house,” Draper shared on Facebook.

Across Collin County, icy roads and persistent cold led to widespread closures. All area school districts — including Plano, Wylie, Princeton, Farmersville and Garland ISDs — canceled classes and extracurricular activities Monday and Tuesday, as did Collin College.

“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.”

Municipal offices and several county services also closed or adjusted operations. Community Waste Disposal announced that all services scheduled for Monday, Jan. 26, were canceled due to unsafe road conditions, with recovery plans to be communicated once conditions improve.

As residents monitored the potential for power outages, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas reported tight grid conditions but no widespread failures. Oncor reported nearly 10,000 customers without power in scattered pockets Monday morning.

Because much of the precipitation fell as sleet and freezing rain, roads remained slick even after treatment. Officials continued to urge caution, noting that cold temperatures prevented rapid improvement.

Warming shelters opened across the county, including locations in Princeton and Farmersville, as local agencies worked to ensure vulnerable residents had access to heat and electricity.

Officials continue to encourage residents to monitor weather updates, conserve energy and remain cautious until temperatures rise and road conditions improve.

Reporter Bob Weiland also contributed to this story.

To stay informed and support local journalism, subscribe to your community newspaper today!