Rare thundersleet occurred in Texas during a major winter storm that struck much of the United States on January 23–25. Residents across the Dallas–Fort Worth metro area, Waco, and portions of Central Texas reported flashes of lightning and rolls of thunder while sleet fell steadily.
According to the National Weather Service (NWS) Fort Worth, radar and lightning detections confirmed isolated lightning strikes within sleet bands moving through North Texas late on January 24.
Temperatures across North and Central Texas remained well below freezing throughout the event, generally ranging from −9 to −6°C (15–21°F). Wind chills fell below −15°C (5°F) at times. Widespread sleet and ice coatings made roads impassable in several counties, forcing closures along Interstate 35 and multiple regional highways.
Thundersleet forms when a shallow layer of subfreezing air near the surface coincides with convective activity higher in the atmosphere…