Texas and Arkansas Brace for Overnight Freezing Fog as Black Ice and Rime Ice Threaten Travel Through Wednesday Morning
TEXAS — A dangerous round of freezing fog is expected to develop overnight across parts of Texas, Arkansas, and surrounding areas, creating hazardous travel conditions as temperatures fall sharply into the 20s. Forecasters warn that dense freezing fog could begin forming around 8 p.m. and persist through 10 a.m. Wednesday, with some areas seeing impacts linger even longer into the morning hours.
How Freezing Fog Will Impact Roads and Surfaces
As fog forms while temperatures remain below freezing, moisture in the air will freeze instantly on contact with exposed surfaces. This setup is expected to produce both black ice and rime ice, creating particularly dangerous conditions overnight.
Black ice poses a major risk for drivers because it is often invisible on roadways, bridges, and overpasses. Rime ice, meanwhile, can accumulate on elevated and exposed surfaces.
Areas Most at Risk Overnight
The freezing fog threat stretches across large portions of:
- North and East Texas
- Arkansas
- Nearby surrounding regions affected by the same cold air mass
Visibility may rapidly drop during fog formation, compounding the danger as icy roads become harder to detect.
Timing of the Greatest Danger
The most hazardous period is expected overnight through early Wednesday morning, especially near sunrise when temperatures are at their coldest. Even light travel during these hours could become dangerous due to rapidly forming ice. Officials urge residents to limit unnecessary travel, reduce speeds if driving is unavoidable, and use extreme caution on untreated roads.
What Residents Should Do
Drivers and pedestrians are advised to remain alert and prepare for rapidly changing conditions. Ice may form quickly and unexpectedly, even on surfaces that appeared dry earlier in the evening. Cold temperatures combined with dense fog make this a high-risk weather event, particularly for early-morning commuters.
For continued updates on winter weather threats, freezing fog alerts, and travel safety information, stay with NapervilleLocal.com.
I’ve lived in Naperville long enough to see how quickly our community changes — from new developments downtown to sudden shifts in our Midwest weather. Reporting on Naperville news and daily forecasts gives me the chance to keep neighbors informed about what really matters. My goal is simple: deliver clear, timely updates so you always know what’s happening in our city and what to expect from the skies above.