SAN ANTONIO – The Alamo City transformed into a winter wonderland on Monday after snow and ice blanketed highways and city streets overnight.
With snow so rare in our area, some may be enjoying the frost. Others who had to maneuver vehicles with ice on roads were not so amused.
“I just moved here like two months ago,” said Gabriela Yambo, who moved from North Carolina. “I grew up in Connecticut, and really we get like the snow every week.”
Yambo thought she had finally escaped the snow. On Sunday night, however, slick road conditions intensified as 3.7 inches of snow fell, leaving many roads throughout San Antonio impassable.
Of the many wrecks, a KSAT crew spotted a multi-vehicle pileup on a ramp on US 90 near Highway 151 on the West Side in which at least one semi-trailer jackknifed.
WATCH: ‘We still are asking folks to not go out,’ TxDOT official says
The Texas Department of Transportation shut down local state highways on Sunday evening as a precaution.
“We currently do have crews that are trying to target the major highways in Bexar County,” said Laura Lopez, a spokesperson for TxDOT.
Lopez said some 40 trucks were spraying brine and chat rock on highways following plows Monday.
This unusual winter storm proved to have a more substantial impact than people anticipated.
“I’m assuming this hasn’t happened often, so hopefully it doesn’t happen again,” Yambo said.
By mid-afternoon on Monday, a lot of the snow and ice on city streets had melted into slush and even water, but with future road conditions still uncertain, TxDOT says it’s not sure when all state highways will reopen.
The city of San Antonio sent KSAT the following statement:
“Public Works is monitoring roads following the rare winter conditions and snow accumulation. Crews are assisting SAPD by placing barricades on City-maintained, bridges and overpasses to prevent drivers from crossing hazardous roadways.
As the snow begins to melt, Public Works crews will continue to spread a gravel material that helps with vehicle traction. There are some malfunctioning traffic signals due to rolling power outages and we urge residents to avoid driving, if possible.”
Bexar County officials announced that county facilities would be closed, and court proceedings will be canceled on Tuesday.
Stay Informed
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Also on KSAT:
- Go here for more winter weather stories.
- Go to the KSAT traffic page for the latest traffic conditions.
- Upload your weather pictures here.