Texas winter storm causes pileup on I-10 near Van Horn; El Paso flights canceled
Daniel BorundaIt might be sunny in El Paso, but a winter storm with freezing rain and icy roads on Tuesday was creating all sorts of havoc in other parts of Texas.
A pileup collision involving tractor-trailers on Tuesday morning closed the eastbound lanes of Interstate 10 east of Van Horn, the Texas Department of Transportation office in El Paso said on Twitter.
There was a traffic backup at least 10 miles long as I-10 East remained closed as of Tuesday afternoon. Drivers were being detoured to Van Horn, Tx DOT said. The roadway reopened early Tuesday evening.
There also were reports of ice on the road on I-10 near the I-20 split, the transportation department cautioned. Drivers are advised to remain home, if possible. If they must travel, drivers should slow down, pay attention and use caution.
The winter storm is also impacting the Permian Basin, where schools in Midland were closed Tuesday because of the worsening weather.
The storm is part of an arctic cold front stretching from Texas to the East Coast.
More:Here's how to stay out of the emergency room during winter storm
In West Texas, the National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning from the Fort Stockton region eastward to Odessa-Midland and Del Rio and stretching east across much of Texas.
El Paso was expected to be sunny with a high of 60 degrees on Tuesday, but an upper-level system will arrive in the region on Wednesday, bringing cooler temperatures but no local hazardous weather. There was a possibility of freezing rain in neighboring Hudspeth County, the weather service said.
Texas airport cancellations
More than 1,000 U.S. flights were canceled by around 8 a.m. MT Tuesday, with over 1,300 more delayed, according to flight-tracking website FlightAware. Southwest Airlines saw the most cancellations, scrapping around 322 flights, or about 8% of its schedule, USA TODAY reported.
Cancellations impacted airports in Texas, including Dallas/Fort Worth, Austin and San Antonio.
As of 9:45 a.m. Tuesday, the El Paso International Airport website listed the cancellation of seven departures to Dallas and Austin. Delays also were reported.
Travelers should check with their airlines for the latest updates.
