WX: DFW area ops - back to normal ?
 

Just wondering if all the ops in the DFW area are back to normal, post ice-storm a few days ago.

More than likely not. They're trying to clear roads. They have 3 runways open at DFW. It's supposed to get above freezing for the first time since Thursday morning, but only for a few hours. Anything that melts is supposed to re-freeze tonight.

thank you EMB

I'm not down there right now, but that's what I hear.

UPDATE: I called a friend who lives in Ft Worth and he said all the roads are still iced up. He said parts of I-35 are closed so that road crews can clear the ice. Mind you, this is ?? 3-4 days after the storm hit.

I found more info at

https://twitter.com/TxDOTFTWPIO

https://twitter.com/fortworthpd

Yep. Haven't been above freezing to let the stuff melt and we don't have the equipment to deal with it on a normal basis.

I work/fly off the Arlington airport. While a 50' wide strip of runway has been de-iced and cleared, Saturday there was over 1" of ice covering the entire ramp and 95% of all taxiways.

Somehow a straight wing Citation successfully made it to the runway to depart.

Today I expect to see lots of melting that will probably produce a partially usable ramp and I would suspect the main parallel taxiway will be clear.

The big questions is whether all the runoff will make it into the drains, or will pool and re-freeze tonight.

Roads in the area are passible, but slow going.

Hope this helps

Jughead

Good info thanks guys. Have a possible trip this week to FTW and fortunately we (pilots) can push it back somewhat towards later in the week

They had 2000+ still camped in the terminals last night and the airport web site says there have been 400 cancellations today.

wow, ok. gonna let things improve then will make the trip. Seems like that storm was one of the worst ones in recent memory, I don't recall anything like this in awhile

We have the windows open here on Merritt Island... just thought you'd like to know.. :)

Satpak77

I just stopped by the office at Arlington. The ramp here has melted and drained nicely. They are still working the edges of the runway with the plow and de-icing fluid. I would expect normal ops beginning tomorrow. Call the FBO you plan to go to or the airport manager. I wouldn't see any reason to delay your trip at this point.

Jughead

Driving around today. Ice on the road is as high as 12-18 inches next to the tire tracks which may or may not be on clear road.

Thirty two degrees an hour ago. Warmer earlier. Lots of thin ice melted but the melted water is going to refreeze tonight. It might be crazy again tomorrow am.

Looks like they cancelled about 50% of tomorrow's flights. J/S list has guys on every flight. Sometimes 2-3 guys for one j/s.

I wouldn't come near this place unless I had to.

I drove to DFW from OKC tonight. It took me 3 hours to get from the state line to south of the airport on I-35. My co-worker coming from ORD had a 2 hour weather delay.

Update: Weather is calling for freezing fog tomorrow morning!

MSP vs. any airport in the south
 

How is it that MSP can get nearly a foot of snow with temperatures that consistently stay near or below zero, yet the airport and Delta are able to maintain a near normal operation? But when airports in the south get a little snow / ice, their affected for days and have to cancel thousands of flights?

Snow is one thing, several inches of solid ice is a whole different ball game.

Having spent many a Christmas in northern Minnesota, I can say there is a world of difference between a foot of snow and 2 inches of ice. Snow gives some traction, ice is, well, icy.

The other thing is this happens about one or two weeks a year in the DFW area. The powers that be figure it's not worth spending money on stuff that is going to be in storage 50 weeks a year.

Because you don't spend money on snow removal equipment that you use once every decade. You should see the snowplow boys at work in ANC. The snow blast machine is amazing.

You'll NEVER see something like that Outside except maybe in the Rust Belt.

We have had 3-4 major ice storms in the last 5 years in DFW. Most notably, during the Super Bowl in Arlington in 2011. I think it would be prudent to invest in some equipment at this point.

I live about 20 miles west of DFW and this is what it looked like yesterday….that's not snow but about three inches of solid ice…even today, the side streets are BAD and they are going to have overpass problems tonight when it drops to the lower 20's. But hey, it was 80 degrees on Wednesday…gotta love Texas…and yes, we ARE rednecks at my house….

http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/y...pse121463a.jpg

Crazy weather, I hope it has gotten better. I somehow got out the other day. I could barely drive to the airport. I was blown away my flight wasn't canceled. People were still complaining about a 30 min. delay though.