UPDATE: This story was updated on January, 28, 2026 to reflect new death tolls and school closures across the state.
Texas is finally beginning to thaw out after a winter storm swept through the country over the weekend. Although the sun may be out in some cities and temperatures are inching above freezing, the storm left its mark on the state, as power outages, dangerous road conditions, and school closures persist. Here’s how the wintry weather is still affecting Texans, by the numbers.
Flight Disruptions
Across the two largest airports in the state, Dallas Fort-Worth International Airport and George Bush Intercontinental Airport, a total of 4,764 flights were canceled and 1,998 were delayed from Saturday to Monday, according to FlightAware. Delays continue Tuesday, with over 14,000 delays and 2,000 cancellations nationwide as of Tuesday morning. Major airports and airlines issued warnings to travellers about the impact of the storm.
“Winter weather has impacted the region. Travelers should allow extra time, drive carefully and check with their airline for the latest flight information,” an update on the DFW Airport website reads.
George Bush Intercontinental Airport also urged customers to check with their individual airlines for travel waivers to rebook flights.
“Many airlines are offering temporary travel waivers that allow passengers to rebook flights at no additional cost if weather conditions affect operations,” an alert on the IAH website reads. “Taking advantage of these options early can help travelers adjust plans and reduce unnecessary trips to the airport during periods of disruption.”
Deaths
At least seven people died in Texas as a result of the winter storm, including five children.
Late on Saturday night, a major crash on Westbound I-10 in Kimble County shut down the highway, according to the Central Texas Department of Public Safety. John Robert, 56, was killed in the crash, according to USA Today.
Two 16-year-old girls in Frisco died after taking part in a “truck sledding” trend, in which people ride on objects pulled by vehicles along icy roads. On Sunday, the girls were riding on a sled pulled by their friends’ jeep when they hit a curb and were thrown into a tree. They were both taken to the hospital in critical condition, after which one girl, Elizabeth Angle, died from her injuries. Her friend, Grace Brito, was placed on life support, but died late Tuesday, according to CBS News.
“Please keep in mind that snow and ice can create extremely slippery surfaces and lead to serious or even deadly accidents,” the Frisco Public Information Office wrote in a statement online. “Please stay alert, stay indoors when possible, and avoid any unnecessary outdoor activity until conditions improve.”
On Monday, three children died in Fannin County after falling into an icy pond, according to the Austin American-Statesman. The children, aged 6, 8, and 9, were brothers and elementary school students in Bonham ISD.
The Statesman reported that Bonham ISD Superintendent Lance Hamlin sent a letter to parents on Monday addressing the loss.
“Our hearts go out to everyone touched by this loss, and our thoughts and prayers are with the family.” Hamlin wrote, according to the Statesman.
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson shared on X Sunday that one person had died in the city due to exposure to the cold.
“I am saddened to share some tragic news this morning. We have experienced the first fatality related to this winter storm. This fatality is exposure-related,” Watson wrote. “This is a sad reminder of the critically important work that is being done by our Cold Weather Sheltering and our warming centers.”
Watson encouraged anyone in need of shelter to seek out the city’s warming centers.
Power Outages
As the freezing weather approached prior to the weekend, many Texans wondered about the reliability of the electric grid, considering the widespread outages in 2021 left millions without heat and power and killed over a hundred people.
At the height of the winter storm on Sunday morning, over 120,000 Texans were without power, out of nearly 520,000 nationwide, according to Find Energy. That number has ebbed to approximately 35,000 people in Texas without power as of Tuesday morning.
The outages are largely concentrated in East Texas related to extreme cold and ice buildup on power lines according to KETK News. The outages are ongoing along the Louisiana border, with Shelby County, Nacogdoches County, and Panola County reporting the highest number of outages.
The companies with the highest number of customer outages are Deep East Texas Electric, Rusk County Electric Cooperative, and Southwestern Electric Power Company, according to Find Energy.
On Sunday, the U.S. Department of Energy issued an emergency order, allowing
ERCOT, which manages the Texas power grid, to require major energy consumers like data centers to use their backup generators in order to keep the Texas grid stable, according to FOX 4.
ERCOT reflected a well-operating grid on its website throughout the storm and the following days, with a green color indicating normal conditions.
Inches of Snow
Snowfall varied across the state, from cities to the South receiving none at all to Northern Texas areas seeing several inches in their yards.
A 77-year-old snowfall record was broken at DFW airport with .9 inches of snow, according to Axios Dallas. Temperatures there stayed below freezing for 58 hours.
Kelton, Texas, in the Eastern Panhandle reported the highest total snowfall, according to ABC 7 Amarillo, bringing in a total of 9.8 inches of snow. Lubbock also saw around 9 inches, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Areas north of Dallas saw 3 to 5 inches of snow, FOX 4 reported. Dallas police officers responded to a total of 151 traffic accidents over Saturday and Sunday, according to CBS.
Austin saw a minor dusting of less than an inch, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. That’s as far south as the snow fell, with San Antonio and Houston receiving only freezing temperatures with little precipitation.
Still, local meteorologists with NBC 5 in North Texas warn that anything that thaws today could refreeze overnight and they’re even warning people about possible freezing fog overnight.
Ice Accumulation
In the Austin area, one-tenth of an inch of ice accumulated, according to KVUE, which contributed in part to 69 crashes reported to the Austin Police from Sunday to Monday, and 91 reported traffic hazards.
Kerrville in the Hill Country reported Sunday they received a quarter inch of ice, according to KENS 5.
Regions of Southeast Texas also saw small amounts of ice build up, with College Station receiving a quarter inch, according to KHOU 11.
School Cancellations
Most school districts and colleges throughout the state had weather-related closures on Monday, and many in the Northern parts of Texas extended their cancellations into Tuesday and Wednesday, due to colder temperatures leaving roadways icy.
Several North Texas school districts including Dallas ISD, Frisco ISD, and Forth Worth ISD remain closed Wednesday due to ongoing ice hazards, according to the Dallas Morning News. Fort Worth Police reported that they had responded to 240 accidents and 418 stranded motorist calls from Friday to Tuesday.
Midland ISD, and many other West Texas school districts were also closed Tuesday, according to the Midland Reporter-Telegram.
Austin ISD, and many other Central Texas schools also had closures Tuesday, according to KVUE. Most Central Texas schools reopened Wednesday. Many schools in the southern parts of the state, including Houston, re-opened Tuesday, as temperatures rose above freezing.