Wednesday, December 24, 1997
Don't bother dreaming about a white Christmas
By JONATHAN KRYDER and TANYA EISERER / Abilene Reporter-News
Abilenians envisioning falling snow above their mistletoe on
Christmas will have to settle for a heart-melting kiss underneath
instead.
Weather forecasters say precipitation is not in the Big Country
forecast for Christmas Eve and most of Christmas Day, but weekend
rains could begin falling as early as Christmas night.
An upper-level storm system hit West Texas early Tuesday, dumping
heavy doses of rain before quickly moving to the east.
To the west of the Big Country, snow accumulations remained
in the mountainous areas. Guadalupe Pass reported six inches.
In the storm's wake, forecasters predict cloudy but dry skies
both today and most of Thursday -- a message of relief for many
short-distance travelers.
Caution, however, is urged for those traveling farther and
staying away longer. A slow-moving, second upper-level front could
hit West Texas by Thursday night and linger for several days,
causing hazardous driving conditions for weekend travelers returning
home.
The front is expected to mix cooler temperatures -- sometimes
freezing -- with more thunder showers, forecasters say. Temperatures
could dip to the upper 20s Saturday night and Sunday morning.
"That could be the most likely time for snows on the light
side," said National Weather Service forecaster Phil Baker.
"Temperatures will be favorable for it.
"It looks like Abilene will be a little to the south of
any accumulating snow," he added.
Tuesday's heavy rainfall caused minor street flooding, forcing
last-minute Christmas shoppers to dart for higher ground.
Sixteen accidents, many of which were weather-related, kept
Abilene traffic officers busy from midnight to 5 p.m.
"Drivers are going to have to realize that the roads are
slick, and they can't stop as quick as on dry pavement,"
said Sgt. Gene Keesee, head of traffic.
An Abilene woman was listed in guarded but stable condition
at Abilene Regional Medical Center following a one-vehicle accident
on the Loop 322 overpass at Oldham Lane.
Officer Kelly Willis said Jacklyn Holt, 47, was eastbound on
Loop 322 shortly after 9 a.m. when she lost control of her 1995
Subaru Legacy and hit two guardrails before the car landed on
the driver's side.
Holt told police she swerved to avoid a westbound vehicle in
the eastbound lanes.
"The road was slick, and that's probably what caused her
to lose control," Willis said.
While emergency medical personnel were working to free her,
a second wreck was apparently caused by an individual watching
them instead of the road.
The individual was crossing Oldham and didn't see an oncoming
vehicle, Willis said.
The rest of the accidents were mostly fender benders, including
a three-car accident at South 14th and Peach and a five-car pileup
on South 14th in front of Albertson's grocery store.
The five-car wreck was triggered about 1:22 p.m. when a westbound
vehicle stopped to allow another vehicle to turn and was struck
from behind, Willis said.
"The three cars behind them started sliding, and it's
kaboom, kaboom and kaboom," he said. "It's just basically
caused by people following too close."
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Copyright ©1997,
Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications
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