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February 16, 2021 - The National Weather Service, Shreveport LA, issued at 11:55am CST on Tuesday, February 16, 2021, an urgent winter weather message. The next winter storm will push into our area tonight and continue through Thursday morning.
A winter storm warning remains in effect from 6pm this evening to noon CST Thursday, February 18. The wind chill advisory is cancelled.
WHAT... A wintry mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain. Snow and sleet accumulations will range from less than 2 inches south of the I-20 corridor to 5 to 8 inches north of the I-30 corridor. Ice accumulations of a quarter of an inch to a half of an inch with localized higher amounts will be possible from Deep East Texas across northwestern Louisiana, central Louisiana, and into south-central Arkansas.
WHERE... Portions of north central and northwest Louisiana, southeast Oklahoma, south central and southwest Arkansas and east and northeast Texas.
WHEN... From 6 PM this evening to noon CST Thursday.
IMPACTS... Treacherous road conditions will continue across the region. Locations with over a quarter inch of ice will see downed limbs and powerlines which will lead to the possibility of widespread power outages. Cold temperatures will continue to make extended time outdoors dangerous with the risk of hypothermia.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency.
The latest road conditions for the state you are calling from can be obtained by calling 5 1 1.
Areas in the Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas impacted are Sevier, Howard, Little River, Hempstead, Nevada, Miller, Lafayette, Columbia, Union, Caddo, Bossier, Webster, Claiborne, Lincoln, De Soto, Red River, Bienville, Jackson, Ouachita, Sabine, Natchitoches, Winn, Grant, Caldwell, La Salle, McCurtain, Bowie, Franklin, Titus, Camp, Morris, Cass, Wood, Upshur, Marion, Smith, Gregg, Harrison, Cherokee, Rusk, Panola, Nacogdoches, Shelby, Angelina, San Augustine and includes the cities of De Queen, Nashville, Mineral Springs, Dierks, Ashdown, Hope, Prescott, Texarkana, Stamps, Lewisville, Bradley, Magnolia, El Dorado, Shreveport, Bossier City, Minden, Springhill, Homer, Haynesville, Ruston, Farmerville, Bernice, Mansfield, Stonewall, Logansport, Coushatta, Martin, Arcadia, Ringgold, Gibsland, Jonesboro, Monroe, Many, Zwolle, Pleasant Hill, Natchitoches, Winnfield, Colfax, Montgomery, Dry Prong, Clarks, Grayson, Columbia, Jena, Midway, Olla, Idabel, Broken Bow, Clarksville, Bogata, Mount Vernon, Mount Pleasant, Pittsburg, Daingerfield, Lone Star, Naples, Omaha, Atlanta, Linden, Hughes Springs, Queen City, Mineola, Winnsboro, Quitman, Hawkins, Gilmer, Big Sandy, Jefferson, Tyler, Longview, Marshall, Jacksonville, Rusk, Henderson, Carthage, Nacogdoches, Center, Lufkin, San Augustine, Hemphill, and Pineland.
February 16, 2021 - The Texas DSHS Covid-19 Dashboard reports 127 active cases on Tuesday, February 16, 2021.
The last report on SCT was on the 12th of February. Since then, of the new cases reported, 11 were new confirmed case and 11 were new probable cases. The dashboard also shows 11 additional recoveries.
February 15th (2:35pm) Numbers (since Feb. 12th report):
Total Confirmed Cases - 857 (11 new cases)
Total Probable Cases - 646 (10 new cases)
Total Fatalities - 50
Total Estimated Active Cases - 127
Total Estimated Recovered - 1,326 (10 new)
February 16th (7:05pm) Numbers:
Total Confirmed Cases - 857 (0 new cases)
Total Probable Cases - 647 (1 new case)
Total Fatalities - 50
Total Estimated Active Cases - 127
Total Estimated Recovered - 1,327 (1 new)
February 16, 2021 - The City of Center reports City Hall is currently without power along with other portions of town. City Hall will be closed until power is restored. For utility emergencies, contact the Police Department at 936-598-4244.
February 15, 2021 - County Misdemeanor Criminal Virtual Court for Tuesday, February 16th is cancelled also. If you have a court date for this date, all scheduled hearings are cancelled. You will get a letter from the Shelby County Attorney with your rescheduled hearing date and time.
February 14, 2021 - Shelby County is experiencing a freezing weather event which is affecting all of the roadways in the area Sunday, February 14, 2021.
Texas Department of Public Safety State Troopers that service the Shelby County area are responding to incidents as they occur across three counties including Shelby, San Augustine and Sabine.
Officials were dispatched to two crashes on U.S. Highway 96 North just south of CR 4356 at around 4pm.
When officers arrived it appeared both vehicles separately hydroplaned as they were traveling northbound across a bridge and crossed to the southbound side of the highway at the same location.
Both vehicles appeared to have received damage during their separate incidents. One, a green Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck had damage to its front bumper and the other, a white Ford Explorer XLT was damaged on its right rear quarter panel when it struck a guardrail.
Shelby County Sheriff's Department was on scene to assist DPS Troopers.
Drivers should be aware all roadways and especially bridges in the county are a potential risk during freezing temperatures and should consider not traveling this evening and through the morning. Weather reports suggest temperatures will reach 17 degrees overnight.
February 14, 2021 - Motorists are strongly discouraged from traveling across the nine-county Lufkin District during the predicted winter weather expected to impact roadways beginning Sunday into the coming week.
The Lufkin District currently has 170 employees working 12-hour shifts to monitor and address trouble spots as they arise utilizing more than 125 pieces of equipment. Pre-treatment of roadways began on Friday, Feb. 12.
“We want people to be aware that driving surfaces will freeze and we are doing all we can to prepare the roadways, but even with a brine mixture, if we experience the low temperatures they have predicted, roads will still freeze,” said Rhonda Oaks, public information officer. “I don’t think there is enough manpower to cover the more than 7,000 road miles in the Lufkin District with a brine mixture but we are doing our best. We have focused our attention on major roadways, state highways and farm roads, but we should remember that Mother Nature is and will always be undefeated. It is up to us to prepare our homes, our families and ourselves to stay safe.”
Crews will re-treat all major roadways as needed if conditions continue to decline, since additional moisture will re-freeze road surfaces after the initial downfall of snow and ice.
“Pre-treatment with a brine solution can reduce the temperature at which water freezes and assists with reducing the bond of ice to the roadway, but it does not guarantee that ice will not form,” Oaks said. “There will be patches of ice on local roads, even on roads that have been treated. If you must drive, motorists should reduce speed and stay alert. But because this is an unprecedented weather event, TxDOT is urging drivers to stay home and travel only if absolutely necessary.”
Visit drivetexas.org (or call 800-452-9292) for real time road conditions/closures or call 9-1-1 if you find yourself stranded or facing an emergency. For more information, call Rhonda.Oaks@txdot.gov or call (936) 633-4395.
February 12, 2021 - The Texas DSHS Covid-19 Dashboard reported 116 active cases on Friday, February 12, 2021.
Of the new cases reported, all 3 were new confirmed case. The dashboard also showed 17 additional recoveries.
February 12th (3:45pm) Numbers:
Total Confirmed Cases - 846 (3 new cases)
Total Probable Cases - 636 (0 new cases)
Total Fatalities - 50
Total Estimated Active Cases - 116
Total Estimated Recovered - 1,316 (17 new)
February 12, 2021 - The City of Center weather forecast for the upcoming week calls for low temperatures that range between the 10s and lower 20s. We advise that you keep all exposed pipes covered to help protect from freezing temperatures. We also advise you bring all pets and plants inside if possible during these harsh conditions. If you must drive please use extra caution and allow plenty of time to arrive at your destination. And check on any elderly or disabled family/neighbors who may need help.
February 12, 2021 - As we closely monitor the weather situation, DETEC is prepped and ready to respond. Despite all efforts and preventative measures, heavy snow and ice will cause outages. Please report outages and hazards to DETEC at 1-800-392-5986. We know that being without power is an inconvenience and frigid temperatures make outages more difficult to endure. We assure that our crews will always work as quickly as they safely can. Please keep them in your prayers as they respond. Start now in preparing your home in the event that you loose power or the road is unsafe to travel for necessities.
- Disconnect appliances and electronics – As we restore power, large loads kicking on may cause surges or additional outages. Turn off your heating units and unplug electronics until the power is restored.
- Close freezers and refrigerators - The refrigerator will keep food cold for about four hours. A full freezer will keep the temperature for about 48 hours. Use coolers with ice if necessary.
- Have a flashlight and batteries.
- Place generators 20 ft away from the house to avoid deadly carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Monitor your local weather alerts and emergency updates.
- Stay off the roads, if possible.
- Stock supplies for your home and vehicle.
- Bring your pets inside.
- Check on your neighbors. Older adults and young children are especially vulnerable to extreme temperatures.
- More preparation tips can be found at: ready.gov/power-outages
Power lines can be affected in three ways (or a combination thereof); the weight of the ice, tree branches breaking and falling onto the line, or wind causing the lines to sway. Half an inch of ice can add as much as 500 pounds to a power line, and damage can begin when accumulations exceed a quarter of an inch. Additional weight can be applied if a tree branch breaks off and rests on it, increasing the potential for the power line to come down. Strong winds can exacerbate the effect of ice on power lines. When winds reach 20-25 mph, the power lines begin swaying, increasing the force on lines. This motion can cause lines to either break or touch each other, resulting in a power outage.
February 12, 2021 - The Shelby County Sheriff’s is seeking the whereabouts of Charles Seth Alexander, 32, of Timpson. Alexander is described as a 5’8” white male and weighs approximately 165 pounds. He has brown hair and green eyes. Alexander has an active felony warrant for Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle (SJF).
The SCSO is seeking assistance of the public with locating Alexander. If you have any information regarding her whereabouts, please contact the SCSO (936) 598-5601.
If anyone is found to be hindering the apprehension, harboring or concealing, providing or aiding with any means of avoiding arrest or effecting escape, or warns Alexander of impending discovery or apprehension, will be arrested and charged in accordance to Penal Code 38.05 Hindering Apprehension or Prosecution, a Felony 3 offense.
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