Winter Storm Shut Roads Across Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles
A winter weather system on December 4 produced snow, sleet and hazardous travel conditions across portions of the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles, prompting Winter Weather Advisories and localized road closures. The event disrupted travel between Dalhart and Amarillo in Texas and around Guymon in Oklahoma, and it highlighted ongoing risks to secondary roads, bridges and vulnerable residents.
On December 4, 2025 a winter weather system brought snow and sleet to broad sections of the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles, and National Weather Service offices issued Winter Weather Advisories covering the affected area. The advisory footprint included corridors from Dalhart to Amarillo in Texas and extended into parts of the Oklahoma Panhandle where authorities reported slick conditions and travel disruptions near Guymon.
The NWS Amarillo office expected an additional 1 to 2 inches of snow in portions of the advisory area and warned that slick roads, bridges and overpasses would create hazardous driving conditions. State departments of transportation and local law enforcement advised motorists to slow down, avoid unnecessary travel while conditions persisted, and monitor NWS and department of transportation updates for road closures and additional advisories. NWS products included maps and specific advisory polygons delineating the affected counties and routes.
Local impacts were concentrated on secondary roads across the High Plains where small additional accumulations and blowing and drifting snow increased hazards. Travel on county routes and back roads became particularly dangerous as wind driven snow reduced visibility and covered untreated pavement. In the Oklahoma Panhandle officials logged reports of sleet and accumulating snow that interrupted normal commutes and delayed some local services.
Residents were advised to prepare vehicle emergency kits with warm clothing, water and a charged phone, and to maintain extra food and medicine supplies if travel became restricted. Community officials urged neighbors to check on elderly and medically vulnerable residents who may lack heat or transportation during short duration outages or when roads were impassable.
As cleanup and travel recovery continued after the event, local authorities emphasized staying informed through NWS and department of transportation channels and complying with travel advisories. The combination of accumulating precipitation, slick bridges and drifting on exposed plains underlined the limited margin for safe travel this early winter season, and reinforced the need for preparedness for similar systems in the coming months.
