How We Dodged the Second Storm and When Will It All Melt Off?

Weather Channel Meteorologist Richard Lewelling explains our good fortune yesterday when the worst of second winter storm made a last second turn to the south.

"We saw...Arctic air filter in down to the south," he says, talking about the meteorological twist, "And that shielded us from the worst of the freezing rain. But the big story was the sleet." Lewelling then emphasizes that it was the sleet, which didn't stil to the area's trees and powerlines, as opposed to freezing rain and ice, that spared the ArkLaTex immeasurable damage.

But with the damaging ice stayin south of Caddo and Bossier, who took the brunt of the storm? "The areas down in Sabine and DeSoto Parish...got the worst of this and as you look at the power outage map you can definitely see where the worst of the outages are. 22,000 customers in Sabine and DeSoto could be out until Monday because of the ice and (repair) trucks are having a tough time getting up and down the roads because conditions are so slick."

Lewelling adds that there is a chance of flurries and a little ice Thursday, but that should end by early afternoon. But he also warns that the area two nights of below freezing temps before weather "warms" into the upper 40s or low 50s this weekend.