A Wild Dash Out Of The Snow

 We escaped the Texas winter storm!

We did, because, when we checked on the weather early in the morning, we discovered there was a two hours window to get out ... 

The weather radar when we started out

 and away before the storm pounced on the area with heavy snow and wind.

The weather radar when we were out of the area

Within half an hour we were packed and on the road. 

Sleet was coming down already and within 15 minutes it was snowing heavily. 

Despite temperatures of +2 C (36F) 

 wet snow accumulated on the road to a nasty slush.

 

The window wishers got caked with frozen snow. 

Should we take the next exit and return to Balmorhea TX? 

Peter decided not to, because the road cameras showed bare roads (green) 

just an hour ahead of us.

Checking back on the area around Balmorhea 

we saw the roads were “orange” (difficult driving) and the weather forecast said +1 C, (33F), 90% snow accumulating 10-30cm (8 to 10 inch).

 Fortunately we got some help. 

Two semi-trailers, driving ahead of us,

squished the the slush out of the way with their big tires.

The weather forecast and road map were right.

The bad driving took about a hour until Van Horn, TX ...

then the snow went over into rain. After that we had only sleet, in El Paso, TX it still rained 

El Paso, TX skyline

El Paso, TX, overpasses

snow was only visible on the mountain tops.

Reaching Las Cruces NM the weather was partly cloudy, dry and + 12C (53.6 F) mild. 

We had made it!

Clouds over the high plateau along I-10 west of Las Cruces, NM

When we looked around at the familiar scenery, driving I-10 west, we smiled. 

That's what we had been looking forward to!

Blue sky, fluffy clouds and wide open spaces.

We drove on until an hour before sunset.

Rest area along I-10 wb, near Portal, AZ

There is a nice rest area near Portal, AZ where 

we ended up for the night. 

Sculpture , Roadrunner with its prey -a lizard.