Winter storm targets North Texas; Cotton Bowl officials on alert

A winter storm barreling down on North Texas could cause havoc days before the Cotton Bowl on Friday.

The College Football Playoff semifinal game between Texas and Ohio State has officials in Arlington, Texas, concerned about traffic and safety because of the amount of snowfall -- between four and six inches -- projected to land in the area. Weather Channel said the annual average snowfall for Arlington, Texas, is just over 1.5 inches meaning about four times the annual amount could be on the ground to potentially clog roadways and challenge the energy grid.

A similar timeline played out in 2011 when the Super Bowl was held at AT&T Stadium.

This week, meteorologists are calling for up to six inches of total accumulation beginning Wednesday night in Dallas-Fort Worth and a winter storm watch has been issued starting Thursday at midnight Central through 6 p.m. Friday. The Cotton Bowl is scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. kickoff local time.

"We are routinely monitoring weather reports and we are in close contact with AT&T Stadium and local officials," a Cotton Bowl official said in a statement. "We always have plans for inclement weather. Should conditions warrant it, we will communicate to everyone attending and connected with this year's Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic."

Areas from Little Rock, Ark., to Memphis, Tenn., and further south of Arlington all are on high alert with the impact of the storm shifting from possible freezing rain to snow.

Once fans reach the stadium, the environment in the indoor venue offers temperature-controlled comfort for the playoff game.

Friday's forecast calls for highs near 34 degrees near the stadium.

Kevin Oden, the director of emergency management and crisis response in Dallas, said the "priority is ensuring safe travel for the teams and their fans visiting Dallas in the Metroplex."

Parts of North Texas measured four inches of snowfall on game week during the Super Bowl in 2011. Since that event was held, the Dallas Cowboys installed ice guards designed to block melting snow and ice from falling on the walkways and parking areas below.

The single-event record for snowfall in Dallas was 12.45 inches on Feb. 11-12, 2010.

--Field Level Media