Houstonians expected to wake up this morning to a dreamy city frosted with snow. Instead they found an icy nightmare. More than 100 crashes in four hours encouraged the city to shut down most major interstates. This mosaic of the region from the city's Transtar traffic cameras shows roads normally swelling with traffic suddenly deserted. In place of the usual traffic was a patchwork of accidents, police barricades, wreckers, empty overpasses, and even a news crew.

It's a reminder of the fragility of certain cities (not Chicago) unprepared for certain kinds of poor weather. Even though it was ultimately just a quarter-inch of ice — a nuisance in some places — you should probably stay off the roads if you're in Houston.

It's also a reminder of the sheer amount of surveillance available over the web from a modern metropolis.

All in one image.

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