HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A winter storm is coming to Texas, and the National Weather Service has now placed most of Southeast Texas under a Winter Storm Watch from 6 a.m. Saturday to 6 p.m. Sunday for the possibility of freezing rain and sleet. Additionally, an Extreme Cold Watch is also in effect Saturday through Monday as an arctic airmass will move in, leading to a hard freeze and the chance for single digit wind chills Monday morning. All this said, ABC13 Weather Alert Days continue for Saturday, Sunday and Monday to account for the threat of ice and bitterly cold conditions.
Meanwhile, damp, dreary weather stuck around this morning. A Dense Fog Advisory was in effect until 9 a.m. with visibility as low as a quarter mile at times for morning commuters. This fog slowly lifted, making for a cloudy morning but then we should see some sunshine for the afternoon. All things considered, Thursday will be a pretty warm day with highs climbing into the low 70s. Then the arctic front will blow in on Friday with a 40% chance of showers. While we should have no frozen precipitation in Southeast Texas on Friday, the winter storm will start cranking up in northern parts of the state with freezing rain, sleet, and snow.
What are the details on these weather alerts for the weekend?
The Winter Storm Watch includes all of our local counties at this time except for Galveston, Brazoria, Matagorda, Jackson, and Calhoun Counties. Between one-tenth and three-tenths of an inch of ice are possible, with the higher end of that range expected north of Houston. Power outages, tree damage, and travel hazards are possible due to the icy conditions. Our ABC13 Weather Alert Days remain in effect Saturday through Monday as the arctic front and winter storm bring the potential for freezing rain over the weekend. Then a hard freeze is coming for nearly all of Southeast Texas Monday morning and possibly again on Tuesday morning.
What should I be preparing for with the winter storm this weekend?
You need to be prepared to stay warm, stay put, and to possibly go without power should you receive a high amount of freezing rain. The freeze line now looks like it will stay just north of Southeast Texas most of the day, then blow through Saturday night. That means most of Saturday will be cold and rainy with nothing freezing. That is likely to change after sunset Saturday, with freezing rain spreading south toward the Texas coast. Where freezing rain accumulations occur, it could lead to significant travel and power disruptions as ice accretes on bridges, elevated roadways, powerlines, and tree branches. Some parts of Southeast Texas north of I-10 could spend more than 48 hours below freezing.
Why are we expecting freezing rain instead of snow?
The arctic air is expected to be shallow, meaning the layer of freezing air will not be thick enough to support snow. Instead, if we get anything frozen at all, it would likely be in the form of freezing rain or sleet (ice pellets). There is a brief window late Sunday when it could change over to snow.
Is this is a pipe-bursting type of cold?
Yes. We now expect temperatures to drop into the teens and low 20s on Sunday night and Monday morning. That’s when you’ll need to make sure your interior pipes are adequately insulated and protected from the cold. The wind will still be blowing, so wind chill factors will drop into the single digits and teens Monday morning. The National Weather Service has placed all of Southeast Texas under an Extreme Cold Watch during this timeframe.
When will we be done with the freezing weather?
Temperatures should climb above freezing on Monday, but we could get another hard freeze on Monday night and Tuesday morning. A light freeze is possible Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. Then we should be done with this round of winter chill.
13 ALERT RADAR MAPS:
Southeast Texas
Houston
Harris County
Galveston County
Montgomery/Walker/San Jacinto/Polk/Grimes Counties
Fort Bend/Wharton/Colorado Counties
Brazoria/Matagorda Counties
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This story comes from our news partner ABC13 Houston.
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