HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Most of Southeast Texas is under Winter Storm Alerts this morning as an arctic front moves in.
These winter alerts are from 6 a.m. Saturday to 6 p.m. Sunday with widespread freezing rain blowing all the way down to the Gulf coast. Additionally, an Extreme Cold Warning is also in effect Saturday through Monday as an arctic airmass will move in, leading to a hard freeze and the chance for below zero wind chills Monday morning. Our ABC13 Weather Alert starts Saturday and runs through Monday morning for the threat of ice and bitterly cold conditions.
Time is running out to prepare for the coming winter storm. Temperatures Saturday will start off in the 50s, but after a round of morning thunderstorms, those temperatures will crash down into the 30s as the arctic air blows in late Saturday as the wind turns more from the northwest. In the Houston-area, freezing rain could start as early as late Saturday night (around Midnight), for more northern counties it could begin in the early evening.
What are the details on these weather alerts for the weekend?
Up to half an inch of ice is possible in the Ice Storm Warning, which includes Polk, San Jacinto, Trinity, and Walker Counties. Up to two-tenths of an inch of ice is possible in the Winter Storm Warning, which includes Harris County and all other counties with the exception of Brazoria, Calhoun, Chambers, Galveston, and Matagorda Counties. Power outages, tree damage, and travel hazards are possible due to the icy conditions. After the precipitation ends Sunday morning, a hard freeze is coming for nearly all of Southeast Texas Sunday night and Monday morning. We expect the roads in most places to be fine by Monday afternoon with sunshine and temperatures warming closer to 40 degrees. Another hard freeze is expected 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 Saturday, then blow through Saturday night. That means most of Saturday will be cold and rainy with nothing freezing except for in northern parts of Trinity, Polk, Walker, and Grimes Counties. 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 as a result. These more significant impacts are more likely the farther north and west you go from Houston.
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 will be cold enough to snow, but by then most of the precipitation is over.
Is this is a dangerous, pipe-bursting type of cold?
Yes. We expect temperatures to drop into the teens and low 20s on Sunday night and Monday morning everywhere except around Galveston Island. 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, and some places northwest of Houston could have wind chills below zero. The National Weather Service has placed all of Southeast Texas under an Extreme Cold Warning during this timeframe. It’s important that all people, pets, and livestock are protected from the cold to avoid hypothermia.
When will we be done with the freezing weather?
Temperatures should climb above freezing on Monday, but we expect another hard freeze on Monday night and Tuesday morning. A light freeze is possible Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, especially north of Houston. Then we should be done with this round of arctic air.I heard another arctic front is coming next weekend. Is that true?
We do predict another round of arctic air will arrive Friday, and that could even bring some snow showers to Southeast Texas Friday night and Saturday morning. Our focus right now is on helping you get through our current winter storm, then we’ll spend more time nailing down the details of the next cold, wintry blast.
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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