From the Office of Emergency Management;
Today is the last good day to prepare for several days of wintry precipitation, dangerously cold temperatures, and hazardous travel conditions. Conditions really start to deteriorate Saturday night with hazardous travel conditions likely for most, if not all of the region, for all of next week.
Overview
Today (Friday)
- Generally dry and cold with the exception of some very light freezing drizzle this morning in East Texas. Temperatures will stay below freezing. The effect of winds and dry air will work to remove any light ice accumulations, but more significant icing across Central Texas will remain.
Tonight (Friday night) and Saturday
- Areas of light freezing drizzle are expected after midnight into midday Saturday.
- Some locations will receive a light build-up of ice on bridges and overpasses and surface roads.
- Travel may be deceptively hazardous since some areas will be very slick while others will be dry.
Saturday Night and Sunday
- Increasing widespread freezing drizzle and pockets of heavier freezing rain and sleet by daybreak Sunday. Some light snow possible by midday.
- Cold enough for icing and accumulation on all surfaces.
- The risk of sporadic power outages due to ice buildup on trees and powerlines will increase during the day.
Sunday night into Monday
- Significant winter storm with near blizzard-like conditions Sunday night and early Monday morning. Snow ending by Monday afternoon.
- 2 to 7 inches of snow areawide with the higher totals generally north and west of the DFW Metroplex tapering down to 2” across Central Texas.
- Dangerous and record-breaking cold air arrives Sunday night. Temperatures in the single digits and teens by Monday morning, falling into the single digits Monday evening.
- Winds of 20 to 30 mph with gusts to 40 mph possible may result in tree breakage and power outages.
- Visibility reduced to a half mile or less in areas of heavy and blowing snow.
- Wind chills between -15 and 10 degrees will increase the risk of hypothermia for those stranded outside or unprotected from the cold.
- Where higher amounts of snow occurs, travel may become impossible and possibly life threatening for stranded motorists.
- Many pipes will freeze and break, even including some that aren’t directly exposed to air.
- The cold temperatures should result in record power demand which may increase the possibility of power outages.
Tuesday
- Dry and cold. Little or no improvement in road conditions with temperatures only reaching the 20s for highs.
Wednesday and Thursday
- Another good chance of snow with significant snowfall possible.
- While not as bitterly cold, temperatures remain below freezing into Thursday
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