Arctic blast in Texas: How long the extreme cold will last, affected areas and temperatures
Alerts have been issued in parts of Texas as a spell of Artic cold will blanket the state. These are the affected cities and expected temperatures.
A polar cold front is causing severe weather across the United States. As the phenomenon prepares to freeze the northern plains, the state of Texas is under alert for the imminent arrival of strong winds and extreme temperatures.
How long will the bad weather last in Texas?
According to First Alert Weather experts, the bad weather in Texas will last at least until Tuesday, January 16. The arctic cold front is expected to bring freezing rain and sleet, especially to the north and center of the state, where slippery roads are expected, so it is recommended to take precautions and not drive unless it is truly necessary.
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Arctic front in Texas: Affected cities and temperatures
Among the cities that are under alert for extreme temperatures are Canton, Centerville, Corsicana, Denton, Dallas, Fort Worth, Greenville, Hamilton, Hearne, Lampasas, Mexia, Mineral Wells, Paris, Palestine, Sherman, Temple and Waco.
According to CBS News meteorologists, precipitation will peak Monday morning. However, due to the heavy cloud cover and arctic air moving through the state, mornings will be extremely cold, with wind chills as low as -10º F for the next three days.
For Monday afternoon and Tuesday noon a maximum of 20º F is expected thanks to the sunlight. However, the strong winds will cause the thermal sensation to remain in the single digits, with temperatures plunging once the sun disappears.
The bad weather will improve slightly on Wednesday, January 17, when temperatures reach a maximum of between 30 and 40º F. Thursday will be the warmest day of the week, with maximum temperatures of 50º. However, the arrival of another cold front will drive temperatures down again for the coming weekend.
Real time temperature
Below is an interactive map from Windy.com with the temperature in the affected areas in real time:
For real-time updates, visit the official website of the National Weather Service (NWS).
Texas authorities confident power grid is prepared for Artic blast
Ahead of the Artic front’s arrival Governor Greg Abbott asked Texans to take precautions but stressed that the reliability of the state’s power grid saying it was “much more prepared.” Even though there is no expectation of an energy emergency, ERCOT issued a Weather Watch for Monday 15 January through Wednesday 17 January.
“I want to let you know and reassure you that we are using every tool in our toolbox to make sure that the grid is going to be absolutely ready and prepared to deliver energy to all Texans throughout this weather event. The grid is better prepared than it has ever been before, in particular, as it relates to cold weather events like this that are that is approaching,” said ERCOT CEO Pablo Vegas.