The severe winter storm forecast for South Texas will rage from Sunday night through Tuesday noon, with freezing temperatures putting the population at risk.
For this reason, Texas Governor Greg Abbott, Brownsville Mayor Trey Méndez as well as the National Weather Center in Brownsville (NWS) urge area residents to prepare for an extended period of cold weather. , with the greatest potential for danger from Sunday night through Tuesday noon.
Both Governor Abbott and the NWS strongly appeal to residents to avoid leaving their homes and driving their vehicles during extreme cold.
“Empty roads are safe roads,” Goldsmith quoted during the media conference on Saturday. Referring that the Valley will experience the same Fort Worth temperatures recorded at the time of the massive carom of 100 vehicles on Thursday in which 5 people died and several injuries were registered.
For his part, the governor urged Texans to stay off the roads and immediately call 800-525-5555 for roadside assistance if they are stranded.
Extreme care on time
Experts from the Meteorological Service urge the population to take the following measures before sunset on Sunday:
1.- People at risk should go to a heated place.
2.- Protect pipes and water taps
3.- Protect animals that are in the open and pets.
4.- Cover plants or place them in a covered place.
Arctic mass impact
The winter storm accompanied by dangerous cold and precipitation with possible sleet and freezing rain will be extremely dangerous for people exposed to the elements without adequate clothing or shelter. The critical risk of frostbite injuries runs from 12 p.m. to noon on Tuesday, and from midnight to 9 a.m. Tuesday.
The supply of electricity keeps electricity companies in Texas on alert. The state is asking Texans to start saving energy now to ensure power is available early next week by unplugging devices when not in use, closing windows and blinds, and setting thermostats to 68 degrees or lower.
Storm development
The potentially deadly wind chill (“feel”) becomes likely Monday, with heavy and damaging frosts also increasingly likely Monday and Tuesday mornings, the NWS notes.
A period of sleet (ice granules) and freezing rain (ice frosting) is most likely between midnight Sunday night until noon Monday.
On Tuesday, the temperature will range from 25 to 35 degrees below average, possibly as much as 40 degrees below average from Monday morning to Tuesday afternoon. Average is 75 in the afternoon, 52-55 at dawn.
Lastly, temperatures are forecast to be much lower than average until February 19.
The duration of freezing temperatures (equal to or greater than 32 degrees Fahrenheit) on Sunday until early hours on Monday can prevail from several hours to more than a day, a situation that had not occurred since the ice storm that worsened in the Valley of Rio Grande from February 2-4, 2011, ten years ago, the NWS’s Barry Goldsmith reported during a conference Saturday.
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