WEATHER ALERT: Icy roadways and pipe-bursting freeze expected overnight
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The fun phase of our winter storm is ending, and the hazardous phase kicks in overnight with dangerously cold temperatures that could burst pipes and icy roadways that will make for dangerous driving conditions.
Temperatures overnight will quickly drop into hard-freeze territory and bottom out in the teens over the neighborhoods that have widespread snow and ice on the ground. An Extreme Cold Warning is in effect until 9 a.m. Wednesday, and any people or pets could get hypothermia if outside for an extended period of time. Black ice on roadways will be an issue in much of Southeast Texas until a few hours after sunrise. Temperatures may not warm above freezing until closer to 10 or 11 a.m in some spots. This is why our ABC13 Weather Alert continues through Wednesday morning.
Sunshine throughout the day should allow for much of the leftover snow and ice to melt as temperatures warm into the 40s during the afternoon. That said, there could still be isolated slick pots of ice on some area roadways Wednesday night and Thursday morning.
When will we be done with the freezing temperatures?
We expect another freeze Friday morning, but then we should be done with freezing temperatures over the weekend with highs pushing back into the 60s Saturday and Sunday. Some snowmen could survive in shady spots all the way until Saturday afternoon. While we have no more freezes in our 10 day forecast after Friday, we still have a chance for freezing temperatures returning in February.
What else can we expect this weekend?
With the return of humid Gulf air over the top of the cold ground, we will get widespread fog, clouds, and drizzle starting on Saturday. Temperature will warm from the upper 30s to the 60s as a warm front lifts in Saturday afternoon. Sunday will bring more widespread clouds, milder morning temperatures in the 50s, highs near 70, and a 60% chance of showers and thunderstorms.
13 ALERT RADAR MAPS:
Montgomery/Walker/San Jacinto/Polk/Grimes Counties
Fort Bend/Wharton/Colorado Counties
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