Houston readies for Arctic blast next week
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ERCOT says it will have sufficient supply during next week's cold snap. Photo: Brandon Bell/Getty Images
Houston is in for some bitter cold next week as a major Arctic outbreak strikes the majority of the country.
Driving the news: Temperatures are forecast to dip into the low 20s and teens at their coldest early next week, setting Houston up for its first hard freeze of the season, according to National Weather Service meteorologists.
- The cold spell is forecast to last from Sunday night to Wednesday morning.
- Monday morning will start off with lows in the upper 20s and mid-30s, with temperatures struggling to get out of the 30s all day. Tuesday will likely be the coldest of the bunch, with temperatures forecast to reach the teens.
Threat level: The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), the state's power grid operator, issued an operating condition notice Monday warning of potential emergency conditions during the cold snap.
- "ERCOT is closely monitoring the weather conditions moving across Texas this and next week," the organization told Axios in a statement. "Grid conditions are expected to be normal, and ERCOT expects to have sufficient supply to meet demand."
The Houston Office of Emergency Management is also keeping an eye on the forecast and mulling whether to open warming centers for vulnerable people.
- The office has specific criteria for opening the warming centers: temperatures at or below 25 degrees for two hours or a windchill at or below 13 degrees.
- "We're ready," OEM spokesperson Brent Taylor tells Axios. "We're coordinating with all the departments involved — police, fire, public works, our external stakeholders."
With freezing temperatures in store, what about the white stuff?
- "Simply put, it is too early to say for certain whether or not frozen precipitation will occur with this front," NWS meteorologist Hayley Adams wrote in a forecast note. "At this time the main focus is on the significantly colder temperatures and the potential for a hard freeze across the area."
Of note: Before the Arctic air hits Houston, we'll have to endure a weaker cold front overnight Thursday, bringing with it the potential for severe weather by the end of the workweek.
- NWS forecasters say the region could experience gusty winds and thunderstorms Thursday night into Friday, with temperatures hovering around the 50s and 60s.
- The weekend will bring a slight warmup before the Arctic air hits Southeast Texas.
Be smart: Here's how to stay safe in extreme cold.