Winter Storm, Wind Chill, and Hard Freeze Warnings in effect
Weather conditions go downhill Sunday evening & night as ice and snow accumulate on the Brazos Valley
BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) - Overnight freezing drizzle started the Brazos Valley’s and Bryan-College Station’s day with multiple accidents and roll-overs. With temperatures below freezing through, at least, Tuesday, surface streets will start to ice up in spots. Next round of freezing rain and sleet is expected to develop across the area, starting as early as late Sunday evening.
A WINTER STORM WARNING is in effect for the following counties through 6pm Monday (12 pm Lee County): Milam • Robertson • Lee • Leon • Austin • Brazos • Burleson • Grimes • Houston • Madison • Montgomery • San Jacinto • Trinity • Waller • Walker • Washington.
- WHAT: Heavy mixed precipitation expected. Total snow accumulations of 2″ to 6″, with higher totals between 7″ and 8″ possible across the Central Brazos Valley. Ice accumulations of a light glaze to 0.50″. Strong winds will lead to blowing and drifting snow, reducing visibility to less than one mile at times. Wind chill factors below zero are expected by Sunday night, continuing Monday and Tuesday.
- WHEN: Patchy freezing rain, sleet, and snow flurries will remain possible through the day Sunday. Freezing rain / sleet is anticipated to increase in coverage again by Sunday evening, if not a few hours earlier. That will eventually begin to switch over to a snow / sleet / freezing rain mix or all snow Sunday night in the early hours of Monday morning.
- IMPACTS: Travel will be dangerous if not impossible late Sunday into Monday. Hazardous conditions will persist for several days given the expected prolonged duration of extremely cold temperatures. The cold wind chills as low as -10° to -15° could result in hypothermia if precautions are not taken. Strong winds could also result in blowing & drifting of snow, yielding near white-out conditions with visibility less than 1/2 mile at times.
A HARD FREEZE WARNING has been issued for Burleson, Brazos, Madison, Houston, Trinity, Walker, San Jacinto, Montgomery, Grimes, Waller, Washington, and Austin counties that will go into effect Sunday evening, lasting through 12pm Tuesday. Sub-freezing temperatures as low as 3° are possible. Frost and freeze conditions may kill crops and other vegetation types and damage unprotected outdoor plumbing. This will be a multi-hour, pipe-bursting freeze if proper preparations are not taken for plumbing and sprinkler systems.
A WIND CHILL WARNING has been issued for Burleson, Brazos, Madison, Houston, Trinity, Walker, San Jacinto, Montgomery, Grimes, Waller, Washington, and Austin counties that will go into effect by 12am Monday, lasting through 12pm Tuesday. Extremely low wind chills as low as -15° will become life-threatening to both people and animals outside without adequate warmth or shelter. Feels-like conditions are expected in the single-digts by late Sunday evening and will not rebound above 20° until mid-morning to midday Tuesday.
Other concerns as a multi-day, prolonged, historic cold sinks into the Brazos Valley:
- Accidents on icy roads
- House fires from improper heating
- Carbon monoxide poisoning from improper use of heaters / generators
- Inadequate heat for elderly, low-income families
- Inadequate shelter for outdoor pets and livestock
- Froze, burst pipes, followed by flooded homes & businesses when pipes thaw next week
- Damage to tropical trees, winter gardens, early-season crops.
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