A winter weather warning was issued on Wednesday morning as a hard freeze encompassed the southern half of Texas, plunging temperatures to sub-freezing levels as far south as the U.S.-Mexico border.
An arctic blast brought frigid temperatures, bone-chilling winds and heavy snow to much of the United States over the weekend and early this week. Texans were warned of the dangerous impacts of the frigid temperatures, which are uncommon in the region.
The National Weather Service (NWS) said that “all of South Texas” was forecast to experience sub-freezing temperatures as low as 18 degrees Fahrenheit on Wednesday morning.
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“Frost and freeze conditions will kill crops, other sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing,” the warning said. “Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold. To prevent freezing and possible bursting of outdoor water pipes they should be wrapped, drained, or allowed to drip slowly. Those that have in-ground sprinkler systems should drain them and cover above-ground pipes to protect them from freezing.”
South central and southeast Texas faced temperatures as low as 16 degrees Fahrenheit. The hard freeze warnings were set to expire mid-Wednesday morning.
A wind chill plummeted the feels-like temperature even further across south-central Texas. The “dangerously cold wind chills” could be as low as 10 degrees Fahrenheit, the NWS said.
“The dangerously cold wind chills could result in hypothermia or frostbite if precautions are not taken,” the warning said. “Avoid outside activities if possible. When outside, make sure you wear appropriate clothing, a hat, and gloves.”
NWS meteorologist Nicholas Price told Newsweek that the brutally cold temperatures will last through at least the end of the week.
“We have another front that’s going to drop temperatures below freezing, though not as hard of a freeze as we just experienced,” Price said.
The average January temperature range for the Corpus Christi region is 48 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit. However, Price said there is a 30 to 40 percent chance that temperatures will be above normal later this month.
“So, once we get out of this little cold spell, we should be able to get some more increased, above-normal temperatures,” he said. “Or at least somewhere around average.”
Frigid temperatures plunged other southern U.S. areas into dangerous territory as well. Temperatures were cold enough to produce snow in Florida on Tuesday morning. Hard freeze warnings remained in place for the Sunshine State, as well as for the entire state of Louisiana, the southeast corner of Oklahoma, most of Alabama and Mississippi and the southern parts of Arkansas.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.