WeatherFanatics: Snow, Ice Take Aim at Houston, San Antonio

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Snow, Ice Take Aim at Houston, San Antonio

By Brian Lada, Meteorologist

January 23,2014; 9:29PM,EST

A big change is on the way for Texas with much colder air and a winter storm settling in to close out the week.
Snow, rain and ice will accompany this major temperature swing, bringing the risk of dangerous travel for millions across the Lone Star State. Sporadic power outages are possible as well.
Three of the four most populated cities in Texas lay in the path of this storm with Houston, San Antonio and Austin all at risk of dangerous ice buildup Thursday night and into Friday.

Although precipitation is forecast to start off as a bit of rain or drizzle, this will only set the stage for the hazardous conditions that will follow.
Temperatures will drop into the 20s Thursday night as the rain changes over to sleet and freezing rain. Any untreated surfaces that are wet from the initial rain will freeze over due to the below-freezing temperatures.
Those who plan on hitting the roadways Thursday night and on Friday should use extreme caution as black ice can be difficult to spot and can quickly lead to accidents.
As of Thursday night, law enforcement reported freezing rain in Bastrop County, Texas, accompanied by icing along the roadways on the US 290 bridge in the area.

Additionally, a small buildup of ice on transformers, tree limbs and power lines can lead to outages that may not be able to be restored until after the storm ends.
This winter weather can also lead to flight delays and cancellations for both inbound and outbound flights.
As of Thursday evening, the San Antonio International Airport reported freezing rain and nearly 150 flights were delayed or canceled at the Austin-Bergstrom International and San Antonio International airports, according to FlightStats.
While the ice is not expected to make it to the coast or down to the lower Rio Grande Valley, folks in these areas may still see a little sleet mix in with the rain at times, although it is expected to have minimal impacts.
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This cold, icy weather is not expected to stick around for long as warmer weather looks to return for the weekend.
Temperatures will rebound into the 60s by Saturday afternoon in the same areas that will struggle to make it to the 30-degree mark on Friday.
The warmer weather will melt much, if not all, of the ice by the end of Saturday.