An Arctic explosion is expected to arrive this week with temperatures below those that hit the Austin region on Tuesday evening and stay on Thursday.
The National Weather Service issued cold weather for the Austin region from midnight to noon on Wednesday and an extreme cold warning from Wednesday evening to Thursday morning.
The NWS also published a notice of wind from Tuesday evening to Wednesday at noon, gusts perhaps reaching 40 MPH in certain parts of the center of Texas. High -speed winds could make the trip difficult and shoot the members of the trees. Winds could also cause power outages.
The agency expects the wind of the night – which will bring the coldest time of the season – Could make temperatures feel like 10 degrees or lower, putting people and animals at risk at risk of hypothermia. Without protection, plants and pipes could also suffer from extreme cold.
“There will be a general freezing throughout the state with temperatures to nearly zero degrees,” said governor Greg Abbott at a press conference on Monday. “People must be very cautious in the coming days as temperatures drop, so make sure you take care of yourself.”
The meteorological service said there was a small chance of precipitation in the Austin region on Tuesday evening and Friday. Mack Morris, a meteorologist for the NWS, said, however, that the area will probably not see a winter mixture of snow, gries and freezing rain as it did last month.
“It’s probably going to be quite dry,” he said. “This front compared to the last, there is not as much humidity with which to work.”
If there is precipitation, he said, it will probably be liquid and not a source of concern.
The cold is expected during the weekend.
Protect your pipes
Morris recommends that people wrap their pipes and their taps when the temperatures drop below the frost this week.
“Due to our exposed pipes and because we do not empty our pipes as they do north, there could still be water,” he said. “If this water freezes, it hardens and expands. … It could crack (pipes), which is not good. »»
Running water is less likely to freeze than motionless water, so plumbers recommend dripping both hot water and cold during the night as a precaution when it freezes outside. This applies to houses and apartments.
Grid conditions
The Electric Reliabibility Council of Texas, which manages the state electricity network, has issued weather surveillance from Wednesday to Friday due to forecasts. The watch means that there could be a higher demand for electricity than that is available.
ERCOT said that it expects the grid conditions to be normal during this period and that it was monitoring the weather conditions. The agency recommends that residents register for notifications via Texas Advisory and Notification System (TXANS) to remain informed.
Cold shelter
The Austin’s homeless strategy office said the city would open cold shelters on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evening. People can register to stay in shelters from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in a Texas Center on Barton Springs Road. The Capital Metro Bus price will be free.
Depending on the updated rules, the city now opens night shelters when the forecasts are 35 degrees or less. More information on shelters can be found here.
Austin’s parks and leisure facilities and city libraries will also serve as warming centers during the day. The city recommends checking operating hours before arriving.
Southside Community Center in San Marcos, the only night warming center in the county of Hays, said that he would open on Tuesday at 7 p.m. and will provide updates on his Facebook page on operations later in the week.
Follow the latest NWS tweets below.
