Houston Winter Storm: Freezing Rain, Ice Accumulation, and Timeline Forecast

Arctic Air Mass and Forecasting Challenges

• 🥶 Bitter cold air masses are notoriously difficult to forecast due to their shallow nature (100-200 feet thick), with warmer temperatures just above.
• ⚠️ Computer models have limitations in accurately predicting these thin layers, leading to increased uncertainty in the forecast.

Saturday Storm Timeline

• ⛈️ 3:00 AM Saturday: Rain and thunder begin moving in from the west, signaling a stormy morning.
• ⚡ 6:30 AM Saturday: The storm continues with all liquid rain and thunder across the area.
• 🧊 9:00 AM Saturday: A line of thunderstorms approaches the coast, with potential for some sleet north of Houston.
• 🌤️ Noon Saturday: A brief break in precipitation occurs, but temperatures begin to drop into the 30s and 40s.
• ❄️ 9:00 PM Saturday: Freezing rain begins in areas like Huntsville, Brenham, and College Station as temperatures fall below freezing.
• 🌃 Midnight Saturday: Freezing conditions intensify in areas like Katy, Tomball, and Conroe (32-33°F), with freezing rain expected in Northwest Harris County and areas north/west of I-59, leading to icy roads.

Sunday Morning and Ice Accumulation

• 🥶 3:00 AM Sunday: Freezing rain continues, with areas like Angleton nearing freezing temperatures.
• 💨 5:30 AM Sunday: The main band of precipitation begins to move east, though some lingering effects remain.
• ☀️ Noon Sunday: Conditions are expected to clear up.
• 📈 Ice Accumulation Forecast: Houston could see about a tenth of an inch on bridges, overpasses, power lines, and trees.
• ⚠️ Areas further north, like Huntsville, could see a quarter inch, and Palestine up to an inch, leading to potential minor to major power outages.

Staying Informed

• 📱 Viewers are encouraged to download the Plus app for live updates and to stay informed about the evolving weather situation.
• ⚠️ Safety is paramount during this winter weather event.