Governor Greg Abbott Gives Update On Severe Winter Weather Impacting Texas
AUSTIN (CBSDFW.COM) - Governor Greg Abbott received a briefing and provided an update on the severe winter weather impacting Texas today, February 4 at the Alternate State Operations Center in Austin.
"The Texas power grid is more reliable and resilient than it has ever been, and we are continuing to actively respond to the impact of this winter storm," said Gov. Abbott. "Over two dozen of our state agency partners are working collaboratively to ensure that Texans continue to have the resources they need to stay safe. I encourage Texans to visit TDEM.TEXAS.GOV for a full list of resources available to them including warming shelters, information on local power providers, updates on road closures, and more. Most of our communities will continue to experience freezing temperatures over the next few day, so I urge Texans to stay off the roads if you can and continue to heed the guidance of their local officials." Representatives from the Texas Division of Emergency Management, ERCOT, Public Utility Commission of Texas, Railroad Commission of Texas, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Military Department, Texas A&M Forest Service, Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas Department of Transportation, Texas Department of State Health Services and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will joined Abbott.
"About 20,000 Texans remains without power. But the issue is at the local level. Wind or ice knocking down power lines is likely what is causing the ouages," said Abbott.
Just one year after a multifaceted winter storm caused icy mayhem throughout Texas, Abbott issued a disaster declaration for 17 counties Thursday evening, Feb, 3.
"This ice storm poses an imminent threat of severe property damage, injury, or loss of life," he said.
Temperatures plunged into the low 20s overnight Thursday into Friday across a large portion of the state and various forms of frozen precipitation accumulated. On Thursday, Dallas broke its daily record of snowfall, with a total of 1.5 inches — surpassing the previous record of .2 set in 1956 and 2011. Friday morning temperatures started off near 20°, with wind chills in the single digits. Widespread wind chills in Texas were expected to be as low as -5°, but some reports confirm wind chills as low as -15° in some parts of the state.
Texas was one of the numerous states impacted by the expansive winter storm, which shut down two major airports and led to numerous car crashes on slick, icy roads.
CBS 11 meteorologists said North Texans might see a few flurries before morning clouds clear out Friday afternoon, but there won't be any additional accumulation. Unfortunately temperatures won't make it above freezing in most areas, with highs only reaching the upper 20s. And if the clouds hang on later into the afternoon, temperatures will dip a few degrees cooler.
Saturday is another First Alert Weather Day for the morning hours. Winds relax overnight but temperatures will be in the single digits to low 10s, so it will be dangerously cold again.A Hard Freeze Warning goes into effect at midnight until 9 a.m. Saturday. The sunshine is back this weekend and temperatures make it into the upper 30s Saturday afternoon. Any melting that does occur will refreeze overnight.
Partly cloudy skies Sunday and highs in the mid 40s will continue to melt the ice followed by another refreeze on Monday morning. Next week is quiet with sunshine and a gradual warming trend that takes North Texas to near 60° by Thursday.