Latest forecast for North Texas: Dangerous bitter cold this weekend ... and maybe snow?
The latest forecast for North Texas still shows a chance of snow or ice this holiday weekend, but what’s more certain is how bitterly cold it will be.
Temperatures across the region will fall into the single digits with dangerous wind chills as low as minus 10 degrees, according to the forecast as of Wednesday. The coming freeze has prompted ERCOT to issue a winter weather watch in Texas.
North Texas will see two fronts this weekend, the difference being the cold front on Friday will bring chilly temperatures, but the arctic front Sunday is bringing true wintry weather conditions.
The arctic front will be the coldest of the season so far, bringing wind chill values in the Central Plains of minus 30-40 degrees over the weekend. The front moves into the Metroplex on Sunday, plunging overnight temperatures into the low teens, said Tom Bradshaw, meteorologist-in-charge at the National Weather Service’s Fort Worth office.
Monday, which is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, will not get above freezing with a chance of snow or ice. Highs will stay in the 20s, and wind chills will be zero to minus 5 degrees.
Monday night dip into the low teens in Fort Worth, and single digits to the north of the Metroplex. Steady breeze from the north will result in wind chill values as low as minus 10 degrees.
As for snow and ice chances on Monday, North Texans should be ready for the possibility.
“A few of our models are actually indicating that there’s a small chance of freezing rain, sleet or snow that may occur across the Metroplex,” Bradshaw said.
The weather service has confidence on the temperatures North Texas will face from Sunday to Tuesday, but forecasters are is still sorting out models for wintry precipitation, Bradshaw said. Regardless, North Texas is in for an extremely frigid few days.
“The cold air is definitely coming,” Bradshaw said.
By Tuesday, North Texas will start to climb out of freezing temperatures, but not by much.
The high Tuesday will be around 33 in Fort Worth, then dip back into the lower 20s on Tuesday night.
North Texas will finally see relief mid-week as temperatures are expected to climb to the 40s, Bradshaw said.
As the arctic weather approaches, North Texans need to stay vigilant and prepare for the freezing temps. The NWS says that the four P’s will be at risk early next week — people, pets, plants and pipes.
“Definitely some significant impacts due to the cold from Sunday night through actually Tuesday morning,” Bradshaw said.
In addition to next week's exceptionally cold temperatures, we're still watching the potential for snow and ice Sunday into Monday.
Note: Details on the potential for wintry weather remain uncertain and are likely to change as more information becomes available. #dfwwx #ctxwx pic.twitter.com/9EbY7SsYcU— NWS Fort Worth (@NWSFortWorth) January 10, 2024
Before the freezing weather this weekend, North Texans are in for a sunny and mild few days.
Wednesday and Thursday’s highs will be in the 60s, along with sunny skies. The first cold front of the weekend for North Texas comes on Friday, as temperatures drop into the 40s.
Overnight Friday, the low will stay in the 20s, warming up to a high in the 50s for Saturday. But by Sunday, the arctic front will be on its way for the Metroplex, Bradshaw said.
