Space City winter weather forecast

StormChaser : That it will be cold is about the only virtual certainty right now.

Winter weather right in the middle of winter??

Bsander : I know, shocking 😜

Latest models; parts of the US are going to have a 2021 repeat with major ice implications.

Tues @ 4pm. Space City Q&A;You've got questions about the impending freeze, and we've got (a few) answers. Eric Berger · Tuesday, January 20, 2026 4:30 PMIn brief: In this post we tackle some of the questions we've received from readers today, who are understandably concerned about the potential for a hard freeze and icy streets in Houston this weekend.We are now about three days away from an Arctic front descending into Houston. We still don't know the finer details about what to expect from this very cold airmass, but they should begin to come into better focus over the next couple of days as we get access to higher resolution forecast modeling. However, we realize that readers have a lot of questions, so we're going to do our best to tackle some of them this afternoon.Will Houston see freezing rain?This is really the most important question, and it is one we cannot quite answer yet. I'm highly confident that we will see moderate to significant accumulations of freezing rain along and north of Highway 105, beginning as early as Friday night. I would not advise travel to Dallas or Austin any time after Friday afternoon, as conditions could deteriorate pretty quickly after that time. For areas well north of Houston I think sleet and possibly snow are options as well. It will be a mess on roads.Closer to the city of Houston we are going to stay a little warmer, a little longer. At this time I don't expect freezing temperatures to reach Harris County until Saturday morning at the earliest, and possibly not until Saturday evening. It will then be a race to see when air temperatures freeze at the surface, and when the precipitation slows or stops on Saturday. At this time I think there is a reasonable chance of freezing rain (and therefore icy streets) along and north of Interstate 10 on Saturday, Saturday night, and Sunday. We also cannot rule out impacts further south. But where the precise line between cold rain and freezing rain falls, I just can't say right now. Accordingly, the metro area should be prepared for icy roads this weekend, starting on Saturday in Houston. We'll get better details on where and when in the coming days.Should we be concerned about a hard freeze?Yes, I think so. At this time both Sunday and Monday mornings have a chance of producing a hard freeze in Houston, with temperatures dropping below 25 degrees. Again the most likely location for this will be along and north of Interstate 10, but we can't rule out anywhere except for the immediate coast. When temperatures drop this low we start to worry about pipes bursting. Please note that at this time we do not expect the extreme cold the region saw in February 2021, with widespread temperatures in the teens. But precautions should be taken with exposed pipes when temperatures drop into the 20s. Should you drip your faucets? We tackled this question in a post about a year ago.Will the power go out?We are not experts about electricity, but there are some general things we can say.There are two areas in which power can fail. The first is in power generation, that is the natural gas plants and wind turbines and other sources of electricity. When these sources shut down unexpectedly during the February 2021 hard freeze in Texas, it led widespread outages. The second area of failure is in power distribution. That is, the poles and wires that carry power from plants to your home. It was these distribution channels that failed during Hurricane Beryl in July 2024 (i.e. trees falling into power lines).For this upcoming winter storm we are going to see a cold air mass descend into Texas, but it will not be nearly so cold as that which the state experienced in February 2021. ERCOT forecasts ample electricity supply through the coldest period, next Monday. We think, barring catastrophe, this will be the case.That leaves power distribution, handled locally primarily by CenterPoint Energy. I reached out to the company earlier today to ask about their concerns and plans, but did not receive a substantive response. My concern is that we see ice accumulations on tree limbs (causing them to fall on power lines), or ice on power lines that causes them to snap. Generally I think conditions in the Houston metro area will not be bad enough to cause widespread power disruptions, but that is just a guess. Again, we're not experts. It's my hope that the distribution companies are taking this threat seriously.I have a flight on …Look, I hear you on airport concerns. My wife and daughter are returning to Houston early on Monday morning, so this is something we're watching closely. My sense is that Friday should be fine for air travel, and probably much of the day Saturday as well (for Bush Intercontinental Airport this will depend on when freezing temperatures arrive). As for Saturday evening through Monday morning, well, I just don't know. I expect normal operations when temperatures are above freezing, which probably will be at least some of the time on Sunday, and after mid-morning on Monday. But beyond that, we just don't know.Our next update will be published by 7 am CT on Wednesday.

Jeff Lindner 1-20-26 350pmSignificant winter storm to impact a large portion of Texas this weekend. Dangerous to near impossible travel is increasingly likely over portions of the state due to crippling ice stoms. Widespread power outages will be possible where ice accumulation reaches .25 of an inch.Maximum winterization preparation to mitigate infrastructure damage should be completed for the upcoming dangerous cold.Trend today has been for colder temperatures and faster which is also shifting the threat for freezing rain southward and likely into the metro area sometime of Saturday. Since we are still 4 days out…we don't have exact timing for freezing conditions or freezing rain…need to closely monitor over the next 2 days.Hard freezes (24 or lower) are likely now Sun AM, Mon AM, Tues AM and many areas likely won't get above freezing on Sunday. Could see lows into the low 20's down into N and W sides metro area and would not rule out upper 10's.Dangerous wind chills in the 20's on Saturday and 10's possibly 1's on Sunday.

Buckle up!

NOW: The first Winter Storm Watches are out across Texas. "Moderate to heavy accumulations of snow, sleet, or ice are likely across the region Friday through Saturday night."

StormChaser :
Yes we like the house cooler. I think the house at its lowest was 65. And space heater to help. Yea this is the latest we fired it up.

Oof - would not want to be in Dallas this weekend!

StormChaser :
The actual "storm" will be probably 24-48 hours. The effects may well be much longer.

Txbutterfly : Maybe you should get there earlier in the day-just in case the roads get messy. Hopefully you are staying overnight.

StormChaser :
Burrrrrr!

WINTER WEATHER UPDATE: Arctic Front Arriving Friday:The potential for freezing rain and sleet is increasing across Southeast Texas this weekend. Prepare now for the coldest temperatures of the season so far.What You Need to Know:Wintry Precipitation: Freezing rain and sleet potential will grow Friday night through Sunday as moisture overlaps with freezing air.Cold Temperatures: Low temperatures will plummet into the upper teens to upper 20s for many areas.Dangerous Wind Chills: Expect "feels like" temperatures in the single digits and teens by Sunday morning.Hard Freeze: A hard freeze is likely Saturday night, Sunday night, and Monday night.REMEMBER: Focus on Impacts, winter forecasts are dynamic and subject to change. Even a small amount of ice can cause hazardous roads and power outages.Stay prepared and informed:Monitor the latest updates and be ready to adjust or cancel travel plans this weekend.

DALLAS Tuesday AM temperatures: Negative 4. 😳