The same mindset should apply during the winter months, Dozier said. Many Texans are used to gearing up for hurricane season. Severe winter weather can be new for some Texans, so here are some tips on how to get ready. The state has already experienced its first strong winter cold snap, and with the thick of the winter season still approaching, there's plenty Texans can do to prepare in case an extreme weather system sweeps through the state again. Weather experts say a similar winter storm is unlikely but still possible this year. Dozier, director of the disaster assessment and recovery program at Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. The storm’s “severity and its reach across the whole state of Texas and the length of it did catch lots of us all by surprise, myself included,” said Monty C. The state attributed the majority of deaths to hypothermia, but other causes included carbon monoxide poisoning, fires and falls. Days into the storm and its aftermath, a full-blown water crisis also emerged as well as supply chain shortages and major food disruptions.Ī recent report from the Texas Department of State Health Services updated the death toll from the winter storm and brought it up to 246, though a BuzzFeed analysis last year found the deaths related to the storm could’ve been more than 750. ![]() “Arctic sea ice loss is probably making these cold air weather patterns more common, but the cold air itself is becoming milder due to climate change, leading to less extreme cold overall.The 2021 winter storm marked a severe weather event unlike any Texans had seen in decades, leaving millions without power and in freezing conditions. Nielsen-Gammon also stressed the impact the global climate crisis has on these severe weather patterns. Barnes said wrapping up pipes is the “main key” to preventing damage. This was also the case in the winter storm of 2021. The damage caused from burst pipes can cost homeowners many thousands of dollars to repair. In extremely cold weather, pipes are susceptible to freezing and bursting in Texas, where homes are not as insulated like those in the north of the US. “The main thing you want to do is protect your pipes - like any outdoor, unprotected pipes will be threatened by the cold because it is expected to last so long and drop into the single digits in many areas.” In order to prepare for the hard freeze, Barnes urged Texans to follow the “four Ps: pipes, pets, people and plants”. San Antonio’s transit authority, VIA, announced plans to offer free transportation to these shelters. Other cities like Austin, Dallas and San Antonio, are setting up similar shelters for the homeless and vulnerable. Houston mayor Sylvester Turner announced five warming shelters will be set up across the city in preparation for the freeze. Unlike the 2021 winter storm Uri, the forecast for the coming harsh winter weather does not show snow or icy roads – conditions that proved devastating last time for a state usually unprepared for such weather.īut some fears that the state’s grid will fail again are creeping up as Ercot later predicted demand will exceed previously forecasted levels. But steps have been taken to improve the resilience of natural gas power generation operations, and wind power generation should be close to maximum Thursday night and Friday.” “This cold air outbreak will be milder than the one in February 2021, but we will still see temperatures colder than in any December of the past 32 years. The Texas state climatologist, Dr John Nielsen-Gammon, said he did not expect widespread power outages. After the disaster in 2021, the grid came under harsh scrutiny for not being properly ‘weatherized’ and ‘winterized’ in preparation for such cold events.īut the state power grid’s governing body, Electric Reliability Council of Texas (Ercot), issued a statement that said it “expects sufficient generation to meet forecasted demand and will continue to provide updates”. Texas, unlike the rest of the US, owns and operates its own power grid. The storm in 2021 hit lowest temperature of -2F (-18C), but this year, the expected minimum temperature is around 10F (-12C), which will make a huge difference, according to Barnes. ![]() Sarah Barnes, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service based in Dallas-Fort Worth, told the Guardian: “Temperatures aren’t going to get quite as cold as they did in 2021 and they’re also not going to be cold or subfreezing for as long.” ![]() But experts think this storm will not hit Texas quite as hard.
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