Snow Plow Clears Section of Main Street near NRG Stadium
A snow plow clears a section of Main Street near NRG Stadium on Tuesday, January 21, 2025.
Afternoon sunshine brought temperatures above freezing and began to melt some of the snow that fell in the Houston area on Tuesday, but the region will be under an extreme cold warning after nightfall as temperatures are expected to plunge back into the low 20s and high teens.
The National Weather Service has issued an extreme cold warning for Southeast Texas from 6 p.m. Tuesday through 9 a.m. Wednesday, with a forecasted overnight low of 18 degrees in Houston. That means melted snow has the potential to become ice Wednesday morning. The wind chill is also expected to reach as low as 10-15 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.
EXTREME COLD WARNING
The extreme cold warning follows a cold weather advisory that was scheduled to expire at 6 p.m. Tuesday. Under the extreme cold warming will be the following counties: Austin, Brazoria, Brazos, Burleson, Chambers, Colorado, Fort Bend, Galveston, Grimes, Harris, Houston, Jackson, Liberty, Madison, Matagorda, Montgomery, Polk, San Jacinto, Trinity, Waller, Walker, Washington, and Wharton.
Once temperatures in Houston dip back below freezing Tuesday night, they are not expected to climb above freezing until after 10 a.m. Wednesday and could again drop below freezing late Wednesday night.
EXTENDED FORECAST
An extended forecast from the National Weather Service as of Tuesday afternoon.
A 48-hour temperature forecast from the National Weather Service as of Tuesday afternoon.
METEOROLOGIST’S WARNING
Meteorologist Frank Billingsley was part of Houston Public Media’s special coverage of the storm and said he was worried about the potential for refreezing ice once the sun goes down.
"The snow has stopped, so that’s good; the problem is it’s still very cold out," Billingsley said Tuesday on Hello Houston. "Skies are clearing and that sun is going to melt some of this snow, but the problem is it’s going to refreeze later this evening and tonight."
BLACK ICE WARNING
The possibility of "black ice" is also something to be cautious about Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, Billingsley said.
"That’s what I’m worried about, that ice coming on the roads and then us all thinking because the snow is gone things are better," he said. "But we still have some time ahead of us and there’s black ice that people don’t realize which basically is ice you just can’t see. … As [Harris County Judge Lina] Hidalgo said, we’re just going to have to wait until that melts and that’s going to be [Wednesday] afternoon."
EXTREME COLD WARNING REMINDERS
The extreme cold warning includes the following reminders from the National Weather Service:
- Dangerously cold wind chill values as low as 10 to 15 degrees
- Low wind chill values lead to hypothermia
- Dress in layers, wear a hat and mittens/gloves when traveling outside
- Keep pets indoors as much as possible
- Protect sensitive vegetation and cover plants/trees that cannot be brought inside
- Use caution when operating generators and portable heaters.
- Do not use generators or grills inside.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What is the expected low temperature in Houston tonight?
A: The expected low temperature in Houston tonight is 18 degrees.
Q: What is the wind chill expected to reach?
A: The wind chill is expected to reach as low as 10-15 degrees.
Q: What areas are under an extreme cold warning?
A: The following counties are under an extreme cold warning: Austin, Brazoria, Brazos, Burleson, Chambers, Colorado, Fort Bend, Galveston, Grimes, Harris, Houston, Jackson, Liberty, Madison, Matagorda, Montgomery, Polk, San Jacinto, Trinity, Waller, Walker, Washington, and Wharton.
Q: What is the expected timing of the extreme cold warning?
A: The extreme cold warning is expected to be in effect from 6 p.m. Tuesday to 9 a.m. Wednesday.
