February Ends Warm and Dry

[Paul]

pipes wrapped- check
pets in- check
plants already dead- check

I am good to go....

[vbhoutex]

I was noticing last night and it appears to be the case today that the front is "meandering" in as it comes. That was showing up last night even in W. TX and the DFW area. Fropa is imminent here if Steve has it. Oops, calling fropa at 10:18 in Spring Branch. Temp just started dropping from 44.1f. Still some rain in my area and temp is heading down. Don't think the moisture will dry up before freezing starts. Everyone be careful out there. LOL @ Paul!!
edit to ad-temp down to 41f in 5 minutes.

[wxman57]

Kinda wonder with the temp dropping as fast as it is will the chill outrace the moisture and ice the roads? Also will the power lines ice over? With the stiff winds predicted for the area along with possible icy lines, I'm concerned about power outages.

We work with many of the utility companies. They tell us it takes a good 3/8" to 1/2" of ice coating on power lines to cause problems (broken lines). While the lines could form a thin coating of ice on them in northern parts of Houston this afternoon, that in itself won't cause any outages. A high load on the grid could cause brown-outs, though.

[srainhoutx]

Down to 33.8F up here with light precip.

[CAK]

Just got a report back from a friend on 45 north headed to Dallas. He is just south of Ennis, west of Waco on the 45. Multiple accidents, numerous cars of the side of the road in ditches, one reported fatality. Looks like a suburban that rolled several times and the driver was ejected.

The highway is completely iced over and extremely windy. So windy and slick that he was driving sideways whenever a gust would come up. He is turning around and on his way back to Houston as it would take him hours to get to Dallas driving 5 mph on ice.

Be careful out there.

[vbhoutex]

Kinda wonder with the temp dropping as fast as it is will the chill outrace the moisture and ice the roads? Also will the power lines ice over? With the stiff winds predicted for the area along with possible icy lines, I'm concerned about power outages.

We work with many of the utility companies. They tell us it takes a good 3/8" to 1/2" of ice coating on power lines to cause problems (broken lines). While the lines could form a thin coating of ice on them in northern parts of Houston this afternoon, that in itself won't cause any outages. A high load on the grid could cause brown-outs, though.

I had my share of the blackouts last time. We had 6 here at the house. Someone else, like Dallas can take them this time.

[srainhoutx]

Ed, radar can be a bit misleading. Also look at GRK.

[lyndie32]

pipes wrapped- check
pets in- check
plants already dead- check

I am good to go....

lol at plants!

[Paul]

I was noticing last night and it appears to be the case today that the front is "meandering" in as it comes. That was showing up last night even in W. TX and the DFW area. Fropa is imminent here if Steve has it. Oops, calling fropa at 10:18 in Spring Branch. Temp just started dropping from 44.1f. Still some rain in my area and temp is heading down. Don't think the moisture will dry up before freezing starts. Everyone be careful out there. LOL @ Paul!!
edit to ad-temp down to 41f in 5 minutes.

yeah easy for me to say..I worked from home today... I think it might be a close call for the bridges...dont underestimate the latent heat plus wind plus evap...

[Stormrider]

Kinda wonder with the temp dropping as fast as it is will the chill outrace the moisture and ice the roads? Also will the power lines ice over? With the stiff winds predicted for the area along with possible icy lines, I'm concerned about power outages.

We work with many of the utility companies. They tell us it takes a good 3/8" to 1/2" of ice coating on power lines to cause problems (broken lines). While the lines could form a thin coating of ice on them in northern parts of Houston this afternoon, that in itself won't cause any outages. A high load on the grid could cause brown-outs, though.

Thanks for the education wxman57.

I'd often heard that if ice forms on the lines and slap together in a high wind that there could be power outages. That was my concern since 30mph winds were forecast. Thanks again!

[srainhoutx]

Just dropped to 31.8F up here and still light rpecip.

[Paul]

Kinda wonder with the temp dropping as fast as it is will the chill outrace the moisture and ice the roads? Also will the power lines ice over? With the stiff winds predicted for the area along with possible icy lines, I'm concerned about power outages.

We work with many of the utility companies. They tell us it takes a good 3/8" to 1/2" of ice coating on power lines to cause problems (broken lines). While the lines could form a thin coating of ice on them in northern parts of Houston this afternoon, that in itself won't cause any outages. A high load on the grid could cause brown-outs, though.

Thanks for the education wxman57.

I'd often heard that if ice forms on the lines and slap together in a high wind that there could be power outages. That was my concern since 30mph winds were forecast. Thanks again!

trees smacking into power lines would most likely be the cause of power outages. Though I think Ike took care of the low lying fruit already.....we should be fine....

[tireman4]

pipes wrapped- check
pets in- check
plants already dead- check

I am good to go....

Patience-Dead too....for me...

[jabcwb2]

We work in the Galleria area and need to know if we should start sending staff home that live on the extreme NW side? Or North? I was looking at the radars and it appears as though those areas are getting freezing drizzle.
Any help with this is very much appreciated.

[hlewis]

saw a facebook update that it was snowing in columbus!

[srainhoutx]

Light freezing drizzle up here and a thin sheen of ice developing on metal surfaces at this time.

[Andrew]

Temps dropping pretty fast in nw Houston.

[vbhoutex]

As I feared the radar is showing "building" returns to our W and SW. Radar and ground reports are now confirming that some of this is coming down as winter precip. Could be very messy aw we move into the afternoon unless this trend stops. Currently 33f here at the house in Spring Branch with continuing light rain.

[hlewis]

i want it to snow, i want it to snow so i can point and laugh!!!!!!

[TxLady]

While it isn't freezing rain, there is a steady light rain falling, here. With temperatures already below freezing and a pretty stiff wind...it won't take long to start having some slight problems around here. Luckily, it was well above freezing for the past couple of days.

My neice is a grad student in Waco, she says it is extremely dangerous driving around there, right now. Numerous accidents, over-turned 18 wheeler. Luckily she doesn't have class till 4:00 pm, so maybe they'll cancel classes by then.

Stay warm, everyone!