Arctic front will put Houston in freezer
Keep in mind that "winter" is a relative term in these parts. While it snowed in Dallas this past weekend, it would almost take an act of God or Congress for it to snow along the Gulf Coast. "Cold" here is anything below 50.
A robust Arctic cold front -- the strongest of the winter -- will roar into Houston between 9 a.m. and noon today, bringing temperatures in the 20s during the next two nights, forecasters said.
And that means protecting pets, pipes and plants.
With strong gusts, the wind-chill factor will make it feel like 12 to 18 degrees tonight and Friday night, said Kent Prochazka, a local National Weather Service meteorologist. No precipitation is forecast.
The mercury, Prochazka said, should reach 52 to 54 degrees here this morning. "From there on, it's just downhill, with winds of 20 to 25 mph picking up from northwest to the north," he said. "Temperatures will fall throughout the afternoon."
The temperature at Bush Intercontinental Airport in far north Houston -- the city's official recording station -- is expected to plunge to about 27 degrees tonight, then rise to the mid-40s Friday.
Strong winds will continue until early Friday afternoon, followed by an eight-hour overnight period of frigid temperatures, perhaps dipping to 24 at Bush and in outlying areas and to 30 near downtown, Prochazka said.
"Sunday morning, the lows will go back up to 32 degrees and it will warm Monday with lows above freezing," he said. "You might be looking at frozen pipes, and you obviously want to get pets and potted plants indoors tonight."
I'll be OK just as long as I don't have to shovel anything. Of course, the great thing about weather like this is that it makes getting a tee time a breeze....
