HOUSTON — As confidence grows in a significant winter weather event across Southeast Texas, one of the biggest concerns is ice.
Freezing rain can quietly accumulate on roads, trees, and power lines, adding weight that infrastructure isn’t built to handle in this part of Texas. With a Winter Storm Watch and Extreme Cold Watch now issued for the Houston area, forecasters say even small amounts of ice could lead to dangerous travel and power outages.
How ice accumulation impacts travel and power
Meteorologists often measure ice accumulation in fractions of an inch, but those small numbers can have outsized consequences:
- Trace to 0.25 inches of ice
- Travel becomes dangerous, especially on bridges and overpasses. Power issues are typically limited, but isolated outages are possible.
- 0.25 to 0.75 inches of ice
- Travel may become impossible in spots. Tree limbs can snap under the weight, increasing the risk of power outages as lines are damaged.
- More than 0.75 inches of ice
- Widespread tree damage and power outages are likely. This level of ice is considered catastrophic, especially in areas unaccustomed to prolonged freezing conditions.
Even light ice can cause problems if it lasts long enough — and forecasters say this system could bring more than 40 hours of freezing temperatures to parts of Southeast Texas.
Travel concerns across Texas
Forecasters expect this to be a statewide event, with snow and ice impacting large portions of Texas.
- Air travel disruptions are possible from Saturday night through Monday morning
- Saturday morning into early afternoon may be the least disruptive window
- Conditions are expected to deteriorate quickly once colder air arrives
Meteorologists caution against focusing on exact ice totals. Even light icing — especially if heavier ice develops north of the Houston area — can lead to significant travel and power issues…