Dallas soaks up chilly sunshine ahead of winter storm warning

The city of Dallas said pre-treating of roads would resume late Wednesday night and into early morning hours Thursday ahead of a Winter Storm Warning.

The city's transportation and public works department said a second treatment of brine, a salt and water mixture, was completed Wednesday. The city started the process on Monday on major thoroughfares and said this week it has enough capacity to produce 20,000 gallons of brine per day.

In downtown, we spotted crews working to disassemble the 52-foot-tall Christmas tree scaffolding in Klyde Warren Park. A crew member told us they worked all day to get it down before the expected snow arrives on Thursday.

Temperatures on Wednesday afternoon moved into the low and mid-40s under sunny skies, enough to bring out handfuls of those looking to enjoy lunch at one of the food trucks stationed alongside the park.

Abbey Andermann said she plans to avoid being out when the storm arrives Thursday.

"I will be working from home, in my office, in my PJs and trying to stay warm, for sure," Andermann said.

Braulio Herrera of Dallas says he enjoys taking photos of downtown architecture and said he's looking forward to the opportunity for winter scenes later this week.

"We get frost, or roads caked over in ice all the time," Herrera said. "But, actual snow just isn't too common."

The two most recent significant snow events in Dallas occurred during the February 2021 winter storm when 5 inches were reported at DFW Airport, and another 5 to 6 inches of snow fell on March 4 and 5 of 2015.

The storm forecast calls for 2 to 4 inches of snow in Dallas County under a Winter Storm Warning beginning at 6 a.m. on Thursday.

ERCOT'S WINTER POWER CONSERVATION TIPS

• Lower your thermostat by a degree or two if safe to do so.
• Avoid using large appliances like ovens, washing machines, and dryers. Turn off and unplug non-essential lights.
• Set pool pumps to run early morning or overnight; shut off during peak hours. Or, set the pump to the lowest speed to prevent freezing.
• Cover windows with insulated curtains.
• Set ceiling fans on reverse to recirculate the heat that builds up near the ceilings.
• If the sun is shining, open blinds, drapes, or shades during the day to warm your home.
• Lower the thermostat on your water heater. For every 10 degrees of reduction, you can save 3-5% in energy costs. A temperature of 120°F is suggested unless your dishwasher does not have a water heater, in which case 130°F - 140°F is suggested for optimal cleaning.

Find more energy-saving tips at ercot.com/txans.

COLD WEATHER PREPARATION

Winterizing Your Home
Before the cold, replace worn weatherstripping on doors and windows to ensure a good seal. This will make sure warm air stays inside and cold air stays outside. Most modern windows are sealed inside the frame, but older windows may be sealed with a glaze that can crack and need replacing. The glaze may need to be applied above a certain temperature and it'll need time to cure -- this maintenance is ideally done in the spring or fall. Lastly, check your gutters to ensure they are clear and allow water to flow freely to the downspout. Blocked gutters can lead to water entering the home.  The Texas Department of Insurance also recommends trimming trees away from power lines, homes, and cars and checking the insulation level in attics.

Protecting Your Pipes
Most North Texans know to insulate their outdoor faucets, but if the cold snap is prolonged it could be a good idea to also leave inside faucets on external walls dripping overnight so that they don't freeze. The drip, drip, drip from running faucets, if heard, can be annoying, so put a sponge or towel in the sink to silently catch each drop. If you're leaving town for a few days, the Texas Department of Insurance recommends leaving cabinet doors open so that pipes on external walls are more exposed to heat. If you have pipes in an attic or crawlspace or any other exposed pipes outdoors, they'll need insulation, too. For external faucets, disconnect hoses and insulate the valves. Wrapping valves with towels is not the best long-term solution. Most, if not all, North Texas hardware stores sell inexpensive exterior faucet covers made of foam that easily attach to the faucet bib in just a few seconds and do a great job protecting the pipe from freezing. If you suspect a pipe has frozen, keep the faucet open so that water can flow when it melts. Additionally, make sure you know where your main water valve is located (and how to turn it off) in the event a pipe bursts.

Bring in Your Pets
Even if you have a pet or animal that normally lives or sleeps outdoors, they could be susceptible to cold, hypothermia, and pneumonia. The SPCA of Texas says if you're cold outside, odds are your pet is cold too. Bring pets inside and make sure other outdoor animals have appropriate shelter, dry and well insulated, to protect them from frigid temperatures and possible death.

Protecting Your Plants
Perennial potted plants should be brought indoors. Plants that cannot be brought inside will need to be covered. Delicate plants can be covered with sheets, blankets, or landscaping frost blankets, which can trap heat. During times of extreme cold, multiple frost blankets may be used. For plants left outside a day or two before a freeze hits, the Dallas Arboretum recommends watering the soil only by hand, keeping the foliage dry to insulate the plant's roots. The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension has more here on how to protect plants from frosts and freezes. AgriLife also has tips on how to plant for the winter.

Dallas Arboretum

Turn Off Your Sprinkler System
You want to turn off your irrigation system for several reasons. One is that you don't want it running on its normal schedule, potentially throwing water on streets where it can freeze and be dangerous for passing cars. Second, you don't want to risk any broken pipes or valves that may come with a system that has not been winterized. To winterize your system, the city of Fort Worth recommends that timers and back-flow devices both be turned off, even if you have freeze or rain sensors installed and that the main line be drained. Any pipes that are above the ground should also be insulated.

HVAC
Many air filters should be changed or cleaned every three months or every season. But that's not the only winterizing needed for your HVAC system. You should check your ductwork regularly for holes (whether from vibration or rodents) to ensure the airflow is uninterrupted. If part of your HVAC is in the attic, it may also be home to rats, mice, and squirrels who find the unit's warmth an ideal spot to build a nest.

Swimming Pools
Even if you have a freeze protector among your pool equipment, you'll want to look at the pump daily to ensure it's moving water through your pipes. Those pipes, too, can burst if they freeze.

Batteries
Having fresh batteries for flashlights during a power outage is always a good idea.  If you didn't replace the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors during daylight saving time -- now is a good time to make the switch. It's also a good idea to ensure your phone is charged so that you'll have access to timely information in the event of a power loss. Having a backup battery or power source to recharge your phone is also a good idea.