Dangerously Cold in North Texas

A brutally bitter blast of cold air pushed into North Texas Thursday morning bringing dangerously cold air and some of the lowest wind chill temperatures we've seen since February 2021.

The Wind Chill Advisory expired at noon Friday for all of North Texas.

A Hard Freeze Warning expired at 9 a.m. Friday for all of North Texas.

There were even a few snow flurries spotted Thursday in both Dallas and Fort Worth.

The strong Arctic cold front brings not only the coldest temperatures of the season but the coldest weather to arrive in December since 1990.

"You should get ready now for temperatures below freezing for about 60-70 hours. Please prepare your home, vehicles and pets for this arctic outbreak," said NBC 5 Chief Meteorologist Rick Mitchell. "This will be cold enough air that you will need to drip your faucets Thursday night through Saturday morning. Temperatures may briefly rise above freezing Saturday afternoon, but they will quickly fall below freezing Saturday night."

Howling north winds accompanied the front, adding to the chill as temperatures plummeted on Thursday. Afternoon temperatures were only in the 20s across North Texas.

With the added gusty winds, the feels-like temperatures are frigid. Make sure any outdoor holiday decorations are secured. Gusts of over 40 mph were common Thursday, but wind speeds will gradually decrease on Friday to around 10-20 mph. Weekend winds will be 10 mph or less.

Temperatures will remain below freezing until Saturday afternoon. Santa will feel right at home with many locations across North Texas feeling more like the North Pole. High temperatures will only climb into the low 30s on Christmas Eve.

BITTER COLD YES, BUT THIS ISN'T A REPEAT OF FEBRUARY 2021

While this is a potentially dangerous winter storm with temperatures well below freezing, it's not shaping up to be a repeat of the prolonged cold we saw in February 2021.

By comparison, this event will have sub-freezing temperatures for only about two days. In February 2021, it was below freezing for more than five days.

In February 2021 there were several inches of snow blanketed North Texas. For this event, only a few flurries are expected.

This event is not expected to be an ice event, which contributed to power outages in February 2021. Wind and cold are the primary threats in this event.

Forecast Nov 17

NBC 5 Forecast: Chilly morning and plentiful sunshine to end the week

ERCOT Dec 16, 2022

Texas Power Grid Is Ready for Upcoming Arctic Cold Front: ERCOT

ERCOT SAYS THEY'RE READY FOR ARCTIC STORM

The operator of the Texas power grid expects to have enough power supplies to meet electricity demand as a surge of Arctic air plunges the state into freezing temperatures next week.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas said Friday that it is monitoring weather forecasts and "expects sufficient generation to meet forecasted demand."

If you haven't already or are planning to travel this week, take advantage of the next few days to winterize your home. Tips are below.

TEXAS WINTERIZING TIPS

Winterizing Your Home
Before the cold, replace worn weatherstripping on doors and windows to ensure there is 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 make sure they are clear and allow for 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 Public Safety 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, are any other exposed pipes outdoors, they'll need insulation. About those 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 attaches to the faucet bib in just a few seconds and do a great job protecting the pipe from freezing. If you do 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'd be 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.

Turn Off Your Sprinkler System
You want to turn off your irrigation system for a number of 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 timers and back-flow devices both be turned off, even if you have freeze or rain sensors installed and that the main line is drained. Any pipes that are above the ground should also be insulated.

Protecting Your Plants
Perennial potted plants should be brought inside and those that cannot be brought inside will need to be covered. There are several products that can be used to help protect delicate plants. For plants left outside, a day or two before a freeze hits, the Dallas Arboretum recommends watering the soil only by hand only, keeping the foliage dry, to insulate the plant's roots. The arboretum also recommends using frost cloth (image below) to trap heat instead of plastic sheeting -- which doesn't prevent condensation.

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 have your ductwork checked regularly for holes (whether from vibration or rodents) to make sure 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 warmth of the unit 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 every day to make sure it's moving water through your pipes. Those pipes, too, can burst if they freeze. Some pool owners drain their equipment in the offseason to prevent busted pipes.

Batteries
It's always a good idea to on hand a supply of fresh batteries in the event they're needed for flashlights during a power outage.  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.

Winter Weather Fast Facts
According to the National Weather Service, in North Texas, from 1898 to 2022, the average date of the first freeze is Nov. 22. The earliest freeze on record is Oct. 22, 1898, and the latest is a tie for April 13, 1997, and April 13, 1957. From 1991-2020, North Texas averaged 29 freeze days between October and April. Most freeze days occur in January followed by December and February.