The National Weather Service in Fort Worth issued a winter storm warning for the area ahead of the arctic cold front that is expected to hit North and Central Texas by midweek.
The watch is in effect from 6 p.m. Wednesday to 6 p.m. Thursday, the weather service said.
North Texas will likely experience freezing rain and sleet late Wednesday into early Thursday, and snow is possible Thursday afternoon, according to KXAS-TV (NBC5).
UPDATE: A Winter Storm Watch has been issued for portions of North & Central Texas, in effect Wednesday evening through Thursday afternoon. Take actions now to be prepared BEFORE impacts arrive! Be sure to stay up to date with the latest forecast! #dfwwx #ctxwx #txwx pic.twitter.com/tYvV5iAQ4J
— NWS Fort Worth (@NWSFortWorth) January 31, 2022
There are three different kinds of winter weather-related announcements issued by the weather service.
A winter weather advisory is the lowest level, and it is issued when wintry weather is possible but will not cause hazardous conditions. People should be careful while traveling during an advisory.
A winter storm watch is issued when the weather service has 50% to 80% confidence that the criteria of a winter storm warning will be met. They are typically issued 36 to 48 hours before the onset of significant weather so people can prepare for snow, sleet or ice that may come from a storm.
A winter storm warning is issued when significant weather such as snow, ice, sleet or a combination of these is highly expected, according to the weather service. Travel is almost always difficult during a warning, the weather service said.
In North Texas, significant snowfall, ice or freezing rain can trigger a winter storm warning, according to the weather service’s Dallas-Fort Worth office.
During a winter storm watch, icy roads and bridges are likely, making travel during a winter storm hazardous, the weather service said. Ice is also likely to accumulate on power lines and tree branches, which could cause outages.
Arctic air is expected to arrive in the area Wednesday, and temperatures will likely not rise above freezing Thursday, the weather service said.
The weather service encouraged people to prepare a supply kit for their homes and to winterize cars and homes.
While temperatures are expected to dip this week, the weather service said the storm will not be like last year’s winter storm, which caused a failure in the state’s electrical grid and days-long power outages across Texas.
This week, freezing temperatures will last about 48 hours, unlike last year’s 139-hour freeze.
