The National Weather Service (NWS) issues a winter weather advisory and an extreme cold warning for Fort Worth and parts of North Texas. (Photo courtesy NWS Fort Worth).
Fort Worth is bracing for a 30-degree drop in temperature from a high of 49 degrees to a low of 19 degrees in an extreme cold warning this week.
“When temperatures get that cold, lives are at risk,” Governor Greg Abbott said in a press conference Monday. “People need to be very cautious here in the coming days as temperatures plummet.”
A chance of rain on Tuesday evening could result in ice cumulations overnight and into Wednesday. Ice is more likely to form on elevated surfaces like bridges and overpasses.
The Texas Division of Emergency Management is increasing its readiness and the Texas Department of Transportation, or TXDOT, pretreated roadways with more than 400,000 gallons of brine, Abbott said.
Winter storms create a higher risk of car accidents, hypothermia and frostbite. The Fort Worth Weather Service is advising people to avoid travel on Tuesday evening.
The City of Fort Worth is also preparing for the freeze. Mary Gugliuzza, media relations and communications director of the Fort Worth Utilities department, said while the damage to pipes is common during cold weather, the effects will alter the pipes days after the cold storm.
Gugliuzza said up to 10 pipes a day can bust locally during storms and after. Fort Worth had pipe issues in early January, but the city is preparing well for winter storms, Gugliuzza said.
She also said there is an increase in water usage in Fort Worth during winter storms because of pipe drips.
People are advised to drip their pipes, bring animals indoors and dress warm.
On Wednesday, the high will be 29 degrees with a low of 14. Thursday the high will be 31 and the low is 21.
A sub-zero wind chill is also expected. The coldest wind chills are between 6 a.m. on Wednesday and 6 a.m. on Thursday.
The TCU Office of Emergency Management generally announces a snow day by 4 p.m. the day prior. Any announcements from the Office of Emergency Management about TCU’s preparations can be found on their website and in students’ TCU email.