Rio Grande Valley residents awoke Friday morning to “feels like” temperatures between 20 and 30 degrees.
An arctic blast of cold air from Canada made its way through the Valley on Thursday dropping temperatures some 30 to 35 degrees.
It’s described as the coldest period so far of the 2021/2022 winter.
The cold weather had Texas Department of Transportation employees preparing the highways for possible icy conditions, electrical power companies making preparations in anticipation of the demands the weather event will have on their infrastructures and schools starting delay of classes by at least one hour.
A winter storm warning remains in effect until Friday morning for the majority of the Valley except for portions of coastal Willacy and Cameron counties. A wind chill advisory remains in effect until noon on Friday for the entire Valley, the National Weather Service in Brownsville/Rio Grande Valley reported. A freeze warning also remains in effect until 10 a.m. Friday.
The NWS reports freezing rain and sleet are possible along with very cold wind chills. Some icing is expected and total ice accumulations of a light glaze are anticipated. Bridges, overpasses and flyovers could be impacted by minor sleet and/or ice accumulations.
Barry Goldsmith, warning coordination meteorologist for the NWS, stressed that Friday’s freeze will not be the same as the Valley experienced in February 2021.
A winter storm warning means significant amounts of ice are expected that will make travel very hazardous or impossible.
A wind chill advisory means that cold air and the wind will combine to create low wind chills. The NWS reports frost bite and hypothermia can occur if precautions are not taken.
A freeze warning means that subfreezing temperatures as low as 30 degrees are anticipated.
The coldest wind chills on Friday will be felt near the coast that will be dealing with stronger winds. From 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. Friday, a wind chill or “feels like” of 21 degrees will be felt in Brownsville, Harlingen and San Manuel. McAllen will experience a wind chill of 22 degrees and Rio Grande City will have a wind chill of 24 degrees. At noon, the wind chill will be 24 degrees in Brownsville and Harlingen and a wind chill of 27 degrees will be felt in McAllen and 28 degrees in Rio Grande City.
The actual daytime temperatures on Friday will be between 38 to 41 degrees across the Valley. “The cold temperatures continuing all the way through noon, with the actual temperatures struggling to rise out of the upper 30s to the low 40s,” Goldsmith said.
There’s a 90% chance of wintry mix in Brownsville that will later change to an 80% chance of rain in Brownsville on Friday. There’s a 90% chance of a wintry mix in McAllen that will later change to a 30% chance of showers. In Harlingen, there’s a 90% chance of a wintry mix that will later change to a 40% chance of rain.
And while the rain chances will start to diminish — though rain is still in the forecast — the cold temperatures will stick around. Friday night lows will be in the mid to upper 30s, and the highs on Saturday will be in the upper 50s.
Goldsmith said minor power outages could occur mainly due to the use of heating and some stress on power grids, but possibly from power line icing along/north of IH-2. “Regardless of what we see with power outages, it will not, not, not be a repeat of February 2021.”
People, pets, and plants should be prepared to be protected from the cold up to Saturday.
Because of the cold conditions, staff at Sea Turtle Inc. is monitoring the weather for a possible sea turtle stunning event.
“We are closely monitoring the weather forecast for Friday and Saturday for a possible sea turtle cold stunning event. Sudden drops in air and water temperature can cause sea turtles to hypothermic shock. We call this condition ‘cold-stunning,’” Sea Turtle Inc. wrote on its Facebook page.
Officials said when water temperatures drop below about 50 degrees, sea turtles become lethargic and are unable to swim.
Sea Turtle Inc. is advising the public to call its 24/7 emergency sea turtle-stranding number at (956) 243-4361 if they see a sea turtle floating or washed ashore on South Padre Island or Boca Chica Beach.
A major sea turtle cold stunning event occurred in February 2021 during the winter freeze which left thousands of Atlantic green sea turtles and Kemp’s ridley sea turtles suffering from cold stun.
The Brownsville Police Department reminds motorists not only in Brownsville but across the Valley that if roads are blocked due to the weather to “please find another way to go to your destination. Do not remove barricades and please do not attempt to go through barricades.”
Authorities also want to remind the public that some roads may experience icing, especially the overpass. “If you do not have to go out and drive please stay in, if you have to go out please drive safely.”
