Get out the gloves, scarves, beanies and heavy coats because some very cold air is arriving in the Rio Grande Valley on Thursday and will continue for a few days.
And although some freezing conditions could occur Thursday night into Friday morning, it will be nothing like the RGV experienced during the February 2021 winter freeze.
A winter storm watch has been issued for portions of Starr, Hidalgo and Willacy counties from 12 a.m. to noon on Friday. A wind chill watch has been issued for these same areas that will be in effect from Thursday evening into Friday morning. A freeze warning will also be in effect for these areas from 10 p.m. Thursday through 10 a.m. Friday.
Thursday’s temperatures will feel like they are in the mid-30s during the afternoon and around 30 degrees by sunset, said Barry Goldsmith, warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Brownsville/Rio Grande Valley.
A wintry precipitation of ice, freezing rain and sleet is expected to develop in northern Hidalgo and inland Willacy counties late Thursday evening through mid Friday morning. In addition, wintry precipitation could extend to the rest of the Valley from 3 a.m. to 9 a.m. Friday.
The “feels like” temperatures late Thursday night into early Friday morning could be around 20 to 25 degrees. Although the temperature will be around 40 degrees on Friday, it will feel like it is in the upper 20s to 30 degrees.
The wind chill from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. on Friday will make it feel like it’s 27 degrees in McAllen, 26 degrees in Rio Grande City, 24 degrees in both Harlingen and Brownsville, and 22 in Raymondville. The actual temperatures will be between 35 and 33 degrees.
The Texas Department of Transportation is already preparing for the potential of icy roads. TxDOT crews are already pretreating road and highways in its Pharr District that covers the Valley.
TxDOT officials said pretreating roads with a brine solution helps prevent ice from sticking to the pavement. Work teams and trucks will then be placed on standby, to respond to ice situations, as the need arises.
Goldsmith said people, pets, and plants should be prepared to take protection from the cold temperatures during the daytime on Thursday and continue Thursday night into Friday.
He said motorists planning to travel on elevated roads or bridges Thursday evening to Friday morning should postpone until later in the day because of possible icy conditions on the roads.
Although minor power outages are likely to occur due to heavy use of heating and some stress on the power grid, Goldsmith again stressed it will not be a repeat of February 2021.
Motorists traveling on State Highway 4 from Brownsville to Port Isabel are urged to be on the lookout for the Brown pelicans that may end up on the roadway downed by strong winds.
