Once again, Bellaire woke up to a hard freeze warning in effect until noon, as the cold airmass that has gripped most of Texas since Monday continues to dominate the weather pattern.
Later in the day, the hard freeze warning will give way to a winter storm watch extending into Friday.
Travel is expected to become difficult and dangerous later in the day.
The National Weather Service said an upper level storm system approaching from the west will combine with increasing moisture and cold temperatures in the atmosphere to generate a mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain beginning this afternoon.
The precipitation is expected to begin around midday near the coast and spread inward to Bellaire and the greater Houston area by early evening. Commuters are urged to use extreme caution as driving conditions are expected to deteriorate as the day progresses.
The wintry mix is expected to continue through Thursday night before tapering off Friday morning.
“Very light snow and sleet is expected at the onset of the event Thursday across all of Southeast Texas. Thursday night and Friday morning, a mix of sleet and snow is expected to the west of a line from Matagorda to downtown Houston to Rye in Liberty County, with all snow across the northwest half of the area” the National Weather Service said. “East of this line, freezing rain is expected to mix in with the sleet and snow. Over southern Brazoria, southern Galveston, Chambers and southern Liberty counties, mostly ice is expected.”
Accumulations of 1-3 inches are expected, with isolated totals around 4 inches. The best chance of 4-inch accumulations will be across the Piney Woods and Lakes Area of East Texas. In the freezing rain threat area, ice accumulations of one-tenth to one-quarter of an inch are expected.
“Due to evaporative cooling in the very dry airmass, temperatures will run 5 – 7 degrees colder with this event than during the last few winter weather events to impact this area. These colder temperatures will result in a much higher likelihood of roads to become iced over, even with light precipitation amounts,” forecasters said. “This will especially be the case with elevated surfaces like bridges and overpasses.”
Road conditions are expected to deteriorate beginning around sunset this evening.
In addition, power outages will be possible, especially in the freezing rain threat area.
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