WARNING - Winter Ice Storm Approaching - Jan. 23-26
1/21/2026
WARNING - Winter Ice Storm Approaching - Jan. 23-26
Just in from Channel 13 News:
At this time the expectation is for more freezing rain and sleet than snow. So while the power generation facilities may hold up better than in 2021, the local power distribution infrastructure is more at risk of failing due to ice weighing on the powerlines and tree branches, causing them to sag and even snap.
All it takes is a quarter inch of ice, and the outlook is for much of Texas to exceed that threshold.
Locally, we are still uncertain on where the freeze line will be when the precipitation is falling, so it's possible parts of Houston down to the Gulf coast only get a cold rain that never freezes, but that is our best case scenario at this time. The worst case scenario is the freeze line gets down to the Gulf coast early on Saturday and we see significant icing over all of Southeast Texas leading to widespread travel and power disruptions.
I think we'll gain more clarity on the freeze line situation as the day progress tomorrow.
Full forecast for Houston and Southeast Texas: abc13.com/forecast
Be sure to protect your plants, pets, livestock and people you know who maybe vulnerable to the elements.