Winter weather warning as temperatures plunge at U.S. Mexico border

A winter climate warning was issued on Wednesday morning as a tough freeze encompassed the southern half of Texas, plunging temperatures to sub-freezing ranges as far south because the U.S.-Mexico border.

An arctic blast introduced frigid temperatures, bone-chilling winds and heavy snow to a lot of america over the weekend and early this week. Texans have been warned of the harmful impacts of the frigid temperatures, that are unusual within the area.

The Nationwide Climate Service (NWS) stated that “all of South Texas” was forecast to expertise sub-freezing temperatures as little as 18 levels Fahrenheit on Wednesday morning.

“Frost and freeze circumstances will kill crops, different delicate vegetation and probably injury unprotected outside plumbing,” the warning stated. “Take steps now to guard tender vegetation from the chilly. To forestall freezing and attainable bursting of outside water pipes they need to be wrapped, drained, or allowed to drip slowly. Those who have in-ground sprinkler programs ought to drain them and canopy above-ground pipes to guard them from freezing.”

South central and southeast Texas confronted temperatures as little as 16 levels Fahrenheit. The exhausting freeze warnings have been set to run out mid-Wednesday morning.

A wind chill plummeted the feels-like temperature even additional throughout south-central Texas. The “dangerously chilly wind chills” might be as little as 10 levels Fahrenheit, the NWS stated.

“The dangerously chilly wind chills might end in hypothermia or frostbite if precautions should not taken,” the warning stated. “Keep away from outdoors actions if attainable. When outdoors, be sure you put on acceptable clothes, a hat, and gloves.”

NWS meteorologist Nicholas Worth informed Newsweek that the brutally chilly temperatures will final by not less than the tip of the week.

“Now we have one other entrance that is going to drop temperatures beneath freezing, although not as exhausting of a freeze as we simply skilled,” Worth stated.

The typical January temperature vary for the Corpus Christi area is 48 to 65 levels Fahrenheit. Nevertheless, Worth stated there’s a 30 to 40 p.c likelihood that temperatures might be above regular later this month.

“So, as soon as we get out of this little chilly spell, we must always have the ability to get some extra elevated, above-normal temperatures,” he stated. “Or not less than someplace round common.”

Frigid temperatures plunged different southern U.S. areas into harmful territory as properly. Temperatures have been chilly sufficient to supply snow in Florida on Tuesday morning. Laborious freeze warnings remained in place for the Sunshine State, in addition to for your complete state of Louisiana, the southeast nook of Oklahoma, most of Alabama and Mississippi and the southern elements of Arkansas.