Houston braces for subfreezing start to 2018
Residents in north Houston may need to make their first New Year’s resolutions wrapping up pipes and covering plants as the region braces for near-record cold temperatures to start 2018.
Meteorologists expect temperatures in the Houston area to start dropping Sunday, and by Tuesday morning temperatures could fall into the mid-20s, with wind chills around 14 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. Strong winds could make some conditions even more wintry.
Houston’s record low for New Year’s Day is 18 degrees in 1928. Residents haven’t endured a first day of the year below 28 degrees since 1979.
“It’s going to be cold, and there may be a risk of icing,” said Michael Walter, spokesman for the Houston Office of Emergency Management.
The forecast has officials considering putting crews on high
alert as rain in the early hours of 2018, expected midday Sunday, could linger and freeze when temperatures dip.
Streets and sidewalks could be slick, pipes could burst, and power lines could be downed by ice and wind. Flights in and out of the area also could be affected by unusually low temperatures at the airport.
“Bridge inspectors, deicing and gravel crews and equipment are on standby,” said Alanna Reed, spokeswoman for Houston Public Works.
‘Just in case’
Texas Department of Transportation crews spent Friday pretreating many overpasses should rain and temperatures fall. Despite the treatment, officials were warning drivers to slow down and use caution as many people return to the area from holiday trips.
For homeowners, freezing temperatures can be a time of anxiety when it comes to protecting pipes and plants.
Sheryl Katz, 59, took one of the last days of her Christmas vacation to wrap bushes around her Woodland Heights home and disconnect her garden hoses.
“Just in case,” Katz said, noting she’s used to winter prep from 10 years living in the Midwest before moving to Houston in 1991.
“It never fails that when I do it, nothing happens, and if I don’t, they freeze solid.”
Any plants that can be brought inside should be to avoid frost or freezing.
“For most outdoor things, you want to make sure it is well-watered before,” said Dante Copley, plant buyer for Kingwood Garden Center. “And then after that you want to definitely cover them.”
The coverage is meant to keep frost or freezing water off the plant. Linking it to the ground, Copley said, can help retain some heat from the earth, perhaps saving the plant a few degrees. Copley said some also put Christmas lights below the covering, though it works only with older lights that emit heat. Others layer a fabric cover with plastic sheeting, which also can provide a barrier from rain.
Exposed outdoor pipes or those in areas without exposure to home heaters are the most vulnerable. If the water within the pipe freezes, it expands.
“There is the chance that water pipes will burst and cause extensive damage,” said Mark Hanna with the Insurance Council of Texas.
Got a break? Call 311
Residents can protect pipes by wrapping them in heat tape or other insulation, and draining and storing outdoor hoses. HGTV Magazine also recommends that everyone in the home know how to shut off main water valves, in case of emergency. Ensuring proper insulation beneath homes also can ward off water pipe problems.
In Houston, if people cannot shut off their water or notice a water line break, they need to call 311 immediately, Reed said.
She added that rental properties in the city must meet certain conditions, including having minimum heating standards. Units must be able to “maintain a minimum inside temperature of 70 degrees (measured 3 feet above the floor) when it is 20 degrees outside,” according to city rules.
For those rebuilding from Hurricane Harvey, the cold front might add a few things to their to-do list.
“Make sure everything is wrapped up, especially where it’s exposed,” said Daryl Jenkins, a plumber who works primarily in the Cypress area. “The last thing anybody needs is more problems with water in their house.”
dug.begley@chron.com twitter.com/DugBegley