Large parts of Central Texas experienced a Winter Storm Warning earlier this week with rain and freezing temperatures in the forecast.
The warning went into effect the morning of Monday, Jan. 30, and lasted through 6 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 2. Temperatures dipped just below freezing throughout the three-day span with precipitation in the form of a wintry mix of snow, sleet and rain.
The combination of freezing temperatures and steady precipitation led numerous local and state agencies to issue warnings.
“Be prepared for winter weather: there is a possibility for icy road conditions, freezing temps and power outages over the next few days,” the official Hays County Facebook page posted. “Don’t forget the 4Ps [ — people, pets, pipes, plants]!”
Because of the terrain across Hays County, a wide range of ice accumulation was expected, according to National Weather Service Meteorologist Brandon Gale.
“Far western parts of Hays County have the higher elevation, we could see up to three-quarters of an inch of ice accumulation through Wednesday,” Gale said. “But closer to the I-35 corridor, we’re looking more at the tenth of an inch to maybe quarter of an inch range.”
School districts across the area closed for the winter weather (including Wimberley ISD), canceling after- school activities on Monday and all classes and activities on Tuesday and Wednesday.
On Monday evening, Governor Greg Abbott directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to increase the readiness level of the State Operations Center to Level II (Escalated Response) as winter weather impacted large portions of Texas.
“The State of Texas is working tirelessly to ensure Texans and their communities have the resources, assistance, and support needed to respond to winter weather impacts across the state,” said Governor Abbott. “As we mobilize the resources Texans need to stay safe, I encourage everyone to remain weather-aware, check DriveTexas.org before traveling, and heed the guidance from local officials. I want to thank all the first responders and emergency management personnel helping Texas communities prepare and stay safe during this severe weather.”
