HARD FREEZE WARNING NOW IN EFFECT

LIBERTY, January 6, 2010 - AN ARCTIC COLD FRONT WILL RACE THROUGH SOUTHEAST TEXAS EARLY THURSDAY MORNING. HIGH TEMPERATURES ON THURSDAY WILL OCCUR AROUND SUNRISE...WITH TEMPERATURES FALLING TO NEAR FREEZING BY SUNSET. LOW TEMPERATURES ON FRIDAY MORNING WILL FALL INTO THE UPPER TEENS NORTH OF A BRYAN TO CROCKETT LINE...LOWER TO MIDDLE 20S NORTH OF AN EDNA TO HOUSTON LINE AND UPPER 20S ALONG THE COAST. STRONG WINDS WILL PRODUCE WIND CHILL VALUES BETWEEN 5 AND 15 DEGREES EARLY FRIDAY.

...HARD FREEZE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THURSDAY TO 9 AM CST SUNDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HOUSTON/GALVESTON HAS ISSUED A HARD FREEZE WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THURSDAY TO 9 AM CST SUNDAY. THE HARD FREEZE WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

AN ARCTIC COLD FRONT WILL RACE THROUGH SOUTHEAST TEXAS EARLY THURSDAY MORNING. HIGH TEMPERATURES ON THURSDAY WILL OCCUR AROUND SUNRISE...WITH TEMPERATURES FALLING TO NEAR FREEZING BY SUNSET. LOW TEMPERATURES ON FRIDAY MORNING WILL FALL INTO THE UPPER TEENS NORTH OF A BRYAN TO CROCKETT LINE...LOWER TO MIDDLE 20S NORTH OF AN EDNA TO HOUSTON LINE AND UPPER 20S ALONG THE COAST. STRONG WINDS WILL PRODUCE WIND CHILL VALUES BETWEEN 5 AND 15 DEGREES EARLY FRIDAY.

ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE WILL SETTLE OVER THE SOUTHERN PLAINS OVER THE WEEKEND. COLD AIR WILL REMAIN ENTRENCHED OVER ALL OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS. HIGH TEMPERATURES ON FRIDAY WILL PROBABLY FAIL TO REACH 32 DEGREES DUE TO EXTENSIVE CLOUD COVER. HIGH TEMPERATURES ON SATURDAY WILL PROBABLY WARM INTO THE MID 30S DURING THE AFTERNOON. OVERNIGHT LOW TEMPERATURES WILL FALL INTO THE TEENS NORTH OF A COLUMBUS TO HOUSTON TO CLEVELAND LINE AND IN THE LOWER 20S SOUTH OF THIS LINE. EVEN THE IMMEDIATE COAST WILL ENDURE TEMPERATURES IN THE UPPER 20S. SOME PARTS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS WILL LIKELY ENDURE 48 TO 60 CONSECUTIVE HOURS OF SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES.

FURTHER DETAILS ON THE DURATION OF FREEZING TEMPERATURES WILL BE PROVIDED AS THE EVENT NEARS AND THE MAGNITUDE OF THE EVENT BECOMES MORE CLEAR.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A HARD FREEZE WARNING MEANS SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE LIKELY. RESIDENTS SHOULD PREPARE FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF FREEZING TEMPERATURES FROM LATE THURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING. THESE CONDITIONS COULD KILL CROPS AND OTHER SENSITIVE VEGETATION. SENSITIVE PLANTS AND ANIMALS WILL REQUIRE PROTECTION. A HARD FREEZE CAN CAUSE DAMAGE TO EXPOSED PIPES. BEGIN MAKING PLANS FOR FOLKS THAT MIGHT NEED A LITTLE EXTRA HELP...ESPECIALLY THE ELDERLY AND THE VERY YOUNG. EXTRA PROTECTIVE CLOTHING WILL BE NEEDED FOR ANYONE EXPECTED TO BE OUTDOORS AT THESE TIMES.