HARD FREEZE WATCH IN EFFECT

LIBERTY, January 5, 2009 - AN ARCTIC COLD FRONT WILL RACE THROUGH SOUTHEAST TEXAS LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH EARLY THURSDAY MORNING. EXPECT SLOWLY FALLING TEMPERATURES DURING THE DAY WITH READINGS FALLING BELOW FREEZING UP NORTH DURING THE AFTERNOON AND THEN AREA WIDE DURING THE EVENING. THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY MORNING LOW TEMPERATURES FOR MUCH OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS EXCEPT ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST ARE EXPECTED TO BE AT OR BELOW 25 DEGREES FOR TWO HOURS OR MORE. THESE HARD FREEZE CONDITIONS WILL LIKELY REQUIRE A HARD FREEZE WARNING. SIMILAR TEMPERATURES ARE ANTICIPATED AGAIN ON FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY MORNING AND THEN AGAIN ON SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING FOR MUCH OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS EXPECT ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST.

...HARD FREEZE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HOUSTON/GALVESTON HAS ISSUED A HARD FREEZE WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING.

AN ARCTIC COLD FRONT WILL RACE THROUGH SOUTHEAST TEXAS LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH EARLY THURSDAY MORNING. EXPECT SLOWLY FALLING TEMPERATURES DURING THE DAY WITH READINGS FALLING BELOW FREEZING UP NORTH DURING THE AFTERNOON AND THEN AREA WIDE DURING THE EVENING. THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY MORNING LOW TEMPERATURES FOR MUCH OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS EXCEPT ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST ARE EXPECTED TO BE AT OR BELOW 25 DEGREES FOR TWO HOURS OR MORE. THESE HARD FREEZE CONDITIONS WILL LIKELY REQUIRE A HARD FREEZE WARNING. SIMILAR TEMPERATURES ARE ANTICIPATED AGAIN ON FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY MORNING AND THEN AGAIN ON SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING FOR MUCH OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS EXPECT ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST.

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 WATCH MEANS SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE POSSIBLE. 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.