El Paso Braces for Rain, Sleet, and Snow as Arctic Air Moves In

Well, it was nice while it lasted. I’m talking about the 60/70 degree temperatures El Paso was experiencing these past few months. Those temperatures are expected to drop the next few days, and some rain and snow is also possible as Texas braces for a major winter storm this weekend.

Yup, Texas is officially on winter storm watch, and no, this is not a drill. While folks up north are still digging out from crazy snow storms, a new storm is gearing up to sweep across the South this weekend and Texas is going to be right in the middle of that path.

Forecasters are calling this a potentially catastrophic winter storm stretching from Texas all the way to the Carolinas, with ice being the biggest concern. Experts warn that even half an inch of ice could be enough to snap tree branches, knock out power lines, and turn roads into skating rinks nobody asked for. *Cries in Spanish* 

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El Paso, Prepare For Major Weather Changes This Weekend

So what does that mean for Texas, and specifically El Paso? The National Weather Service says this storm is still developing, and there’s uncertainty about exactly who gets what, but Texas could be the first state to get hit with the worst weather. El Pasoans should keep an eye on the forecast, plan ahead, and maybe locate that jacket you swore you didn’t need in the desert. 

 

 

 

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Here’s how this Texas winter storm plays out locally:

Thursday: Mother Nature is tricky. According to the National Weather Service, the day starts mostly sunny and could even flirt with 70 degrees thanks to southwest winds. But don’t enjoy this too much because Friday will change everything!

Friday: Reality hits. Much colder air moves into the Borderland. Expect cloudy skies, scattered rain, and chilly east to northeast winds gusting up to 30 mph. High near 56.

Saturday: The coldest and messiest day. Overcast skies, a high of just 46, and periods of rain mixed with sleet throughout the day. Roads could get slick, especially late.

Late Saturday night into Sunday morning: Rain and sleet may switch to light snow around midnight. Accumulations should be light, but the mountains are expected to get a light dusting of snow. Sunday’s high? A chilly 40.

Monday: Skies clear, but the cold sticks around. Morning temps could drop to 15–20 degrees, with a sunny but cool high near 49.

Bottom line: Enjoy Thursday, drive carefully this weekend, or else you’ll end up on FitFam!