Houston Weather: Winter Storm Warning, Timeline, When Will It Start Snowing

HOUSTON – A winter storm will bring snow to Houston, along with a threat of ice and slick roads Tuesday and early Wednesday.

A winter storm warning is in effect from Monday at 18.00 to Tuesday at 18.00.

When does it start snowing in Houston?

Timeline:

Light cold drizzle, light sleet or freezing rain can start as early as 10pm on Monday.

Snow is expected in the entire area between midnight and around 9 Tuesday.

If we can keep as many people off the roads as possible Tuesday and Wednesday, the snow will be a lot of fun, especially since some areas could see 4” or more.

Unfortunately, the snow comes with very cold air. Highs today will only top out near 40 with lows Tuesday in the upper 20s.

Hard freeze Tuesday night

After an amazingly snowy Tuesday morning, attention will turn to the hard freeze Tuesday night as lows drop into the low 20s and even some upper teens.

Big picture:

This means that any moisture on the roadways will freeze, so travel will be treacherous for the first half of Wednesday.

When will Houston heat up again?

What’s next:

Sunshine should help warm our afternoons every day from Thursday through the weekend.

Icy road conditions in Houston

While roads are being pretreated, officials warn that travel should still be avoided and that roads should not be considered safe.

Houston Mayor John Whitmire is asking people to get food supplies and water by Monday night and asking employers to keep non-essential workers at home.

What they say:

“We are doing everything we can as a city to prepare for this winter storm. We will be here to keep you safe and respond to emergencies, but we need your help,” said Mayor Whitmire. “Please limit your activities and stay home if you can. We do not want you to risk your life or endanger the safety of our police officers and firefighters to rescue you when you could have stayed home. Our first responders must remain focused on critical incidents as conditions worsen.”

Houston airports closed Tuesday

What we know:

Both airports announced they will “temporarily suspend operations” on Tuesday due to the weather.

The suspension is scheduled to begin at midnight Tuesday.

What we don’t know:

At present, we do not know when operations will be able to resume at the airports. Airport officials say they will monitor conditions Tuesday to see if they will reopen Wednesday.

Dig deeper:

Hobby, Bush airports close Tuesday

School closings for winter storm

Dozens of schools are closed Tuesday because of the winter storm. These include Houston ISD, Humble ISD, Katy ISD, Spring ISD and more.

Dig deeper:

Click here to see the full list.

Weather in Houston