Frigid temperatures descended on El Paso this week as the effects of the arctic blast that’s hitting much of the eastern and central United States brought 30-plus mile-an-hour winds throughout the city Tuesday ahead of potential snowfall later in the week.
By Tuesday night, the low temperature in El Paso is forecast at 29 degrees, and gusts up to 39 mph will mean wind chill as cold as 14 degrees early Wednesday morning, according to the National Weather Service.
There’s a small chance of precipitation overnight Tuesday, but the NWS said there’s a 50% chance of snow in El Paso from Wednesday through Thursday night, when snow chances fall to 40%.
El Paso could receive a total of one to two inches of snow by Friday, according to the NWS.
El Paso should see chilly, sunny days across the Borderland from Friday through Monday, according to the NWS.
The NWS issued a winter weather advisory for far West Texas and most of Southern New Mexico because of the cold temperatures and wind chill that forecasters expect early Wednesday.
The Texas Department of Transportation has been treating roads throughout the region this week with a brine mixture to prevent ice from forming.
The cold snap is hitting not just El Paso but all of Texas, and the operator of the power grid that covers most of Texas outside El Paso on Monday issued a “weather watch” through Friday.
The grid operator – called the Electric Reliability Council of Texas – said it issued the alert because of “forecasted cold weather across the ERCOT region, higher electrical demand, and the potential for lower reserves.” But, even though colder temperatures force households to use more electricity for heating, ERCOT said it didn’t expect power outages across Texas this week.
Since a devastating winter storm struck Texas in February 2021 and caused widespread blackouts, ERCOT has sought to communicate more with Texans about potential power shortages. On Tuesday morning, the agency reported ample reserves of electricity.
EPE emphasized it’s on the power grid that covers the Western U.S., a different grid than ERCOT. And the utility said it can keep the lights on by switching its local power plants to run on diesel fuel if natural gas is unavailable. During Winter Storm Uri in early 2021, there wasn’t enough electricity in Texas to go around in part because much of the state’s natural gas delivery infrastructure and pipelines froze.
“We might experience similar weather advisories as the rest of Texas, but here at El Paso Electric, our teams prepare for winter weather during the end of the summer months,” the utility said in a statement. “By winterizing the exposed equipment at our power plants, we limit disruptions and increase reliability.”
Some of EPE’s power plant units likely are not operating because EPE uses the months outside of summer to perform maintenance on its plants so they’re ready to run during the hottest time of the year, when El Pasoans use the most power to stay cool. But EPE said it plans on having enough electricity generation available “to ensure power availability and system reliability” through the incoming cold front.
Area school districts are asking parents and students to check social media and be on the lookout for email or text alerts for any delayed starts or class cancellations, particularly on Wednesday and Thursday.
Here’s what to know to stay safe and warm during the cold snap:
Stay warm at city rec centers, libraries
Residents who need a warm place to stay can go to several city recreation centers and libraries, including the centers at Valle Bajo, 7380 Alameda Ave., Marty Robbins, 11600 Vista Del Sol Drive, Galatzan, 650 Wallenberg Drive, and Nations Tobin, 8831 Railroad Drive.
The centers are open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday and Saturday. They’re closed on Sunday. For more information, call 3-1-1.
Protect your pets
The city of El Paso Animal Services reminds pet owners that if you’re cold, your pets are, too, and you should bring them inside, especially at night. Puppies and older dogs, as well as those with shorter coats, are more vulnerable to the cold.
Consider putting them in pet sweaters or booties if they’re outside even for short periods of time. Pets’ paws, ears and tails are prone to frostbite, so check them for redness, swelling or sensitivity and clean them with a dry towel.
If your dogs are outdoors, they must have access to drinkable water and proper shelter with four walls and a roof and facing away from any drafts. Use a layer of straw or bedding material to help insulate them against the cold.
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El Pasoans build shelters for stray cats ahead of cold weather
As colder weather rolls around, some El Pasoans are helping stray cats stay warm by building them weatherproof shelters.
Cats often hide under car hoods as they look for warmth from the engine. Avoid accidents by tapping on the top of your hood or honking your horn before starting your vehicle. Consider building cat shelters for strays using plastic containers lined with hay.
Some plants, shrubs and trees will need protection from low temperatures. (Courtesy Michael Miller/Texas A&M AgriLife Marketing & Communications)
Protect your plants
To protect your plants from freeze damage, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service experts recommend moving plants in containers inside the home or garage.
If they can’t be moved indoors, place them on the south side of the house, water them well and pile on mulch, leaves or hay to protect the roots. Cover them by draping them with cardboard or cloth material to the ground and securing the cover to trap the warmer air escaping from the soil.
Landscape plants can also be covered with similar protection with cloth material or a tarp.
Watering your plants just before the freeze as water creates warmth, as does stringing holiday lights with larger bulbs over them – but beware not to create a fire hazard.
Protect your pipes
El Paso Water asks customers to protect their outdoor exposed pipes to prevent them from bursting as the freezing temperatures set in.
You should wrap foam insulation or even just a household towel around outdoor water pipes. You can let water drip out of the pipe to prevent freezing, although the utility said that should be a last resort.
Keep an outage kit
While EPE said it doesn’t expect power shortages, some areas of El Paso could experience local outages from snow and freezing temperatures.
EPE said customers should never go near a downed power line. And it urged El Pasoans to prepare an outage kit with a flashlight and a first-aid kit, and also keep cell phones and power banks charged up.
“EPE is always prepared for possible outages caused by extreme weather. Trees or branches could snap due to the weight of ice or snow and fall onto our power lines,” the power company said. “Strong winds can also cause damage to our power lines and poles.”
Track your flights
Despite the chilly winds Tuesday morning, flights at El Paso International Airport weren’t disrupted and were largely on schedule. Flights in and out of the city may be impacted in the coming days, so check weather reports and the airport’s flight tracker regularly.
The post Frigid temps sweep into El Paso: What to expect, how to prepare appeared first on El Paso Matters.
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