Houston winter storm: What to do ahead of weekend freeze

HOUSTON - As a winter storm bears down on Houston this weekend, it’s important to protect the four P’s: Pipes, Pets, Plants, and People. 

Here’s how to prepare before freezing weather and potential ice arrive.

Pipes:

• Allow a faucet to drip continuously during freezing temperatures to prevent pipes from freezing.
• Open the cabinets under your kitchen and bathroom sinks to let warm air circulate around the pipes.
• Know where your shut-off valves are in case of a pipe burst.
• Protect outdoor pipes with pipe insulation. If you’re in a pinch, wrap outdoor faucets with rags, towels, or newspaper for temporary insulation.
• Keep your pool pump running.
• If you’re leaving town, shut off and drain your water system to avoid burst pipes, and leave your heater on a low setting.

Pro tip: A small, steady drip is enough to keep water circulating and prevent freezing.

Pets:

• Ensure outdoor pets have access to unfrozen water and extra food, as they use more energy to stay warm.
• Provide insulated, elevated shelters for outdoor animals.
• Beep your car horn or make loud noises before starting your engine to scare off cats or other animals that may be seeking warmth near the engine.
• Consider dressing short-haired dogs in sweaters during walks to keep them warm. If your pet shows signs of discomfort, like burrowing or refusing to move, bring them inside. That's them trying to tell you that they're cold.

Plants

What they're saying:

Dave Forehand is a gardening expert with the Dallas Arboretum and has been preparing the vegetation around the garden.

"We had plenty of predictions about this cold, so we had time to get ready. Planting all the bulbs for spring, took a break from that to start covering all the plants," he said.

With days of below-freezing temperatures still in the forecast, he says it’s not too late to protect your plants.

"At home, you can use anything: blankets, towels," he said. "If you use plastic, it will trap the condensation and damage the plants."

If snow does come, Forehand says it will actually be good for your garden.

"Snow is a great insulator. It will not hurt things and will insulate and keep them protected," he said. "Keep things covered, and it will be nice and cozy underneath."

• Bring small plants indoors, especially succulents. Cover outdoor plants with blankets or cardboard for insulation.
• Add mulch to protect the roots of trees and shrubs.
• Move larger potted plants closer to your home for added warmth.
• Turn off automatic sprinklers and detach hoses from outdoor faucets.
• If plants look wilted or weak after a freeze, don’t worry—they will most likely recover as temperatures warm.

Houston winter storm forecast

The greatest concern is the overlap of moisture and freezing temperatures late Saturday into Sunday, which could lead to freezing rain or sleet, especially north of Houston.

Forecast guidance continues to differ on how quickly freezing air arrives, making confidence in precipitation type and coverage lower than we'd like as of Thursday morning's models.

Regardless of winter precipitation, very cold air is expected, with the coldest conditions anticipated Sunday night into Monday morning, when hard freezes and dangerous wind chills are most likely.

Lows could drop into the teens and low 20s with wind chills potentially in the 5-15 degree range.

Dig deeper:

Click here for the latest forecast.