Could it snow in Houston this weekend? Arctic blast to plunge temperatures
Ice, sleet possible in Houston as arctic air plunges temps across U.S.
Arctic air is set to plunge temperatures across the country. Impacts on Houston will be felt this weekend with cold rain and possible ice pellets, freezing rain or areas of wet snow.
HOUSTON - Arctic air is set to plunge temperatures across the country, and impacts on Houston will be felt this weekend with cold rain and possible ice pellets, freezing rain or areas of wet snow.
Arctic blast envelops U.S.
Big picture view:
We are certain that a major pattern shift is underway as a powerful upper-level low dives south out of the Hudson Bay in Canada. This will send an Arctic cold front across the U.S. and toward the Gulf Coast by early Saturday.
We know that moisture will not be lacking. Southerly flow ahead of the front will prime the atmosphere for widespread precipitation.
Houston impacts
Local perspective:
We are confident that temperatures will plummet. Models already suggest that Saturday’s highs could struggle to leave 40s, with a widespread freeze likely for much of the Houston area Saturday and Sunday night.
What we don't know:
While the arrival of the cold is a sure bet, the exact timing of the transition from rain to a wintry mix is still a major question mark.
We are also still evaluating the vertical temperature profile of the atmosphere; a difference of just a couple of degrees will determine if we see cold rain, sleet, or freezing rain.
While our best models are starting to lean into a wintry scenario, we cannot yet pinpoint specific accumulation amounts or which exact neighborhoods will see the highest impacts. We’ll be watching the model trends closely as we get closer to the weekend.
Weather roller coaster this week
Timeline:
After Monday’s cool but pleasant conditions, temperatures trend warmer through midweek ahead of the next frontal system.
That front brings increasing clouds and rain chances before another push of colder air arrives late in the week.
The result will be up-and-down temperature swings, shifting from mild back to winter-like in a short time span.
In Houston "roller coaster" fashion, temperatures could swing from the low 70s Thursday to potential ice Saturday night and Sunday morning.
Rain chances return:
The highest chances for rain will be Wednesday, then again, this weekend.
Across Texas
Big picture view:
Anyone who has travel plans in Texas this week should pay close attention to the forecast as the winter storm impacts could be widespread.
While specifics on rain, snow, sleet and freezing rain are limited at this time, the dramatic drop in temperatures is much more certain.
Wintry weather could be seen across a large swath of Texas, as temperatures go from about 15 degrees above average for some places to as much as 30 degrees below average in the span of a day.
Bottom line for Texans, keep tabs on the weather forecast as details come into focus.
Focus on power
In light of the upcoming weather, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) says they're ready for the approaching winter storm.
On Monday afternoon, ERCOT issued an "Operating Condition Notice" saying: "ERCOT is issuing an OCN for an extreme cold weather system approaching the ERCOT Region late this week with temperatures anticipated to remain below freezing and the possibility of precipitation Saturday January 24, 2026, and Sunday, January 25, 2026."
An Operating Condition Notice, according to ERCOT's Emergency Conditions, is "The first of four levels of communication issued by ERCOT in anticipation of a possible emergency condition."
The Source: The information in this article comes from the FOX 26 weather team.