Winter Storm Watch Issued For Lufkin, Nacogdoches For Potential Ice Event

A WINTER STORM WATCH has been issued for all of north and northeast Texas, as well as several counties across central and Deep East Texas. This watch goes into effect on Friday morning at 6 and will continue until 6 am on Sunday.

Angelina, Nacogdoches, Sabine, Shelby, San Augustine, Rusk, and Cherokee Counties are included in the watch area. The National Weather Service is warning that moderate to heavy ice accumulations are possible throughout the watch area. This could lead to significant damage to trees and widespread power outages.

The Latest From the NWS as of 3 pm on January 20

• Timing: The leading edge of the Arctic front is forecast to push across the Pineywoods on Friday afternoon. Precipitation chances will increase to about 60% by Friday afternoon, and then rise to around 80% for much of Saturday.
• Frigid Temperatures: The temperature should drop to near 32 degrees before sunrise on Saturday. Temps will continue to slowly fall into the 20s during the day on Saturday and into the teens by Saturday night. Much of East Texas will stay below 32 degrees from early Saturday through early Monday afternoon.
• Wintry Mix Threat: Periods of freezing rain or sleet may start late Friday night across the Pineywoods. The threat for the most accumulation will take place throughout the day on Saturday. The official forecast from the NWS forecasts total accumulations of between .25 and .50, although isolated higher accumulations are possible. Numerous power outages can occur with just .25 inch of accumulated ice.
• Wind: Northerly winds could gust as high as 20 mph on Saturday. That will lower wind chill readings to the teens and single digits, but those winds represent an added threat. The stronger the winds, the more widespread the power outages, thanks to limbs snapping onto power lines. Take a look at the Sperry-Piltz Ice Accumulation Index for a chart on the danger of windy conditions and ice.

The Changing Weather Forecast

It's a pretty good bet that the forecast will ebb and flow before the cold front hits East Texas. In fact, it changed a little today, unfortunately for the worse, as expected temperatures for Saturday were lowered. Let's pray that a few small changes may raise our expected temps and/or decrease our precipitation probability.

Avoid Driving, But...

You should consider delaying all travel during this time period. If travel is necessary, drive with extreme caution. Consider taking a winter storm kit with you, including items such as booster cables, a flashlight, a shovel, blankets, and extra clothing. Also, take water, a first aid kit, and any other essentials that could help you survive in case you become stranded.