Temperatures turned dangerously cold on Sunday and are expected to continue through Thursday, ending the cold stretch with a potential wintery mix of rain and snow falling Thursday night.
ERCOT has issued a Weather Watch from January 6 to the 10th as the cold prompts higher electrical demand, and the potential for lower reserves. Though there is no electrical emergency and grid conditions are normal at this time, ERCOT says they will be monitoring and "will deploy all available tools to manage the grid, continuing a reliability-first approach to operations,"
In preparation for the weather, Texas Department of Transportation crews are getting prepared and planning to put out brine on Monday.
Val Lopez with the Texas Department of Transportation says crews will spray the brine, let it dry, and then be on continuous duty if they need to put out more, depending on what the weather does.
When it comes to what drivers should be on the lookout for, Lopez says that elevated surfaces will cause problems on the road.
“It’s those elevated surfaces that freeze over first and accumulate ice quicker, and that’s what the focus of our treatment and pre-treatment is going to be during this winter weather,” Lopez said.
No matter where you may be driving over the next few days, Dr. Paul Pepe, the medical director of Dallas County Emergency Medical Services, says be prepared.
“Don’t trust that you’re gonna be in the car and just take a short ride to the store or wherever you’re going, anything could happen anytime,” Pepe said.
Pepe says to toss in some extra warm clothes when going through your car’s emergency kit, as it could save your life.
“Be prepared that you might be out there, and make sure you’re taking long clothing or garments or even blankets that you might be able to have while you’re out there,” Pepe said.
The average time for roadside assistance in DFW is 47 minutes. So make sure to bring a scarf and a hat as you lose the most body heat from your head and neck.