Dallas weather: Extreme Cold Warning in effect until Thursday, freezing rain possible
DALLAS - Temperatures have fallen quickly as the coldest air of the season moves into North Texas.
An Extreme Cold Warning has been issued for North Texas from 9 p.m. Tuesday through 9 p.m. Thursday, with wind chills expected to drop temperatures at or below zero.
Tuesday Forecast: Mild start, ice may form late
Timeline:
Temperatures will be mild in the morning with temperatures in the 40s to near 50s.
We will see some light rain and drizzle as we get lift ahead of the Arctic front.
Once the front moves through, it will get cold fast.
Areas west of I-35W will see the temperatures drop before noon.
That will be at the time that we expect to see light right, meaning there could be some ice.
In the DFW area, Fort Worth should drop below freezing around 5 to 6 p.m. In Dallas, it may take until 6 tp 7 p.m.
There is about 2 to 3 hours after we drop below freezing that light rain or drizzle will be falling and could produce some icy spots on bridges and overpasses.
If you are driving tonight, please be careful.
All precipitation should dry up as we approach midnight, but 30 mile per hour winds and temperatures will fall into the 20s.
Be sure to drip your pipes on Tuesday night.
Live Radar: North Texas
Wednesday Forecast: Wind chills near or below zero
Timeline:
Temperatures will be in the teens by sunrise in DFW, with wind chills near zero in the Metroplex and below zero to the north and west.
Clouds will slowly decrease Wednesday, which should allow us to warm up a few degrees into the upper 20s, but we will be below freezing all day.
Wind chills will be in the teens into the afternoon.
Thursday Forecast: Record-breaking cold
Timeline:
Skies will clear at night and we will see the coldest temperatures of this Arctic blast on Thursday morning.
The current record for lowest temperature on Feb. 20 at DFW is 19 degrees. That record will be broken by a few degrees.
Wind chills will be below zero that day as well.
We could see lake effect snow on the south side of area lakes with the lighter winds and extremely cold temps.
Thursday will be partly to mostly sunny with temperatures briefly getting above freezing for an hour of two in the afternoon to evening.
7-Day Forecast
Clouds will rapidly roll in on Friday ahead of a system approaching from the west that will keep us from getting much above freezing.
The system on Friday night to early Saturday morning will have some patchy rain and it is possible that we could see a few icy spots.
Keep an eye on the FOX 4 WAPP for the latest updates on the forecast, which will be fine tuned as we get closer.
Extreme Cold Warning
An Extreme Cold Warning is issued when temperatures or wind chill values are forecasted reach dangerously cold levels for an extended period of time.
If you are in an area with an Extreme Cold Warning, avoid going outside. If you have to go outside, dress in layers, cover exposed skin, and make sure at least one other person knows your whereabouts.
The Source: Information in this article comes from the FOX 4 Weather team and the National Weather Service.