World News – CA – US Cold Snap: Why Does Texas See Arctic Temperatures?

Texas is known for its sprawling deserts and excruciating heat waves – but right now it’s covered in a thick layer of ice

The state has seen some of its coldest temperatures in more than 30 years Some areas break records that are more than a century old

Parts of Texas hit 0F (-18C) on Sunday, and the weather warnings will remain in place throughout the week

According to the US National Weather Service (NWS), this was due to an “Arctic eruption” that occurred just above the US-Canada border, causing a winter snowstorm and falling temperatures

Cold air bursts like this are normally held in the Arctic by a number of low pressure systems, however the NWS moved through Canada and was spilled into the US last week

Temperatures in the city of Dallas, for example, peak at -10 ° C on Monday, when they should be closer to 15 ° C at this time of year

For the first time in the US state, all 254 counties are exposed to a winter storm warning, US media reports The temperature in Dallas is already colder than in Anchorage, Alaska, reports CBS News

In a statement on Sunday evening, President Joe Biden declared a Texas emergency that empowers US authorities to coordinate state disaster relief

Rotating power outages were initiated by the state power grid operator, Texas Electric Reliability Council (Ercot), early Monday to reduce demand for the power grid

The weather has already proven fatal Thursday, icy roads resulted in a massive crash involving more than 100 vehicles in Fort Worth, killing six people and requiring dozens more to be hospitalized

“The expansive sub-freezing dome in the north of the country has laid the foundation for winter storms wreaking havoc from coast to coast not only this weekend but also next week,” the NWS said in one statement published on Friday

Weather warnings for severe winter conditions will persist through at least Tuesday when the weather system moves north

Amarillo will experience a high temperature of just -17 ° C, breaking the city’s previous record of -11 ° C (12 ° F) set in 1895, said a forecaster for the service’s Weather Prediction Center, Marc Chenard, told Reuters News Agency

Similarly, Lubbock only hits a high of 9F (-13C) These temperatures are “40 to 50 degrees [Fahrenheit] below average,” said Mr. Chenard

Parts of Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle are expected to see up to a foot of snow this week, while Dallas is expected to see four inches

Mr. Chenard warns of more dangerous Houston road conditions caused by sleet and freezing rain

The military says fines will also apply to those who incite “hatred” against the coup plotters

Covid: Should We Use Double Mask Face Coverings? VideoCovid: Should We Use Double Mask Face Coverings?

© 2021 BBC The BBC is not responsible for the content of external websites Read more about our approach to external linking

Texas Weather