Lone Star Winter Woes: Snowstorm Sparks Power Outages and Travel Turmoil

(Bloomberg) — A winter storm is set to strike Texas and the southern US later this week, placing the area at risk of power outages and travel disruptions.

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Approximately 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 centimeters) of snow and ice are expected to accumulate across southern Oklahoma and Texas, including Dallas, coating trees, roadways, and power lines from San Antonio to northern Louisiana, according to Peter Mullinax, a meteorologist at the US Weather Prediction Center.

Mullinax stated that the system “will be highly disruptive with considerable snow and ice accumulation.” It is anticipated to start its development on Wednesday night, strengthening on Thursday before moving eastward across the South on Friday.

The storm is expected to cause widespread electrical outages, disrupt travel in an area where snow removal and salting vehicles are limited, and impact or delay air travel. While temperatures won’t drop to the extreme lows seen during the February 2021 storm that resulted in over 200 fatalities and left millions without electricity for days, any return to frigid conditions raises alarms about the stability of the state’s already vulnerable power grid.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, the state’s grid supervisor, warned of potential power shortages from January 8 to January 10 due to the storm’s impact. According to Ercot’s meteorologists, the highest likelihood of ice rain is from the Hill Country to Northeast Texas, as noted in a Monday website update.

Nevertheless, Ercot expects to have sufficient supply to meet the rising electricity demand. Peak consumption is predicted to hit around 72.8 gigawatts on Wednesday between 7 and 8 a.m., an increase from Tuesday’s anticipated high of 68.9 gigawatts for the same timeframe.

Electricity prices for Tuesday exceeded $100 per megawatt-hour for the Ercot North hub, which includes Dallas, during the 7 to 8 a.m. time slot. This hour is regarded as the most vulnerable for possible supply deficits during extreme conditions due to rising demand at that moment and insufficient sunlight for solar energy production.

Prior to the storm’s arrival, Texas has been grappling with chilly temperatures. The Dallas-Fort Worth area registered an average temperature of 31°F Monday (minus 1°C), which is 15 degrees below normal, according to the National Weather Service.

Houston’s average temperature for the day was 39°F, also 15 degrees below normal. Cold weather advisories are in effect for vast regions of the US Gulf Coast from Texas to the Florida Panhandle, as well as parts of the Southwest. Strong winds are causing temperatures to feel even colder.

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