Frank Billingsley, Chief Meteorologist
Tags:Hard Freeze, Severe Weather, Cold Weather, Weather
HOUSTON – When the temperature drops to 24° or below for two hours or more, that is considered a “hard” freeze.
That is most dangerous to pipes freezing (and don’t forget pool pipes!).
READ MORE: Major hard freeze headed to Houston
As for plants, many of our Houston plants can stand freezing temperatures and some even to 27°, but any potted plants are best brought indoors. As for pets — if you don’t want to be out there in the cold, neither do they, regardless of temperature!
Q. How often do we get a hard freeze?
A. They are, obviously, more common from Conroe to the north and west. Houston (Bush/IAH) itself is on a rollercoaster for such freezes. About half of our winters since 1969 have experienced a hard freeze.
In the past 10 years, we dropped to 21° in January 2014 and again in 2017, and 19° in January 2018. Then the big freeze of February 2021, we dropped to 7° and in December 2022, we dropped to 15°. We had no freeze AT ALL last year in 2023, which is the ONLY year on record that we did not at least drop to the freezing mark!
Q. Will we have a hard freeze next week?
A. Yes, we will drop below 24° for an extended period Tuesday morning and, very likely, again Wednesday morning.
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About the Author
Frank Billingsley
KPRC 2's chief meteorologist with four decades of experience forecasting Houston's weather.
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