Arctic blast brings wintry mix and low temperatures to Valley

The Valley woke up to freezing weather Tuesday morning and the National Weather Service Rio Grande Valley/South Padre Island said that frigid weather and low temperatures will continue to impact the region Wednesday.

In a Tuesday morning advisory, the NWS issued a Cold Weather Advisory that lasts through 9 a.m. Wednesday, which includes a Freeze Warning.

The Freeze Warning on Tuesday continued through 10 a.m. and then went back into effect at 6 p.m. for the entire region with the exception of the barrier islands.

The NWS said that the Arctic air mass that is impacting much of Texas and the nation has continued to spread in Deep South Texas, “with the coldest air moving over the region (Tuesday) through Wednesday morning.”

Ice that formed overnight melts on a window on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, in Pharr. (Joel Martinez | jmartinez@themonitor.com)

“Freezing weather and a wintry mix of ice, sleet and snow are occurring in some inland areas this morning, though additional accumulations are not expected except maybe a light glaze on elevated surfaces,” the NWS said in the Tuesday advisory. “Wintry precipitation will end northwest to southeast later this morning into this afternoon.”

Tuesday saw cold daytime temperatures with highs in the 30s for much of the region, but breezy to windy north winds caused “feels like” temperatures during the day in the teens and 20s.

On Facebook, the NWS asked for reports of ice or snow with about a dozen people from throughout Cameron County and Hidalgo County reporting wintry mixes throughout the region and small amounts of ice accumulation early Tuesday morning.

The region also saw thousands of power outages across the Valley as well. As of mid-Tuesday morning AEP Texas reported that 24,515 customers were without power.

Ice covers a fence along Dove Avenue on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, in McAllen. (Joel Martinez | jmartinez@themonitor.com)

Meanwhile, schools across the region remained closed Tuesday with most scheduling delayed starts on Wednesday morning.

Both Hidalgo and Cameron counties shut down completely Tuesday and many municipalities across the region had delayed openings at their offices.

There were also warming centers opened for residents throughout the Valley.

Over on the Island, Sea Turtle Inc. reported Tuesday that its staff is preparing for an intense cold-stun event, describing the plunging temperatures as “a critical environmental emergency.”

This is the second such event in just two weeks.

“Cold stun events are life-threatening, as the water (temperature) drops to dangerous levels, causing sea turtles to lose the ability to regulate their body temperature,” the nonprofit said in a news release. “The turtles are awake but completely immobile, unable to swim or move. Without immediate rescue, these sea turtles will inevitable drown because they cannot lift their heads to breathe.”

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