Deadly Arctic Cold Countdown: Bitter Cold & Blowing Snow by Wednesday Night

SAN ANGELO – Bitterly cold temperatures and a rain and snow mix are barreling down on the Concho Valley and threaten unprotected pets, pipes and plants for the rest of the week.  

While this storm system will not be as bad as the deadly Valentine's Day storm of 2021, it will be an extended period of rain, heavy snow and below freezing temperatures for days. 

Meteorologists with the National Weather Service office in San Angelo have issued a Winter Storm Watch for all of West Central Texas from noon Wednesday through 6 p.m. Thursday.  Below freezing temperatures will last through Saturday. 

Forecast models now show five inches of snow possible in the Abilene area and one to three inches possible in San Angelo Wednesday night into Thursday.  

Temperatures will drop to below freezing Tuesday night with the passage of the strong arctic cold front region wide from north to south. 

Temperatures will drop to the teens Wednesday night into Thursday morning with wind chill values below zero. 

Driving conditions will be horrendous.  Forecasters believe freezing rain and sleet will turn to snow north of a Sterling City to Coleman line Wednesday night with freezing rain and sleet to the south of that line.  As the temperature drops and north winds pick up, snow will cover all the counties of the Concho Valley including the City of San Angelo. 

Dangerous low temperatures and dog-killing wind chill values will continue across the region through Saturday.  Thursday night should be the coldest night with temperatures in the single digits and wind chills around 5 degrees below zero.  

Travel will be difficult.  Morning and evening commutes will be hazardous at best.  Wind chills will reach 10 degrees below zero and will be dangerous to humans and deadly for pets left unprotected outside.  

This is a dangerous storm.  Residents are urged to keep up with the changing weather situation and prepare now for the extreme winter weather conditions.