Texarkana, Texas – Northeast Texas is facing a dangerous one-two punch of damaging winds Sunday evening followed by a hard freeze overnight, a combination that could leave behind downed limbs, scattered outages and damage to plants and exposed pipes by Monday morning.
According to the National Weather Service in Shreveport, a High Wind Warning remains in effect until 9 p.m. Sunday for Red River, Bowie, Franklin, Titus, Camp, Morris and Cass counties. Northwest winds of 40 to 50 mph with gusts up to 65 mph are expected. A Freeze Warning remains in effect from midnight through 9 a.m. Monday, with temperatures dropping as low as 27 degrees.
Across Texas, the strongest local impacts are expected in Texarkana, Mount Pleasant, Atlanta, Clarksville, Daingerfield, Pittsburg and surrounding communities. Gusty winds could snap small limbs, topple weakened trees and bring down power lines, creating the risk of outages overnight. Travel on Interstate 30, U.S. 59 and other open highways may become difficult, especially for semis, box trucks and SUVs exposed to crosswinds.
The freeze arriving after midnight adds another layer of concern as the growing season is already underway. Tender plants, blooming gardens and unprotected outdoor plumbing may not withstand several hours of subfreezing temperatures. Residents should secure lawn furniture and trash cans, prepare for possible power interruptions and protect pipes and vegetation before going to bed.
The wind threat should ease later Sunday night, but the cold will linger into the Monday morning commute. Additional alerts could follow if freezing conditions last longer than expected.
