Wednesday saw the first break in subfreezing temperatures in DFW in 89 hours, though the reprieve is expected to be short-lived.
At around 11 a.m. on Wednesday, the 89-hour streak of temperatures below 32 degrees ended, providing temporary relief to residents following the frigid Arctic blast that left some area residents without heat and others without water. The high temperature on Wednesday reached 44 degrees. By Friday, however, the National Weather Service expects North Texas to fall back into a cold spell.
Although extreme, the frigid weather event is not unheard of in Texas. In fact, the latest stretch does not even rank among the top five longest streaks in the region.
“It happens every winter,” said Madi Gordon, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Fort Worth. “Whenever we get a strong push of arctic air, it will stay below freezing for a while.”
Recent cold weather plaguing North Texas and much of the state and country led some municipalities to delay or temporarily close operations in the metroplex, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
While Thursday’s daytime temperatures in the upper 50s brought some relief, the National Weather Service expects DFW temperatures to fall below freezing again overnight, with daytime highs hitting the upper 30s beginning Friday and persisting through the weekend.
