Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo is warning Houstonians to prepare for the dangerous weather that is approaching, comparing the approaching winter storm to a Cat 5 hurricane.
The winter storm heading for Houston could bring one of the most dangerous climates Houston has seen in 30 years. The storm is expected to arrive in Houston this weekend and early next week, with Monday appearing to be potentially the most dangerous for Houston.
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Hidalgo said on Twitter on Friday afternoon that Houstonians should plan to calm down in the coming days.
“I just want to make sure that everyone knows that if the models are correct, we will be about to see an incident as we have not seen for 30 years – a very high probability of power cuts, dangerous external conditions, road closures, the same type of what we would see in a Category 5 hurricane, “said Hidalgo during a press conference on Friday.
Hidalgo added that Harris County lacks the necessary infrastructure in such a dangerous and potentially deadly storm for Houston.
“What we are about to see is not your typical annual strong freeze, this is a period of historic cold that has the potential to cause tremendous disruption in our region and to be potentially deadly,” she said.
See how to prepare for the severe freeze, driving tips for those unable to stay at home, an updated list of closed schools and photos of the impact of the Texas storm so far.
Anna Bauman contributed to this report.