Why is Texas Experiencing Arctic Temperatures?

According to the National Weather Service, the United States is seeing an “arctic outbreak”. This conundrum is due to the lack of low pressure systems up north, which allowed arctic air to travel through Canada and into the US. Texas, a state known for its droughts, deserts and excruciating heat waves, is unexpectedly one of the states most affected by the storm. Part of Texas hit 0°F last Sunday and weather warnings were in place throughout the week. In the City of Dallas, the temperature will reach a high of 14°F, when usually it would reach a high of 59°F. Furthermore, all 254 counties in the state are under winter storm warnings for the first time in history.

Although it is exciting to see cold temperatures across the country, especially in Texas, there have been a couple of fatalities and dangerous situations in these regions and it is important to be careful. It has gotten so bad in Texas that in a statement last Sunday, President Joe Biden declared an emergency in the state, authorizing US agencies to coordinate disaster relief there. Citizens of Texas are encouraged to use less electricity because certain traffic lights and other pieces of infrastructure are without power. Nearly 120 car accidents were reported in the City of Houston, and icy roads led to a huge car crash that resulted in the death of six people and injured dozens more.

The storm is expected to move further northeast as the days go on and will be over soon. However, this coast to coast arctic outbreak is something to take into consideration as weather patterns will start to become more severe as our climate changes. It is most important to stay safe and dress warm!

Sources

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56058372

JONATHAN HOFFMAN

Editor Emeritus at The City Voice | MIPA Honorable Mention Award Winner

Hello everyone. I am a 12th grader this year at City and this is my second year at the City Voice. I love to write about sports, science and sometimes even other topics. I hope you are enjoying our City Voice articles!