Houston-area commuters are heading into the workweek under a Freeze Warning that meteorologists say could create slick, difficult-to-spot “black ice” on roads—especially on bridges and overpasses—during the Monday morning drive. The National Weather Service (NWS) Houston/Galveston office said freezing temperatures between 27 and 32 degrees are expected from midnight Sunday night through 9 a.m. Monday, a window that overlaps heavily with early shifts, school traffic, and airport runs.
The warning covers much of the Houston metro and nearby inland counties, including portions of Harris, Montgomery, Fort Bend, Waller, Brazos, Washington, Grimes, Austin, Colorado, Liberty, and San Jacinto counties, among others. The NWS cautioned that frost and freeze conditions could kill sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing, urging residents to protect plants ahead of the coldest hours.
While the Houston area is no stranger to cold snaps, the primary commute hazard is the combination of lingering surface moisture and a rapid overnight temperature drop. Local forecasters noted that scattered showers, drizzle, and isolated patches of fog accompanied the front on Sunday, conditions that can leave pavement damp even after rainfall ends. Once temperatures fall below freezing, that moisture can freeze first in the places drivers least expect.
Transportation officials and roadway safety guidance consistently point to elevated structures as the earliest trouble spots. TxDOT’s winter-driving guidance warns motorists to use extra caution on bridges, ramps, overpasses, and shaded areas because they tend to freeze first—a key reason why black ice incidents can erupt in clusters around interchanges and flyovers even when nearby surface streets seem merely wet.
The commute risk is expected to be most pronounced before sunrise through mid-morning, when temperatures are lowest and traffic volume begins to build. In practical terms, that means drivers should assume the highest probability of slick conditions on segments such as freeway connectors, frontage-road bridges, and elevated ramps—particularly in the northern and inland suburbs where the light freeze is more likely to verify. Regional forecasters also flagged wind chills in the 20s, underscoring how quickly exposed surfaces can cool overnight.
Officials are urging residents to treat the event as a travel-safety issue rather than simply a “cold morning.” TxDOT advises that anyone who must drive in wintry conditions should slow down and maintain significantly more following distance than usual. The agency also recommends monitoring official road-condition resources before leaving home.
For households, the freeze warning is also a reminder that Houston’s infrastructure has quirks that can make common cold-weather habits counterproductive. In guidance highlighted by Chron, Houston Public Works has cautioned against the widespread practice of dripping faucets inside city limits. “We don’t advise Houstonians to drip their faucets in the cold,” said Houston Public Works information officer Erin Jones, citing the city’s pressure system needs.
Instead, the more targeted approach is to focus on preventing pipes from freezing where they are most exposed. Consumer-safety guidance commonly emphasizes actions such as insulating vulnerable outdoor spigots and exposed lines, draining hoses, and ensuring warm air can circulate around indoor plumbing that sits against exterior walls. Even for residents who do not experience a burst pipe, frozen lines can disrupt morning routines and become a secondary driver of travel disruptions as people scramble for supplies, repairs, or temporary accommodations.
The cold snap is also reviving a familiar question in Southeast Texas: whether a freeze like this could stress the power grid. Energy reporting from the Houston Chronicle suggests the answer, for this event, is no. ERCOT spokesperson Trudi Webster said, “At this time, the grid is expected to operate under normal conditions with sufficient supply to meet demand.” CenterPoint Energy likewise indicated it does not expect widespread problems from a brief, routine freeze absent significant ice accumulation, while still cautioning that outages can occur if freezing rain weighs down trees and power lines.
Forecasts indicate the freeze threat should be relatively short-lived. After the Monday morning coldest period, temperatures are expected to rebound later in the day, and forecasters expect a broader warm-up as southerly flow returns midweek. That timeline matters for travelers: the most consequential window is the start of the day, when road surfaces can remain below freezing even after the sun rises, and when minor fender-benders can quickly cascade into corridor-wide delays.
For commuters, the takeaway is straightforward: plan for a slower Monday morning, expect isolated slick spots rather than uniform icing, and treat elevated roadways as the first and most persistent hazard. For homeowners, the priority is to protect people, pets, plants, and pipes, and follow local utility guidance that reflects how Houston’s systems operate—because in a city where freezing is infrequent, the biggest risks often come from the habits residents import from colder places.
