Lubbock Power & Light, ERCOT say they're prepared for cold weather coming later this week
Although Monday's conditions were mild and springlike, the South Plains is expected to see its first major cold spell of the winter starting Wednesday as a potent cold front moves through the region this week.
The National Weather Service in Lubbock is predicting "bitterly cold temperatures" and "dangerously low wind chill values" beginning the middle of the week, according to a Monday afternoon forecast statement. The forecast calls for freezing temperatures Wednesday afternoon through Friday afternoon, with wind chill values as low as 20 degrees below zero on Thursday and Friday.
While potent, Joe Jurecka, an NWS forecaster in the Lubbock office, pointed out that this week's freeze is not expected to be quite as severe as the February 2021 storm that shut down schools and businesses and crippled the state's power grid.
"It's not, like, outlandish cold," Jurecka said. "To get down to 5 (degrees) is not terribly uncommon for this area."
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This will be Lubbock's first major cold spell since joining the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) grid last spring. Lubbock Power & Light transitioned about 70 percent of its customers to ERCOT in late May 2021.
Last week, ERCOT issued its final winterization report which showed that 321 out of 324 electric generation units and transmission facilities had been upgraded to comply with the state's new winterization regulations.
“The Texas electric grid is more prepared for winter operations than ever before,” Interim ERCOT CEO Brad Jones said in a news release.
In a statement Monday, LP&L said the city utility is prepared for whatever is in store this week.
"Here at home, Lubbock Power & Light is accustomed to harsh winter and summer weather and regularly invest in our system," the statement reads. "Over the past few years we invested several hundred million dollars to expand and harden our system against the effects of extreme hot or cold weather."
"If we experience ice or strong winds it could damage equipment leading to a localized power outage but our line crews will be in the field ready to tackle any issues as they have in the past and will restore power to any affected customers as quickly and safely as possible," the utility said.
A chance for snow
Jurecka says snowfall Wednesday and Wednesday night are expected, though just how much is still not certain. Most of the region could expect two to four inches of snow, with higher totals in the northern and eastern portions of the South Plains, Jurecka says, but possible freezing rain could prove even more problematic.
"Snow by itself doesn't usually cause a lot of problems, but if we have freezing rain ahead of the main system, we'll be more prone to widespread travel issues," Jurecka said. "People should prepare for winter weather. How much of it is snow and the like is still up in the air, but everybody should get something."
More: Wintry blast could bring snow, icy conditions to South Plains
For Lubbock, the weather service is predicting a high of 34 on Wednesday with a 50 percent chance of snow. Winds out of the northeast at 15 to 20 mph are expected. Wednesday night, temps are forecasted to drop down to about 10 degrees with winds gusting up to 30 mph. Snow chances overnight are as high as 90 percent.
The chance of snow on Thursday sits at around 50 percent, though precipitation should taper off before noon. Thursday's high is 21 degrees with single-digit temperatures overnight. Thursday night's low is 4 degrees.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Lubbock Power & Light, ERCOT say they're prepared for winter storm
