HOUSTON – Houston has found itself in the bullseye of the winter storm threatening to drop several inches of snow and a wintry mix on states known for their mild winters.
One of the main concerns from this storm is travel. Driving through the snow, sleet and ice is going to be dangerous and potentially deadly.
“Travel is going to be very difficult, if not impossible,” said Harris County Meteorologist Jeff Lindner.
The Texas Department of Transportation is already out preparing roadways with pre-treatment as the Houston metro could see up to six inches of snow.
“We don’t have the capacity to make them passable or useful in a day to day type basis,” said Harris County Judge Linda Hidalgo. “So, I just want folks to plan ahead for that.”
While crews are out targeting high traffic and priority areas - like interstates, the Medical Center and major thoroughfares - they don’t have enough supplies to hit every street in every neighborhood.
That means your street could be covered in ice and snow for days.
A spokesperson with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) said in a press conference on Saturday that the focus is on highways, bridges and overpasses.
“That creates a very, very challenging situation for motorists and for drivers,” said Raquelle Lewis, a TxDOT spokesperson. “Avoid any and all unnecessary travel.”
The state, county and state are all pre-treating roads with a solution known as “brine.”
It’s a simple combination of salt and water. They mix it together and spray it on the road as they drive trucks down the road.
You might be able to notice brine on the roads by the thin, white lines on the roadway that look like chalk.
However, it’s no match for six inches of snow.
Northern states rely on salt and snow plows to keep roads accessible.
Both the City of Houston and Harris County tells KPRC 2 that they do not have any snow plows.
“The county does not have snowplows again because of the region we live in,” Hidalgo said.
The state does own some plows and are working to get those in Houston ahead of the winter storm on Tuesday.
“We have some snow plows that are being deployed to this area in the event that they are necessary,” said Lewis.
With zero plows in Houston or Harris County, how do we remove snow from the street?
The answer: Mother Nature.
“What our plan is, right, what we do in these kinds of situations, just wait for the temperature to rise, wait for the snow to melt,” Hidalgo said. “And so that should be happening on late Wednesday, if not on Thursday.”
That means it might be a few days before your street is clear and safe to drive on.
