Weather updates: Sub-freezing temperatures in North Texas continue into Christmas Eve
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Freezing weather in North Texas
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North Texans will have to keep their coats on while dangerous, sub-freezing temperatures stick around Friday and for most of Christmas Eve.
A man died at a hospital Thursday after he was found near a trash dumpster in the bitter cold on East Lancaster Avenue in Fort Worth. He was one of 30 patients transported to hospitals by MedStar ambulances for cold-related illnesses between 9 a.m. Thursday and 3 p.m. Friday. Two others were in serious condition.
And more than 9,000 residents remained without power Friday afternoon in Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, Ellis, Bell and Angelina counties because of the strong cold winds that arrived Thursday, according to Oncor.
Light snow flurries fell in Fort Worth on Thursday but no precipitation stuck around and roads in the area were clear on Friday.
Friday is expected to be one of the busiest days for holiday travel. More than 1,500 flights into and out of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport have been delayed or canceled since Thursday.
A wind chill advisory remained in effect until noon Friday for North Texas because of dangerously cold wind chills. Those wind chills could make it feel as cold as 15 below zero, according to the National Weather Service in Fort Worth.
North Texas had been under a hard freeze warning Friday morning, but that ended at 9 a.m. Friday.
“It will be below freezing into Christmas Eve,” said meteorologist Hunter Reeves with the National Weather Service in Fort Worth on Friday. “Just before sunset on Saturday, the temperatures could get just above freezing and then go back down.”
On Friday, the cold wind chills could result in hypothermia if precautions are not taken, according to the NWS. Authorities said residents should avoid outside activities if possible, and when outside, make sure you wear appropriate clothing, including a hat and gloves.
In Fort Worth, authorities said a man was found unresponsive about 12:15 p.m. Thursday behind a McDonald’s in the 4100 block of East Lancaster. The man, who did not have ID and who officials believe was experiencing homelessness, was taken by MedStar to a local hospital, where he died.
For those who need a place to warm up, Fort Worth public libraries and community centers will be open through Friday, according to the city of Fort Worth.
To prevent pipes from bursting, the Texas Department of Insurance recommends Texans wrap all exposed outdoor and indoor pipes, open cabinets under sinks and let faucets drip.
”Christmas Day will probably be the first day that we will be above freezing,” Reeves said Friday.
The high on Friday will be in the mid-20s in Tarrant County, and the low on Saturday will be around 17.
On Christmas Eve, the daytime temperature will reach 33.
Officials at the NWS in Fort Worth are predicting a high of 41 on Christmas Day and the days will continue to get warmer.
“We are flipping back to 70 by Thursday,” Reeves said. “It should be a pleasant week.”
This story was originally published December 23, 2022 at 10:04 AM.
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