PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
500 PM CST TUE NOV 16 1999

...THREATS FROM FREEZING PRECIPITATION ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS...

WHEN SHALLOW ARCTIC AIRMASSES COMBINE WITH MOISTURE ACROSS SOUTHEAST 
TEXAS...WINTRY PRECIPITATION CAN RESULT. DUE TO THE AREAS SOUTHERN 
LATITUDE AND PROXIMITY TO THE GULF COAST...MOST COLD AIRMASSES THAT 
IMPACT SOUTHEAST TEXAS ARE QUITE SHALLOW...AND THE RESULTING 
PRECIPITATION WILL BE IN THE FORM OF FREEZING RAIN...FREEZING 
DRIZZLE...OR SLEET. ICE STORMS...LIKE THE ONES IN JANUARY 1997 AND 
FEBRUARY 1989...CAN SNARL TRAFFIC AND CAUSE WIDESPREAD POWER OUTAGES. 

FREEZING RAIN AND FREEZING DRIZZLE DEVELOP AS RAIN OR DRIZZLE FALLING 
THROUGH A WARM LAYER IN THE ATMOSPHERE FREEZES ON CONTACT WITH A COLD 
SURFACE...SUCH AS TREES...CARS...AND ROADWAYS...RESULTING IN A COATING 
OF GLAZE. EVEN SMALL ICE ACCUMULATIONS OF 1/10 AN INCH CAN BRING 
TRAFFIC TO A STANDSTILL. LARGER ACCUMULATIONS OF 1/2 INCH OR MORE CAN 
DOWN TREES BRANCHES AND POWER LINES. SLEET FALLS AS RAIN WHICH FREEZES 
INTO ICE PELLETS AS IT NEARS THE GROUND. SLEET CAN ACCUMULATE TO 
SEVERAL INCHES AND PARALYZE TRAFFIC. SNOW IS ONLY OBSERVED IN SOUTHEAST 
TEXAS ONCE OR TWICE A DECADE AND RARELY ACCUMULATES ON ROAD SURFACES.

A WINTER STORM WATCH IS ISSUED WHEN THERE IS A THREAT FOR SEVERE WINTER 
WEATHER CONDITIONS...SUCH HAS HEAVY ACCUMULATIONS OF ICE...WITHIN 24 TO 
36 HOURS. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY...FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY...OR SLEET 
ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED WHEN WINTER WEATHER IS EXPECTED TO IMPACT 
MOTORISTS ON ROADWAYS. THE WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL CAUSE INCONVENIENCES 
AND MAY BE HAZARDOUS. A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS THAT SEVERE WINTER 
WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE IMMINENT OR ARE EXPECTED WITHIN 24 HOURS. IN A 
SITUATION WITH FREEZING PRECIPITATION...USUALLY 1/4 INCH OF ICE 
ACCUMULATION OR MORE CAN BE EXPECTED. ROAD CLOSURES AND POWER OUTAGES 
WILL LIKELY RESULT FROM THE ICE ACCUMULATION.

WHEN PLANNING TO TRAVEL DURING WINTER WEATHER...ALLOW EXTRA TIME AND 
DRIVE AT SLOW SPEEDS. KEEP IN MIND THAT ROAD CREWS ARE OFTEN UNABLE 
TO KEEP ALL THE ROADS SANDED AND THAT ICY AREAS WILL OCCUR ESPECIALLY 
ON BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES. IF A WINTER STORM WARNING IS ISSUED FOR THE 
AREA...TRAVEL WILL BE HIGHLY DISCOURAGED. YOU CAN SOME EXPECT ROADS TO 
BE CLOSED OR IMPASSABLE. CARRY EMERGENCY ITEMS WITH YOU INCLUDING A 
FLASHLIGHT AND EXTRA BATTERIES...MEDICINE...FOOD...EXTRA BLANKETS...AND 
OTHER EMERGENCY SUPPLIES. KEEP YOUR GAS TOPPED OFF AND DO NOT TRAVEL 
ALONE. YOU SHOULD ALWAYS FULLY CHECK AND WINTERIZE YOUR CAR AT THE 
START OF THE SEASON...AND MAKE SURE IT HAS ENOUGH ANTIFREEZE BEFORE 
YOU TRAVEL.