Weather
Winter Storm Descends on Texas, Stoking Fears of Blackouts
- Demand on power grid may peak Friday as deep freeze lingers
- Weather to get worse overnight with snow, ice and bitter cold
Ice coats trees and a road in Richardson, Texas, on Feb. 3.
Photographer: LM Otero/AP PhotoThis article is for subscribers only.
The winter storm battering Texas is expected to intensify overnight, bringing more snow, ice and frigid temperatures nearly one year after an Arctic blast overwhelmed the state’s power grid and triggered deadly blackouts.
State officials say the electrical system will hold this time, but the big test will come Friday morning when power demand is expected to peak. So far there’s no sign of the type of system-wide failure that triggered rolling blackouts last year after power plants went down across the state.