Texas braces for historic Arctic Blast

Houston: Houston and most of Texas is bracing for a historic Arctic blast expected to dump inches of snow, cripple life, glaze roadways in ice and send temperatures plummeting to near-record lows.

A Winter Storm Warning has been issued for parts of southeast Texas from 9 pm Saturday until 6 pm Monday. Sporadic power outages will be a possibility. Pipes and sprinkler systems may burst if not properly cared for in advance, officials have said.

Temperatures will remain stuck in the 30s all weekend, before the winter storm and arctic air blow on Sunday night and Monday morning.

The National Weather Service issued winter storm warnings or watches for most of the state. Wintry weather may begin in some locations very early Sunday morning.

The Houston region has not experienced such cold, arctic conditions for more than three decades. Houston's all-time record low temperature of five degrees Celsius was recorded in 1930, according to Space City Weather.

Most businesses, educational institutions will be shut down Monday and Tuesday, anticipating winter freeze.

Hospitals have rescheduled appointments and elective

surgeries.