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John Parsons

Garvin Lake with the fountains frozen

Texas A&M University-Commerce woke to a strange white substance on the ground with temperatures in the teens.

The 9:30 a.m. temperature was 18 degrees with a wind chill of 3 degrees. The white stuff is being called “light snow fog/mist” by the National Weather Service.

Today’s forecast calls for a high temperature of 21 degrees so be prepared for the bitter cold if you venture outside. The snow and sleet are not expected to accumulate more than .5 inches.

“Snow likely, possibly mixed with sleet, becoming all snow after 10am. Cloudy and cold, with a temperature falling to around 16 by 5pm. Wind chill values between 2 and 8,” according to NWS.

Tonight’s forecast calls for more snow, mainly after midnight, with a low temperature around 6 degrees and a wind chill between -9 and 1 degree. New snow accumulation is expected to be between 2 and 4 inches.

Monday night will probably bring the coldest temperatures with a low of -1 degree and a wind chill between -7 and -12.

Tuesday is expected to bring a high temperature all the way up to 24 degrees.

Snow is possible until noon Thursday.

The campus is currently closed until 8 a.m. Wednesday except for specified services.

Remember your three Ps: pets, plants and pipes.

Agrilifetoday.tamu.edu advises:

• “It’s important to remember pets like cats and dogs, even if they are acclimated to the outdoors, need access to shelter to protect them from cool temperatures and winds, and an unfrozen water source. Outdoor pets may also need additional caloric intake to help them maintain their body heat.
  • Shelters should be insulated, include clean, dry blankets or straw for bedding, and protect from north winds.”
• “Plants in containers are more susceptible to freezing temperatures because they lack the insulation the earth naturally provides.
  • Move container plants inside the home or garage, or to any area where temperatures will stay above freezing. If they can’t be moved indoors, put them on the south side of the house, water them well and pile on mulch, leaves and hay to protect the roots and/or cover them with a frost blanket.”
• “Water pipes can freeze and burst when the outside temperature reaches 20 degrees or below.”
• “Outdoor water systems should be drained and covered or allowed to drip slowly to help protect from damage.”