On Thursday, January 7, an arctic front moved through our area, causing temperatures to drop to all new record lows. Area residents took precautions, wrapping pipes, leaving faucets to drip and getting animals out of the elements. Despite these efforts, people awoke on Friday, January 8, to find that their pipes were frozen and that they were without water. Temperatures only rose to about 33°F, but with no precipitation, the risk of ice on roads was very slim.

On Saturday morning, temperatures dipped down even lower, to an amazing 12°F here in Blanco, blasting the record low of 25°F in 1999*. Some residents to the north of Blanco County in Gillespie County reported temperatures as low as 4°F, with the average temperature being observed to be 9°F.

Because of the extreme lows and the amount of time that the area was below freezing, it allowed for flowing water to freeze. Ranchers reported stock tanks that were frozen over, and areas of the river had a thin surface cover of ice. Hundreds of pipes burst throughout the county, including a water main that burst on Main Street in front of the Trinity Lutheran Church. Crews spent Saturday from 4pm until 1am repairing the extensive leak. The next step will be for the city to coordinate with TxDot in order to repair the damage to the highway.

Temperatures finally rose above freezing late in the afternoon on Saturday, but quickly plunged back to the teens once night fell. Sunday broke the extreme cold spell by heating up to toasty 49°F.

*Record lows from www.wunderground.com.