A rare South Texas snow that began after dark and lasted through the night inspired some Corpus Christi residents to stay up with the flurries. By morning, some parts of South Texas measured up to three inches of the cold white stuff, which also moved through Austin and San Antonio before reaching the coast.
Kalegrace Aceret and her three kids were out in the snow at 5 a.m. building a snowman in front of their Aransas Pass home.
“I’ve been up all night,” she said. “We are from Hawaii, so the chance to see snow in South Texas, I had to wake them up. My kids light up like a Christmas tree when they saw it!”
Weather records show this is only the eighth snow on record in the city since 1948. The last measurable snow was on Christmas Eve in 2004, which measured a record breaking 2.3 inches.
Rene Lucero, a retired veteran who has lived in the Coastal Bend for almost two decades, remembers that snow and wasn’t all that surprised by this one. He has spotted a pattern, he says.
“Snow comes every 12 years it seems,” said Lucero. “Last time we had snow was December, 25, 2004. It’s been long overdue.”
However rare the snow, power outages during any kind of rough weather are not. Lucero had generators on standby but never needed to turn them on to keep his Ingleside home warm. Some resident in Southside Corpus Christi were not so lucky as they woke to the snow and the dark.
Known as Winter Storm Benji, the band of snow stretches along the Gulf Coast from Texas, over the top of the Florida panhandle to North Carolina. Rare winter storm warnings have been issued for Corpus Christi, Texas; Jackson, Mississippi; and parts of the Atlanta metro area. By Friday night, Dec. 8, the snow will reach southern New Jersey. Winter Storm Benji started in West Texas on Thursday morning, Dec. 7.
In Corpus Christi, weather forecasts expect clear skies by mid day, with temperatures remaining below normal. Highs will be around 50 according to the National Weather Service. With wind gusts up to 30 mph, the wind chill readings will be 22 to 32 degrees F.
The five day extended forecast “looks quiet and pleasant,” predicts the NWS. Mainly sunny skies are expected with high temperatures around 70 degrees. Low temperatures are expected to be in the 30s and 40s.
That’s what we like about Texas.
Here’s what some of the photos our friends and staff around the Coastal Bend took this morning as they made their way to work.