Houston’s Freeze Warning Could Make Monday Commutes Hazardous Due to Black Ice

Houston-area commuters are heading into the workweek under a Freeze Warning that meteorologists say could create slick, difficult-to-spot “black ice” on roads—especially on bridges and overpasses—during the Monday morning drive. The National Weather Service (NWS) Houston/Galveston office said freezing temperatures between 27 and 32 degrees are expected from midnight Sunday night through 9 a.m. Monday, a window that overlaps heavily with early shifts, school traffic, and airport runs.

The warning covers much of the Houston metro and nearby inland counties, including portions of Harris, Montgomery, Fort Bend, Waller, Brazos, Washington, Grimes, Austin, Colorado, Liberty, and San Jacinto counties, among others. The NWS cautioned that frost and freeze conditions could kill sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing, urging residents to protect plants ahead of the coldest hours.

While the Houston area is no stranger to cold snaps, the primary commute hazard is the combination of lingering surface moisture and a rapid overnight temperature drop. Local forecasters noted that scattered showers, drizzle, and isolated patches of fog accompanied the front on Sunday, conditions that can leave pavement damp even after rainfall ends. Once temperatures fall below freezing, that moisture can freeze first in the places drivers least expect.

Transportation officials and roadway safety guidance consistently point to elevated structures as the earliest trouble spots. TxDOT’s winter-driving guidance warns motorists to use extra caution on bridges, ramps, overpasses, and shaded areas because they tend to freeze first—a key reason why black ice incidents can erupt in clusters around interchanges and flyovers even when nearby surface streets seem merely wet.

The commute risk is expected to be most pronounced before sunrise through mid-morning, when temperatures are lowest and traffic volume begins to build. In practical terms, that means drivers should assume the highest probability of slick conditions on segments such as freeway connectors, frontage-road bridges, and elevated ramps—particularly in the northern and inland suburbs where the light freeze is more likely to verify. Regional forecasters also flagged wind chills in the 20s, underscoring how quickly exposed surfaces can cool overnight.

Officials are urging residents…