So I'm faced with - pulling plugs on the pool system and shutting down - or letting system run.

Leaning towards the latter. Should be above freezing during the day.

Let's do this. I got all my faucet covers ready

I have done both. I turn off my program and just let it run when temp drops and freeze guard kicks in. For weeks like what is coming, it will run long enough on freeze protection. That is probably more for people like me with older, single speed motors. Variable just let it run 24/7.

fc2112 said:

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So I'm faced with - pulling plugs on the pool system and shutting down - or letting system run.

Leaning towards the latter. Should be above freezing during the day.

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Doesn't seem to be worth the hassle to drain and remove plugs just because it's freezing for a few hours.

Once it starts getting close to freezing at nights I run from 2 am to 8 am.

If the models verify, we might be below freezing for a good chunk of next week. Day and night.

On the pool situation, I just let it run. But if you have a prolonged power outage, need to go out and pull the plugs (and turn off all power to the system so when power comes back on it doesn't start draining your pool.

[url]

Up and down temps this week before really going down Friday into next weekend. Exactly how cold that Arctic air will be when it gets here is a little up in the air, but the coldest air of the season so far is very likely with multiple mornings in a row well below freezing. pic.twitter.com/XiA5naVSTY

— Pete Delkus (@wfaaweather) January 7, 2024

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Low of 25 isn't terrible. I'll start getting nervous if that low gets closer to the teens.

Everything I am seeing has the highs well above freezing every day. As long as that remains the case what do we have to worry about other than the predicted rain on Friday before the freeze?

The only thing I am worried about so far is my staff and patients calling in on Friday due to the hype.

* I am not a weather nerd so if there is a good weather resource predicting doom let me know

AggieMPH2005 said:

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Everything I am seeing has the highs well above freezing every day. As long as that remains the case what do we have to worry about other than the predicted rain on Friday before the freeze?

The only thing I am worried about so far is my staff and patients calling in on Friday due to the hype.

* I am not a weather nerd so if there is a good weather resource predicting doom let me know

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Find POW Ponder on Facebook and YouTube.

He's not a doom and gloomier but he uses other weather models besides just the ones all the local tv Mets use. Theirs (GFS) only resolves well about 48 hours and in.

For example there's two other models that handle arctic air masses better and further out. The ICON and the Canadian meteorological model.

Both of those predicted 2021 snowmageddon over a week out while the locals didnt until about 36 hours out from the start. Those models also pegged the cold last December when the locals were still predicting mild weather in the 60s.

Those two models have us getting mixed precip this Friday, then rapid cooling, staying below freezing all weekend and another storm on Monday giving us more snow and ice and staying below freezing much of next week.

Highly recommend POW as he does a good job distilling the models down to layman's terms, and if you follow him you won't be surprised by some of the weather that hits, especially in winter.

I follow him as well and really like him. Since he has launched his app however he speaks in more national terms and it always takes me a second to figure out if he is referring to North Texas or North America in general.

FTAG 2000 said:

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AggieMPH2005 said:

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Everything I am seeing has the highs well above freezing every day. As long as that remains the case what do we have to worry about other than the predicted rain on Friday before the freeze?

The only thing I am worried about so far is my staff and patients calling in on Friday due to the hype.

* I am not a weather nerd so if there is a good weather resource predicting doom let me know

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Find POW Ponder on Facebook and YouTube.

He's not a doom and gloomier but he uses other weather models besides just the ones all the local tv Mets use. Theirs (GFS) only resolves well about 48 hours and in.

For example there's two other models that handle arctic air masses better and further out. The ICON and the Canadian meteorological model.

Both of those predicted 2021 snowmageddon over a week out while the locals didnt until about 36 hours out from the start. Those models also pegged the cold last December when the locals were still predicting mild weather in the 60s.

Those two models have us getting mixed precip this Friday, then rapid cooling, staying below freezing all weekend and another storm on Monday giving us more snow and ice and staying below freezing much of next week.

Highly recommend POW as he does a good job distilling the models down to layman's terms, and if you follow him you won't be surprised by some of the weather that hits, especially in winter.

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When was the last time you've been surprised by weather in the winter? There hadn't been a snow or ice storm out of the blue. All the POWs of the world just look at the most extreme models, and they're correct once in a while.

If he's actually calling for next week to be below freezing for mkst of the week as you say he may need a new hobby.

It's been a while because I have followed a ponder for years. If I was dumb enough to follow the local tv Mets? Yeah probably so. They all whiffed so badly on 2021 they should have been fired.

And lighten up Francis.

Local TV mets just read the NWS projection.

Most forecasts are based on time of year averages, and 2021 was a significant outlier. Below zero in Arlington? It was the first time in recorded history.

National Weather Service starting to get on board.

Quote:

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A second and stronger shortwave trough will deepen while propagating from the West Coast to the southern Rockies late this weekend, then further intensify as it emerges in the Plains early next week. This pattern will dislodge another swath of arctic air, sending it south down the lee side of the Rockies and into North and Central Texas during the first half of next week.

It is possible that we also get some wintry precipitation, but model discrepancies regarding the timing of the sub-freezing temperatures in relation to when the moisture is readily available create too much uncertainty to add anything in the extended forecast at this time. Unseasonably cold weather appears ready to greet us this holiday weekend in any case.

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And Delkus with a smug social media post about how it's going to get really cold, the roads will be a mess and to stay home, but we'll live.

Told y'all.

Steven McAuley:

Quote:

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Although it will not be a repeat of February 2021 (how could it be, right?) we will likely see temperatures fall into the single digits and teens across north Texas. Due to the shallow nature of the Arctic air, which is often the case for locations this far south, precipitation would tend to favor ice rather than snow, but amounts cannot be predicted this far out. What we can say at this point is that the ice does not appear to be particularly heavy, but there really is no way of predicting how much to expect since it is still a week away.

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Latest model run for next Monday.

Full run down on latest model runs -

A warm up to the 60s for highs tomorrow - Thursday.

Friday next front comes in with cold rain, temps drop below freezing.

Saturday supposed to be clear and rising to 40s (though I'm a little skeptical on this - nothing to really warm things up).

Sunday big cold front hits. Temps below freezing by mid-day, and will stay that way through next Wednesday.

Monday we catch a storm system with TBD precipitation - most likely ice, though rooting for snow.

Quote:

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Temps below freezing by mid-day, and will stay that way through next Wednesday.

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So worst-case 4ish days of freeze, not insignificant. Might be worthwhile to check out how to drain my sprinklers, never done it before.

where are you located and do you have a backflow valve thats above ground? I'm a licensed irrigator of 20yrs. Irrigation systems in Texas don't need to blown out like systems up north.

Guess I need to get my **** together in the backyard....been so warm and been so busy, I have been putting it off.

I always plan to leave the pool equipment running. We didn't lose power in snowmageddan and it worked out okay. Can always go shut it down and drain the pump in 5 minutes or so if power goes out.

Inconvenient timing with daughter going back to college in Norman sometime this weekend. Think classes start Tuesday. She has talked about any day between Saturday and Monday for leaving. Guess I need to encourage Saturday? Assume this will come through pretty fast so not significantly different for OKC than it is here timingwise?

ftworthag02 said:

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where are you located and do you have a backflow valve thats above ground? I'm a licensed irrigator of 20yrs. Irrigation systems in Texas don't need to blown out like systems up north.

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So maybe I have been lucky but I have not done anything on my sprinkler system...ever.

I know I have a sprinkler valve in-ground but would I have one above ground? If its in-ground do you still do anything?


edit: i do have my sprinkler system off and it has been off for weeks now. that is the one step I do.

Your backflow/ cutoff valve is in the ground in Plano. When they are inground, I have never done anything to them in 30 + years. Never had an issue. As you go west, the cities start to have them above ground. Those can be an issue.

So you should be fine. Just make sure your system is turned off. Also make sure all hoses are disconnected from exterior faucets, including the pool fill, if you have that setup.

If your backflow is above ground that's the only thing you need to worry about and you'll know if it is because most likely you have a fake rock and insulation bag. By the way the past 2 years a lot of the fake rock and insulation bagged backflows still burst, however that was a little colder and a little longer than next week.

Absolute said:

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Guess I need to get my **** together in the backyard....been so warm and been so busy, I have been putting it off.

I always plan to leave the pool equipment running. We didn't lose power in snowmageddan and it worked out okay. Can always go shut it down and drain the pump in 5 minutes or so if power goes out.

Inconvenient timing with daughter going back to college in Norman sometime this weekend. Think classes start Tuesday. She has talked about any day between Saturday and Monday for leaving. Guess I need to encourage Saturday? Assume this will come through pretty fast so not significantly different for OKC than it is here timingwise?

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The cold gets to OKC on Saturday, they're running about 18 hours ahead of North Texas on the freeze line.

TBD on if any precip with it or just sub-freezing temps.

Will take a peek at the models tomorrow and let you know.

Thanks!

Figure they are probably much better at handling it than we are in general.

Did see that it is gonna get MUCH colder there in general. My little fashion before warmth Dallas girl is in for a rude awakening I think. We have been warning her, but we know nothing....

Same here..... Geesh

Latest runs have Dallas at four degrees with negative wind chills next Tuesday.

FTAG 2000 said:

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Latest runs have Dallas at four degrees with negative wind chills next Tuesday.

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mAgnoliAg said:

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I feel like my house is about to blow away right now.

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I had to check the radar to see if that was rain I was hearing

Tonight’s ICON now has temperatures up to 90 degrees below average (is that even possible) in Montana/southern Canada before spilling south. TX will enter a hard and deep freeze for a few days. Protect life and property. #txwx pic.twitter.com/4sNpsKqqyZ

— Chase Benton (@chasetxwx) January 9, 2024

I never bothered with my sprinkler system, even in 2021. As long as it's in ground, it will be fine.

Pool system, on the other hand - back when we had th eSuper Bowl ice storm, I was out there draining the system at 11 PM in that freezing wind and I promised "never again". I'll probably drain it Saturday.

In '21 our pool was in the process of being built and I spoke with a neighbor about what he did for his. He covered his hot tub with a large piece of plywood and threw some 2x4s in the pool to float around and keep ice broken up. He would also routinely take a few buckets of warm water in the house and dump the in pool.

In '22 and '23 storms(they weren't as bad obviously) I covered my equipment with a tarp and put towels around the plug areas. If I did need to drain, I didn't want to have to break ice to do it.

Drained the pool equipment. Had no choice though, electrical problem has no power getting to the equipment. Probably would have shut it down regardless with the temps in the forecast.