It started like a typical North Texas “bundle up” forecast and turned into a statewide emergency that Texans will be measuring winters against for decades.

Meteorologists are calling it "historic," "cripling," "devastating," and "significant."

Local utilities in San Antonio and Austin say crews ready to take on power lines weighed down by ice and toppled by fallen trees in this weekend's ice storm.

With memories of 2021's crippling winter storm that parked an estimated 300,000 trucks nationwide, logistics leaders are bracing as Winter Storm Fern prepares to bring snow and hazardous icy conditions to major freight hubs along the U.

Abbott issued disaster declarations Thursday for more than 130 counties ahead of a winter freeze expected to sweep into Texas over the coming days. “The goal is to make it through with no life lost,” the governor said.

As an Arctic cold front approaches Texas, Sen. Ted Cruz was spotted traveling. His office says the trip was pre-planned and he will return before the storm.

Freezing rain, not snow, could pose the biggest risk for Houston as arctic air moves in this weekend. See timing, model trends and what to expect.

Forecast models continue trending colder for early Sunday morning, with lows expected to fall into the mid- and even low-20s across large portions of Central Texas. Meteorologists say those temperatures are cold enough to burst unprotected pipes, especially in older homes and buildings with exposed plumbing.