Unusually windy winter weather could move into North Texas -- and blow over those Christmas decorations and other outdoor items.
Some families will need to take a look at their homes and determine if they need to take down some decorations until the windy weather is over.
“Usually when we are thinking high winds here in North Texas, we are talking about severe thunderstorms – localized intense winds,” NBC 5 Meteorologist David Finfrock said. “That’s not what we are talking about this time. Here we are talking about a widespread wind event.”
“Christmas lights, [if] those are secured to the house, they probably aren’t an issue. I’m more concerned about decorations that are standing up in the front yard,” Finfrock said.
“Obviously if you have inflatables – let the air out and weight them down or even bring them inside,” Finfrock added. “We are talking wind gusts of over 40 to perhaps nearing 50 mph.”
There's a chance wind could pick up those inflatables and send them down the street.
Cities around North Texas are also making sure decorations are secured and safe.
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“The big concern there is the tall trees and the downtown Christmas trees. I hope they have them secured, because they have to be designed to stand up to winds in excess of 40 mph,” Finfrock said.
According to representatives for the city of Dallas, “the holiday tree is secured at the center through tie downs connected to three concrete blocks that serve as an anchor.”
At the iconic Sundance Square display in Fort Worth, a representative said their large decorations are specially engineered to withstand harsh weather.
Grapevine prepares in advance to ensure that decorations and structures can withstand wind, rain, ice and snow.
“Temporary structures, such as the tents in the North Pole Express Neighborhood, meet standards set by state and national public safety organizations,” the Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau said in a statement. “They are installed by a professional tent structure company that meets all safety standards and are inspected by the Grapevine Fire Department.”
“All large outdoor displays are secured and small temporary displays are either covered or moved to secure locations for storage until a weather event has passed,” the statement continued.
