City, county officials prepare for arctic blast heading our way. Here’s what you can do to get ready.

Remember when the Erath County Courthouse was covered in snow a couple of years ago? It's unclear if the approaching winter storm will generate anything similar, but I would love a few flurries.

 By SARA VANDEN BERGE

The coldest air of the season is heading to North Texas and experts say it’s time to start preparing your home for the winter freeze.

The arctic blast is expected to arrive Saturday night with temperatures dipping into the single digits.

Sunday’s high will reach 30 degrees with a low of 12, and things get even colder on Monday with a high of 27 and low of 8.

A slight warmup begins Tuesday with a high of 31 and low of 21, but temperatures won’t get above freezing until Wednesday.

Stephenville City Manager Jason King said he is meeting with Oncor officials today and other city and county officials on Friday to ensure winter preparations are in place.

“We will go through a checklist - from streets to police, fire and water – to make sure everything is buttoned up,” King told Beneath the Surface News. “We will also work with the county – Judge Huckabee and his team – to ensure that we are ready for whatever comes our way.”

HOW TO PROTECT YOUR HOME

Experts say residents should begin making preparations at home days ahead of a winter storm.

Dowell Ace Hardware in Stephenville has everything you need including faucet covers, pipe wrap, heat tape and heaters.

Here’s a list of other things homeowners can do to protect plumbing and stay safe:

• Open cabinet doors to allow heat to reach pipes.

• If your pipes freeze, turn off water at the shutoff valve to prevent broken pipes from leaking into your house after they thaw.

• Let faucets drip from the cold and hot taps or run water through your indoor faucets before you go to sleep.

• Have chimney inspected and cleaned; creosote buildup can start a fire.

• Get furnace inspected to ensure it’s safe and will last the winter and test carbon monoxide and smoke alarms.

• Stock up on bottled water, nonperishable food and batteries in case of power outage.

• Run swimming pool pump at night when the temperatures dip below freezing to keep water flowing through pipes.

• And most importantly, bring your pets inside.

WHEN TRAVELING

If you have to travel over the coming days, experts say there are a few essentials you should keep inside your vehicle including extra blankets, a flashlight, phone charger and snacks.

Keep bags of salt or kitty litter in your vehicle because both can add temporary traction on icy surfaces.

And (this is really important) make sure you have a full tank of gas.