HOUSTON — The Electric Reliability Council of Texas has issued a warning ahead of next week's extreme cold weather. ERCOT issued a Weather Watch for Jan. 20 through Jan. 23 due to the arctic blast that's expected to take over the state. The cold will cause a higher electrical demand as well as the potential for lower reserves.

ERCOT, the electrical grid operator for most of Texas, issued a weather watch for early next week when temperatures are expected to drop below freezing. The watch is scheduled to last Monday through Thursday and was issued “due to extreme cold weather across the ERCOT region, higher electrical demand, and the potential for lower reserves.”

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas on Friday issued a weather watch alert for Jan. 20-23 due to the forecast for cold weather across the state.

Below-freezing temperatures will return to Texas as soon as Jan. 18, according to the National Weather Service. Grid conditions are expected to be normal and officials do not anticipate an emergency,

ERCOT, Electric Reliability Council of Texas, issued a weather watch advisory ahead of the arctic blast hitting Texas this weekend. The weather watch advisory will be from Monday, January 20 to Thursday, January 23. The state grid warns Texans the cold weather could cause a higher electrical demand and the potential for lower reserves.

ERCOT leaders said they've been keeping a close eye on the state's power grid during the extremely cold weather across Texas.

According to Operations Messages on the ERCOT website, around 5 a.m. ERCOT issued a Transmission Emergency in South and Southeast Texas.

Areas around Houston could receive up to six inches of snow, which would rank among the heaviest snowfalls ever for the city. Winter Storm Warnings stretch as far south as the Rio Grande.