Thaw begins after mercury hits record 16 degrees

The thaw began in Eunice this morning, as the mercury dipped into the 20s but had climbed to 33 degrees by 8 a.m.
Warming will continue through the day, with a high about 52. Tonight's low will be a balmy 40 degrees.
The more-seasonal temperatures come after another record day Tuesday, when the thermometer registered 16 degrees shortly 5 a.m., according to the National Weather Service.
That reading crushed the previous record for Jan. 7, which was 26 degrees posted in 1996, an approached the record low for January, which was 14 degrees on Jan. 22, 1985.
On Monday, a new record low for Jan. 6 -- 23 -- was reached.
The average high and low for this date in Eunice is 61 and 40.
The lowest temperature recorded in Eunice since record keeping began more than a century ago was 9 degrees on Dec. 23, 1989.