Dear Neighbors,

The National Weather Service is predicting a strong, arctic cold front will move through Central Texas this evening and cause freezing temperatures through the weekend. It is important to note that we are not expecting impacts like last February, but hard freezes, very cold wind chill values, and a potential wintry mix of precipitation are all possible. We anticipate freezing rain and sleet will impact travel in Austin.

We have compiled some tips on cold weather preparedness, as well as some steps to take in case of an outage or an emergency. Additionally, we encourage you to check on your elderly and vulnerable neighbors before and after the freeze.

Sign up for Alerts and Updates

• Sign up for notifications at WarnCentralTexas.org.

• Text “ATXWEATHER” to 888-777 for updates in English.

• Bookmark AustinTexas.gov/Alerts for updates in 11 languages.

• Follow Austin Emergency Management on Twitter.
  
  

Prepare Your Home

• Make an emergency kit. You can find more info here.

• Keep cellphones charged and backup chargers fully charged.

• Use power strips to help protect electronic devices in case of a power outage. Consider using external power sources for your electronics.

• Protect your indoor and outdoor pipes and faucets. See tips from Austin Water here. Learn how and when to drip your faucets here.

• Learn where your water shutoff valve is and how to use it.

• Bring your pets inside. See more tips from Austin Animal Services.

• Cover your plants.

• Check out this helpful preparedness overview from KVUE. 
  

During the Freeze

• Report traffic light outages, downed tree limbs on power lines, road damage or any other weather-related concerns to 311.

• Report power outages here (the webpage works from a cellphone) or by calling 512-322-9100. You can also check the Austin Energy Outage Map.

• Do not go near a downed power line. Report it to 311 or call 911 if it is sparking.

• Thump your car hood before starting the ignition, as animals sometimes seek shelter hidden in parked cars.

• If you lose power, keep your refrigerator and freezer doors closed–food should keep for at least four hours.

• Take your time when driving or using sidewalks–there doesn’t have to be visible ice for it to be a slip hazard.

• Check out these power outage safety tips from Austin Energy.

Warming Centers and Cold Weather Shelters

Individuals without heat or power are encouraged to seek shelter tonight. Go to One Texas Center, located at 505 Barton Springs Road, between 6-8pm for registration for shelters. 

Those in need of daytime shelter on Thursday, February 3, 2022 can also go to the One Texas Center building between 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. The cold weather shelter locations are located offsite and will operate 24 hours a day. Those seeking overnight shelter will be transported by buses provided by Capital Metro.

Support animals can stay in the shelter, as long as they are okay around people/other animals.  If anyone wants to come into the shelter and needs their pet boarded for the night, assistance will be provided.

Those needing transportation to the One Texas Center building can ride Cap Metro–fare fees will be waived.

Social distancing, masking, and capacity limits at the facilities will still be in place.

As a reminder, the City does not publish the location of cold weather shelters.

If you must travel...

Steps you can take to travel safely include: driving slowly, avoiding elevated areas such as bridges and overpasses, allowing for more time at stop lights, increasing your following distance to 5 to 6 seconds, refraining from sudden braking or accelerating, being extra vigilant when looking for pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable individuals, and never texting while driving.

Sidewalks can become slick with freezing precipitation which can be hard to see. There doesn't have to be ice on the road for there to be ice patches on sidewalks. 

Update from Austin Energy

Austin Energy is prepared for extreme weather events all year long. With severe cold and possible icy precipitation headed to our service area, the utility is ready to respond in the event of power outages. The utility supplies safe, affordable, reliable power to our customers every day, but power outages do occasionally happen. One out of three outages in our area are caused by vegetation and weather. During windy and stormy weather, heavy ice and snow can cause tree limbs to break and sway, rubbing against or hitting power lines. This can cause service fluctuations and widespread outages.

Restoring power is more than just flipping a switch. You may see line workers, forestry crews and trucks in your neighborhood, but employees throughout the utility are also working 24/7 to safely restore power. Our first priority is to keep our crews and customers safe so be aware that weather and other hazards may slow down the power restoration process.

See their full press release here.

Finally, be sure to watch, listen, and follow the news and social media for updates on closures throughout the city. My son tells me school is canceled for Thursday and Friday for AISD… and other reliable sources have just confirmed he is correct. 

Stay safe and warm.  

Regards, 

Alison Alter