Austin live weather updates: Austin-area roads clear of ice Tuesday morning
All Austin-area roads are clear of ice and other hazards as of Tuesday morning, after freezing rain and snow flurries created icy conditions, according to the Texas Department of Transportation.
An appeal by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas for Texans to conserve electricity Tuesday morning ended at 9 a.m.
The council, which manages about 90% of the state’s power grid, had said subfreezing temperatures and the return to work and school would send demand up while unseasonably low wind limits the supply of power during that time.
"Your conservation efforts, along with additional grid reliability tools, helped us get through record-breaking peak times" Tuesday and Monday morning, ERCOT said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
Conditions will be similar Wednesday, making another conservation period likely.
ERCOT and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said they expected the grid to function normally in a press conference Friday, but later asked residents to limit electricity usage on Monday and Tuesday mornings after demand was forecast to exceed supply.
In the winter storm of 2021, 4 million Texans were left without power after nearly half of the state's generation capacity was knocked offline because of frozen equipment and other weather-related problems across the system.
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson on Thursday recommended residents sign up for Warn Central Texas alerts.
Travis County parks reopened to public
County parks have reopened to the public after the severe winter weather that swept through Central Texas at the start of the week, the park authority said in a news release. Park water fountains and bathrooms are currently out of operation and will not be reopened until temperatures rise and any damage is repaired.
Park attendees are cautioned to dress warmly, as temperatures are predicted to stay below freezing until Wednesday afternoon, the release said.
Boil water notice issued for Hays County neighborhood
Belterra, a Hays County neighborhood located 18 miles southwest of Austin, has been issued a boil water notice because of unstable water pressure, after a water plant experienced a mechanical failure caused by freezing temperatures.
Upward of 6,000 residents have been affected by the notice, which has been instated for an undetermined amount of time, according to the news release. Those affected should bring water to a rolling boil for at least two minutes prior to consumption.
Austin-area roads clear, according to Texas Department of Transportation
As of 9 a.m. Tuesday, all Austin-area roads are clear of ice and other hazards, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. Hazardous road conditions in Northwest Austin, Georgetown and Bastrop were clear as of Tuesday morning.
On Monday, officials had warned of icy conditions on several roads in Northwest Austin. Parts of RM 2222, Loop 360, U.S. 183, RM 620 and several highways through Cedar Park were flagged for ice patches.
Major roads in Georgetown and Bastrop County were also closed Monday due to icy conditions and car accidents.
Minimal power outages reported in Travis and surrounding counties
Power outages in Travis County and surrounding counties remained minimal Tuesday morning.
Austin Energy said 99.98% of its customers had power as of 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, according to the utility's outage map.
The utility says 83 customers have no power. The outage map shows 11 active outages in the Austin area.
Customers who do not have power, but are not showing up on the outage map, should call Austin Energy at: 512-322-9100
In Travis County as a whole, around 99.9% had power.
About 70 outages are reported spanning from Bartlett to Pflugerville, affecting just more than 1,400 customers, according to Oncor, the energy provider for parts of Williamson, Bastrop and Travis counties.
Similarly, the Pedernales Electric Cooperative, which serves parts of the Hill Country and western Williamson, Travis and Hays counties, reported no outages as of early Tuesday morning.
Need to report an outage or check outage status in your area? Our power outage guide has information for how to contact local utility companies, including Austin Energy, Oncor and Pedernales Electric Cooperative.
Austin power outages:Track outages from arctic blast in Central Texas. See Texas power outage map.
Austin-area weather forecast through Wednesday morning; wind chill warning in effect
A wind chill warning will remain in effect Tuesday morning for the Austin metro area and Hill Country, the National Weather Service said in an email update early Tuesday morning.
The warning will be downgraded to a wind chill advisory Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday morning, when wind chill temperatures are expected to fluctuate, ranging from the teens into the high 20s, and eventually reach a high of 46 degrees Wednesday afternoon.
Bitterly cold weather will be replaced with a return to sunny skies and a high of 67 degrees on Thursday afternoon, before temperatures dip back down into the 30s and 40s on Friday and Saturday, according to the National Weather Service's forecast.
A hard freeze warning remains in effect for most of Central Texas through Wednesday morning as low temperatures Tuesday and Wednesday will dip into the teens. Wind chills of -10 to 10 degrees are expected across the region.
Meteorologists said flurries dissipated in the area around noon Monday, but said some slick spots remain on less-traveled roads and areas that received higher ice accumulations. Some patches of precipitation could remain through Tuesday.
Those who don't take proper precautions are at risk for hypothermia and frostbite through Wednesday morning, the weather service said.
Everything you need to know:Texas arctic blast brings freezing rain, temperatures to Austin
Fewer canceled flights on Tuesday from Austin airport
About 30 inbound and outbound flights from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport have been canceled Tuesday, according to FlightRadar24. This is a sharp decrease from flight cancellations on Monday, which saw 123 flights —a fifth of its flights — canceled.
The majority of canceled flights belong to Southwest Airlines.
Check with your carrier before leaving for the airport, and if your flight is not canceled, give yourself at least two hours before departure to reach your gate, with dangerous conditions expected on the roadways. The Texas Department of Transportation has a travel times map and cameras to help plan your trip.
Person found dead after fire at Northwest Austin homeless encampment
A person was found dead at a homeless encampment in Northwest Austin where the Austin Fire Department had extinguished a fire Sunday night. The death is possibly the first related to the current winter storm, though the official cause of death will be determined by the Travis County medical examiner’s office, the Fire Department said in a news release.
The department responded to a report of an outdoor fire in the 8300 block of North MoPac Boulevard (Loop 1) around 11:40 p.m. Sunday, the news release said. Firefighters found the deceased person after putting out the fire.
The cause of the fire has yet to be determined. The Fire Department's investigations division and the Austin Police Department's homicide unit are investigating.
The Fire Department did not provide more information about the fire or the person who died.
Austin weather:Nearly 100 flights canceled, delayed at Austin airport as arctic cold front hits Monday
In a tweet Saturday, the Federal Aviation Administration warned travelers that winter storms across the country would affect travel through Monday.
Austin road conditions:See live map of Texas road conditions, closures as state sees freezing temps, rain
How to help people experiencing homelessness during freeze
The Austin Winter Collaborative Effort, a coalition of organizations, is collecting donations and seeking volunteers to support people experiencing homelessness.
Sign up here to volunteer as a driver to distribute supplies and food or transport people to shelters, or to complete other tasks, such as volunteering at shelters or sorting donations.
The group is also seeking donations of these items:
- Gloves
- Heavy coats
- Handwarmers
- Blankets, including electric ones
- Hats
- Pants
- Sleeping bags
- Additional warm gear and supplies
- First-aid kits
- Nonperishable food items
- Water
- Tents
- Tarps
- Camping supplies
Donations will be collected from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. through Tuesday at Sunrise Homeless Navigation Center, 4430 Menchaca Road
CapMetro resumes normal service Tuesday
CapMetro will resume normal service on Tuesday after delaying service on Monday due to the weather, the transportation authority said on X, formerly Twitter.
CapMetro will continue to provide trips to cold weather shelters.
Austin, Travis County, Williamson County open Emergency Operations Centers
The Austin-Travis County Emergency Operations Center was activated Sunday afternoon due to worsening weather conditions. The center brings together city departments and regional partners to coordinate and prepare for any potential emergency.
The center activated this year earlier than it might have in the past after learning from the events of past winter storms, said Ken Snipes, director of the city's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
Williamson County has also opened its Emergency Operations Center, staffed with personnel from various law enforcement and emergency departments.
Williamson County’s Road and Bridge Division will be checking pavement temperatures and possible icing throughout the night, prioritizing elevated surfaces such as bridges and overpasses, the county said in a news release. Crews are on call to treat county roads and bridges with sand and de-icing material.
In the event of a freeze, the surface of raised roads, such as bridges, is more prone to icing, particularly with frigid wind chills.
In case of power outages, the Williamson County sheriff’s office will open the doors of its headquarters, 508 Rock St. in Georgetown, as a warming and charging station for those without power. That warming and charging station will remain open as long as it is needed.
Williamson County EMS is fully staffed and has an additional truck working overnight in the northern part of the county.
Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell asked residents to use space heaters with caution to reduce the risk of house fires.
He said thermostats will be lowered by four degrees in unoccupied Williamson County offices and encouraged residents to do the same.
How to conserve electricity use during cold weather
The Public Utility Commission, which oversees ERCOT, recommends taking these steps to conserve energy in cold weather:
- Set your thermostat at 68 degrees or lower. Every degree of extra heating will increase energy usage by 6% to 8%.
- Dress warmly.
- Use more blankets at night.
- Set ceiling fans on reverse to recirculate the heat that builds up near the ceiling.
- Cover windows on winter nights with insulated curtains.
- Open interior blinds, drapes or shades during the day to let the sun warm your home during cooler months.
ERCOT, Texas electric grid operator, issues weather watch through Wednesday
ERCOT on Sunday morning that is in effect through Wednesday "due to extreme cold weather across the ERCOT region, higher electrical demand, and the potential for lower reserves."
Under an ERCOT weather watch, grid conditions are still considered to be "normal." Texans can monitor grid conditions and power supply and demand at ercot.com.
Austin offers warming centers, cold weather shelters
A list of warming centers is available on the Texas Division of Emergency Management website at tdem.texas.gov/warm.
The city of Austin will make some of its facilities available as warming centers during the day. In times of extreme cold, branches of the Austin Public Library and facilities of the city's Parks and Recreation Department are used to keep people warm during normal business hours.
The city of Austin will keep cold weather shelters open for people experiencing homelessness at least through Wednesday morning, city officials announced Monday.
Registration for shelter will occur between 5 and 8 p.m. each day at One Texas Center, 505 Barton Springs Road. The center will act as the "central embarkation point" for people seeking an overnight shelter, the city said in a news release.
More:Where will thousands of people experiencing homelessness in Austin go during winter freeze?
People can take Capital Metro buses on route Nos. 1, 7, 10, 20, 30, 105 and 142 and Rapid Route 801 to One Texas Center to register for a spot in a shelter. Anyone seeking cold weather shelters who is not able to pay the bus fare will still be given a ride.
CapMetro will take people who have registered from One Texas Center to a cold weather shelter.
Amtrak route into Austin canceled Monday afternoon
Amtrak canceled its afternoon route into Austin, called the Texas Eagle, from Chicago. Officials canceled the train, which would have come from Chicago, because of an impending storm along the train's route, according to a tweet from Amtrak.