Houston Winter Storm Preparedness: Weekend Forecast and Safety Tips

Winter Storm Forecast and Impacts

• ❄️ A significant winter storm is expected to sweep across Texas, with cold rain beginning Saturday and turning to widespread icing after midnight Saturday night into Sunday.
• ⚠️ Icing is anticipated to be heaviest north of Houston, but portions of Harris County could also experience icing, particularly on bridges and overpasses.
• 🥶 Wind chills are expected to drop into the 20s on Saturday and reach as low as 18 degrees by Sunday morning, with a hard freeze predicted for Monday morning.
• ⚡ Accumulation of ice on power lines and tree limbs poses a risk for power outages.

Emergency Preparedness and Response

• 🚨 A disaster declaration has been issued for 134 Texas counties.
• 🛠️ Texas has 5,000 vehicles ready and the National Guard has been activated for rescues, food, and water delivery.
• 🏠 Warming centers are opening across the state, including a dozen in the Houston area, to provide shelter for those without power or heat.
• 🚗 City and state officials are urging residents to stay off the roads during the storm, especially after Saturday night.

Power Grid and Infrastructure

• 🔌 ERCOT is not anticipating grid issues, and Centerpoint Energy is actively working to maintain local power.
• 🌲 Centerpoint crews are inspecting critical infrastructure, performing enhanced vegetation management (tree trimming), and setting up staging sites.
• 💡 Centerpoint emphasizes that Houston's power supply comes from multiple transmission sources, which helps prevent widespread outages.
• ⚠️ Customers are urged to sign up for power alert services and utilize the outage tracker on KHOU.com.

Fireplace Safety and Heating Tips

• 🔥 For those planning to use fireplaces, experts recommend using dry, seasoned wood for a longer, hotter burn.
• ⚠️ Before lighting a fire, inspect the chimney for cracks or gaps that could be fire hazards.
• 💨 Ensure the damper is open before lighting a fire to allow smoke to exit through the flue.
• 🚫 Avoid lighting a fire if a gas burner or log starter is rusted or appears unsafe.