Austin, TX

Austin Woman Shares Tips on How to Weather Winter Storm

Published

4 weeks ago

February 4, 2026

Austin Woman Shares Tips on How to Weather Winter Storm

An Austin woman who once suffered the consequences of forgoing extreme weather preparation is advising her neighbors to get serious ahead of a winter storm. Here’s what she suggests.

TikTok creator Anastasia (@stasiamorrow) posted a video with her advice last month. “Attention all Austin residents: I’m going to give you a quick rundown of the things that you should do to prepare for this winter storm—coming from somebody who didn’t do these and had to pay the price,” she says to start the video.

In the caption, she wrote, “Try to find a place with a generator if you can. Stay safe and check on your loved ones.”

What This Austin Recommends Doing Ahead of This Weekend’s Storm

The first piece of advice is on the subject of plumbing. “All of your faucets need to be dripping. Hot and cold water,” she says. “Both need to be dripping.”

The second recommendation addresses potential water needs. “Next, you want to fill up a bathtub before the storm with water so you have water to use in your toilets and things if your water gets shut off,” she says.

Anastasia’s third suggestion is to charge all of your electronic devices. “All of your power banks,” she says. “Everything. Get it charged now, because you don’t want to be going to your car at 4 in the morning.”

With regard to food, she recommends staying stocked but not over buying. “Don’t go and buy everything,” she says. “Buy the staples. Buy some canned beans. Buy some canned vegetables and buy beef.”

She adds, “If you’re gonna grill, it doesn’t need to be frozen, but preferably freeze it. You can always thaw it out, but that way it stays cold.”

The last recommendation has to do with heating your home properly. “And, finally, before the storm, make sure your thermostat is set hotter than you usually set it in case you lose power,” she says. “You want to make sure that your apartment is still going to be warm and it’s not absolutely freezing.”

Viewers React to the Winter Storm 2026 Preparation Advice

In the comments section, viewers debated whether this level of prep is necessary or if it’s overkill.
“Y’all taking this too seriously,” wrote one viewer. “Looks like a normal day in Minnesota.”

A person replied, “Yeah, and this isn’t Minnesota? Come on, don’t be obtuse. The infrastructure is not made for freezing temperatures, ice, and snow.”

Someone else indicated they aren’t taking it as seriously as Anastasia. They wrote, “I’m playing Fortnite.”[[File:Winter Storm Uri in Austin, Texas 05.jpg|Winter_Storm_Uri_in_Austin,_Texas_05]]

Local officials are urging residents to take the potential of inclement weather seriously, and (responsibly) stocking up on food, batteries, and other emergency items is a good idea. Here is a list of things to grab from HEB or any other local grocery store with inventory still in stock.

Patch Texas contacted Anastasia via TikTok comment and direct message for comment.

Source link

Austin, TX

Will the rest of Austin allergies seasons be as bad as cedar this year?

Published

9 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Will the rest of Austin allergies seasons be as bad as cedar this year?

Austin had a particularly itchy and drippy cedar fever season to start the year. Many winter days, from late December into February, had high or very high ashe juniper (aka cedar) pollen counts.

Central Texas has a year-round allergy season with mold popping up at any time. For the more traditional spring and fall allergy seasons, forecasters at AccuWeather are predicting some of the allergens across the country will be worse this year than average.

Texas, though, is a different story.

For grass allergies, which happen now through September, AccuWeather estimates Austin will have an average season. However, just west of the Interstate 35 corridor in the Hill Country to almost El Paso, that season is expected to be worse than normal.

“Texas may experience above-average grass pollen for a few weeks,” AccuWeather’s allergy report said, “though the season could be shorter-lived compared to northern areas.”

It all depends on the weather

How much rain we get in the next six months and the perennial Texas heat will all affect the growing season for grasses and weeds, as well as the amount of pollen trees produce. The Farmers’ Almanac and the Old Farmers Almanac are both predicting a wetter and warmer spring.

Rain helps plants grow, which can increase pollen production over time. However, rainfall during allergy season can also bring temporary relief by washing pollen out of the air. That’s what we’re expecting this weekend, with our first meaningful rain chance in nearly three weeks. Tree and weed pollen levels might briefly drop, but mold could spike because it thrives in damp, humid weather.

If spring continues with excessive heat like we saw in February, it could limit the growth of some plants and trees. Extreme heat can reduce how much they grow, and how much pollen they produce. On the other hand, if we get a healthy balance of rain and only slightly above-normal temperatures — not extreme heat — pollen counts could climb. That’s especially true as we head into April, typically our windiest month of the year, which helps spread pollen more easily.

How can you treat allergies in Austin?

If you are feeling the effects of allergies, here are some things you can do to lessen them:

Start taking allergy medication at least two weeks before your allergen’s season is supposed to start. Keep taking your allergy medication throughout your allergen’s season, even on low-pollen days.
Vary your allergy medication. You can take a nasal spray, an eye drop and an oral antihistamine at the same time to treat the different symptoms. If one kind of allergy medication isn’t working, consult your doctor about whether you should add a second one or switch out the medication.
Take a shower before going to bed.
Take off outside clothes or shoes when you get into the house.
Do a daily nasal wash such as a neti pot or saline spray.
Consider seeing an allergist to get drops or shots to lessen your reaction to the allergen.

Consider these household tips to improve your chances of keeping allergens away:

Change the filters in your house regularly during cedar fever season.
Vacuum and sweep regularly.
Change your sheets, especially your pillow regularly.
Keep doors and windows closed.
Clean out the vents in your home.
Have your home tested for indoor allergens such as mold.
Wash and brush the animals in your house to lessen the amount of allergens in the air.
Wear a mask outside or inside while you are trying to lessen the pollen or mold indoors.

Source link

Austin, TX

Texas Primary: Breakdown of Texas races

Published

21 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Democrats tried to stop a mid-decade redistricting effort, but were unsuccessful. Now, we are starting to see some of the candidates emerging in those newly drawn districts. FOX 7 Austin’s Rudy Koski gives a full breakdown.

Posted March 3, 2026 10:32pm CST

Source link

Austin, TX

Remembering Jorge Pederson: Minnesota MMA fighter killed in Austin, Texas, shooting

Published

1 day ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Remembering Jorge Pederson: Minnesota MMA fighter killed in Austin, Texas, shooting

ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) – A shooting on West Sixth Street in Austin, Texas, early Sunday morning, killed three people and injured more than a dozen others, according to the Austin Police Department. APD confirmed one of the victims was 30-year-old Jorge Pederson, a Minnesota man who worked as an MMA fighter for the Med City Fighting Championships.

“You meet tons of fighters and there are people that stand above the rest that you find you enjoy or find the most amusing,” MCFC Co-Owner Matthew Vogt said. “He was definitely one of them.”

According to Vogt, Pederson was also the owner of a Minnesota business called Metro Movers. Vogt said the MMA competitor touched everyone’s hearts since his first day of fighting professionally in Rochester.

“As soon as we met him when it was the weighing time, we just loved the guy already because he had a great mission or spirit about him,” Vogt said. “He was a funny guy and great fighter.”

Vogt told KTTC when he first saw the news that Pederson was killed, he could not believe what he saw.

“I was looking, like, ‘Wait a minute. Is this one of his shenanigans or did something actually happen there?’” Vogt said, recalling the moment he saw a social media post regarding the shooting in Austin. “I confirmed with a few people and I’m just like, sometimes, some things happen that you don’t even like, you don’t even know how to respond to it because it’s just so out of left field that you don’t immediately have a response to it.”

MCFC confirmed there is an online fundraiser dedicated to supporting Pederson’s family. As of Tuesday afternoon, more than $10,000 has been raised.

“He was someone that always could make anybody laugh,” Vogt said. “Support his family through the fundraiser and take a look at his Instagram especially to see how funny he was.”

Find stories like this and more, in our apps.

Source link