Austin, TX
Arctic blast breaks energy, temperature records in Austin
Video: Downtown Austin silent as arctic blast freezes city
A winter weather advisory is in effect in the Austin-San Antonio region until noon Monday, according to the National Weather Service, with temperatures expected to remain below freezing.
City of Austin officials plan to keep warming shelters open through Wednesday morning as dangerous, subfreezing temperatures will linger into midweek.
As residents hunkered down indoors Monday, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas — which manages the state power grid — pleaded with Texans to conserve energy Tuesday morning. Although Austin Energy broke usage records Monday morning, officials said they didn’t expect widespread outages related to the record-breaking cold weather.
Temperatures will drop to the mid-teens in Austin both Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, according to the National Weather Service, though it said chances of precipitation had disappeared Monday afternoon. A wind chill warning is in effect until 9 a.m. Tuesday and a wind chill advisory will be in effect Tuesday night until 10 a.m. Wednesday.
The thermometer at Camp Mabry registered a temperature of 16 degrees, which is colder than the previous daily record of 19 degrees, set in 1944, Mayor Kirk Watson said during a Monday news conference.
More: Austin live weather updates: ERCOT asks for energy conservation Tuesday morning
The risk for frostbite and hypothermia is high in weather like this, he said.
“Please, please continue to avoid all nonessential travel and stay indoors, if at all possible,” Watson said.
Record-breaking energy demand
Austin Energy broke a record for peak demand Monday morning, when customers used 2,760 megawatts, Austin Energy General Manager Bob Kahn said. The previous peak was 2,630 megawatts, he said.
Kahn emphasized that he doesn’t expect widespread outages, such as those that in 2021 plunged millions of Texans statewide into powerlessness during a week of dangerously freezing temperatures.
The utility has experienced only minor outages, which in some cases have been caused by overloaded circuits.
“A fuse will blow,” Kahn said. “We replace that within an hour.”
High grid load
Residents should try to reduce energy use by turning the thermostat down a few degrees or using a fireplace to heat their home, Kahn said. People shouldn’t use an oven to heat their home, he said.
In case of unexpected outages, the city has identified circuits that carry noncritical infrastructure, Watson said.
More: See live map of Texas road conditions, closures as state sees freezing temps, rain
“We will try to roll those outages in a way that any one area would not have more than 40 minutes,” Watson said. “We right now do not anticipate that’s going to happen.”
As of midday Monday, utility companies in Austin, Travis County and surrounding areas had reported few power outages. Just over 99.9% of Austin Energy customers had power around 2:30 p.m., with 22 localized outages affecting about 100 customers, per the utility’s outage map. In Travis County as a whole, about 99.9% had power.
Similar power outage percentages were reported in Williamson County to the north and Bastrop County to the east.
More: How to prepare your house, pantry, car, emergency plan before arctic blast hits Austin
As of 2 p.m., about 49 inbound and 57 outbound flights, less than 19% of flights, had been canceled at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, according to Flight Radar 24.
Icy conditions were reported on roads and highways across the region. In Georgetown, all southbound lanes of Texas 130 at the Interstate 35 entrance were closed due to a multivehicle wreck at Patriot Way.
Out in the cold
Frigid and overcast, the city was relatively sleepy on the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday Monday. Shoppers shivered as they climbed out of their steaming cars at the H-E-B on Riverside Drive.
Christina Castilleja loaded bags into her car.
Her family of nine in Manor lost power during a freeze last year, so this time they vowed to prepare for cold weather, she said. They brought their generator out just in case the power went out.
More: Track outages from arctic blast in Central Texas. See Texas power outage map.
“We have to be sure that we have everything we need,” Castilleja said while putting away eggs, juice and other essentials.
Castilleja spent the days before the freezing weather donating blankets to unhoused people and planned to take chili and hot cocoa to them this week, she said.
“If we can’t handle it, imagine being out there 24 hours for days on end trying to figure out how to stay warm,” Castilleja said.
Steven Slavin, who was also getting essentials Monday morning, had spent the morning driving for a ride-hailing app.
“I’m making good money, and there’s not a lot of traffic,” Slavin said. “It’s been working out for me.”
He had made the trip to H-E-B to stock up in case road conditions became too bad to drive.
Roads and shelter
Austin and Travis County had treated several elevated roads and bridges — which are more likely to accumulate ice — with a material that reduces ice.
The city has been operating six shelters — up from the normal three — to accommodate the increased demand for indoor shelters, Watson said.
City shelters and temporary warming centers housed about 400 people and seven dogs Sunday night into Monday morning, Watson said.
City officials announced Monday that they plan to keep the shelters open through Wednesday.
“I anticipate that we will have more people that will sign up,” Watson said.
People who want to seek shelter must register at One Texas Center, 505 Barton Springs Road, between 5 and 8 p.m. each day. City staffers will provide transportation from the center to shelters.
Austin, TX
I'm a Californian who moved to Texas for a shot at the American dream. I moved back after 2 ½ years, but I miss Texas.
- Kimberly Wilkerson is a lifelong Californian who moved to Austin in 2022.
- She preferred Texas’ politics and enjoyed the state’s nature.
- Wilkerson moved back to California earlier this year to be near family.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kimberly Wilkerson, a 46-year-old self-published author and entrepreneur who moved from Oakley, California, to Austin in 2022. She stayed 2 ½ years before moving back to California to be close to family.
I was born and raised in Northern California, mostly in the East Bay. I’m a single mother to one son, who is 20 years old.
I felt blessed in California that I could go to the snow, the beach, and the mountains. I could be in any climate that I wanted within a few hours.
Our culture in California is very diverse. Growing up, I had so many friends from all different places. California is a hub for information and innovation. And that’s so beautiful.
But I don’t agree with a lot of what California’s leadership has done, and I had grown frustrated by politics. Both sides have their rights and wrongs. It’s a big ugly mess.
I worked in the corporate world for a while in conjunction with tech. I was able to support both me and my son, and we were comfortable. But I became disabled and was on disability for quite a few years.
Around 2022, however, I was feeling better and got the blessings of my physicians to start working again. I knew I wouldn’t be able to remain in California once I started working because I only paid a portion of my rent and other costs due to my disability.
I knew I needed to create a new life for myself. I started writing again. It was just pouring out of me and before I knew it, I was like, “I’m writing a book!” I was gifted the money to self-publish.
That really started a new life for me. I wanted to build this new creative career for myself, so I was willing to do almost anything as far as jobs that would bring in income.
Both my son and I wanted to move out of California. I was offered a job to relocate to Texas. I took a job as a night auditor, basically the hotel manager, for a major hotel chain.
I wanted to be able to buy a home. So, we said, let’s do it. And we headed for Texas.
I was excited to move to Texas
I didn’t really have any anxiety. My son and I had been through a lot and needed a fresh start.
We moved to Austin originally. But as Austin continued to grow, we moved just north of the city. I’m seeing that happen a lot more. People have to spread out because parts of Texas are growing so fast.
The state is so much bigger than we give it credit for. You can drive for 50 miles and see nothing but emptiness and fields.
Once you get to Austin, though, it feels like you’re in a mini-California. I think a lot of people in the last few years have moved there and influenced the culture.
Within one year of being in Texas, I saw so much growth. It just throws everything out of whack.
But for the most part, everyone was beautiful and very welcoming to us. We were embraced in Texas.
The first question I was usually asked was, “What brings you here?” People want to know why you’re there and if you’re going to screw up their state.
My normal response was, “I know a lot of people from California have moved here, and I believe everybody has a different reason for it.”
I went to Texas to have the American dream. My main priority is to have a solid foundation to leave for my son and his future family. That’s it. I don’t need a lot. I just need my little part.
I think the Texans understood that about me. I have friends there now who are like family.
The nature in Texas is undeniably the most peaceful and beautiful I’ve encountered in my life thus far.
I also felt like Texas was offering politics that I was more in favor of than California.
I stayed in Texas for 2 ½ years
My mother was growing more ill. Her health had been declining since I left. I had a hope of moving my mother to Texas, but that wasn’t going to be possible. It was better for me to come back to California.
Having said that, I still want to go back.
It was a difficult decision to some degree. I came back at the end of July.
There has been good and bad. It’s been good to see friends and family, and I’ve done a lot of healing in my relationships here.
When I went back to my old church, they said, “We saved your seat; here it is.” It was really beautiful. I felt very welcomed.
I got to see my mom laugh last night, and it was so beautiful. A moment like that makes being here worth it.
But I hope to go back to Texas one day. I’m waiting for the next right thing, which ideally would be if I’m getting married. Then, whichever place my husband is most comfortable will be my home.
Austin, TX
Consol uses big second half to remain undefeated, beating Austin Anderson 56-28
AUSTIN, Texas (KBTX) – A&M Consolidated used a big second half to pull away from Austin Anderson Friday night at Nelson Stadium. The Tigers won 56-28, improving to 5-0 on the season and 3-0 in 5A-Division I Region III District 12 play.
The teams were tied at 21 at halftime, but two quick scores in the third quarter by Consol proved to be the difference.
The Tigers opened the scoring on a long touchdown pass from Will Hargett to Darius Roberts.
Consol would take a 21-7 lead with just less than three minutes to play in the first half thanks to a fourth-down trick play. A double-reverse pass saw Hargett open in the end zone for the score.
However, the Trojans would even things up before halftime with a pair of touchdowns from Ed Small. The first coming on a highlight-reel, one-handed catch to make it 21-14. His second interception came as time expired in the half on a interception returned for a touchdown.
Consol pounced in the second half and was able to keep the Trojans at bay, only allowing 7 points.
The Tigers have an open week before hosting Lehman on Oct. 11.
Copyright 2024 KBTX. All rights reserved.
Austin, TX
Austin hosts Real Salt Lake in Western Conference play
Real Salt Lake (14-7-9, second in the Western Conference) vs. Austin FC (9-13-8, 11th in the Western Conference)
Austin, Texas; Saturday, 8:30 p.m. EDT
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK: LINE Austin FC +129, Real Salt Lake +183, Draw +255; over/under is 2.5 goals
BOTTOM LINE: Austin and Real Salt Lake square off in conference action.
Austin is 8-11-6 in Western Conference play. Austin is ninth in the league allowing 42 goals.
RSL is 10-6-7 against Western Conference opponents. RSL has a 6-3 record in one-goal matches.
Saturday’s game is the second meeting between these teams this season. RSL won the last meeting 5-1.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jader Obrian has six goals and two assists for Austin. Gyasi Zardes has three goals over the past 10 games.
Christian Arango has scored 17 goals with six assists for RSL. Anderson Julio has three goals and two assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Austin: 2-6-2, averaging 0.9 goals, 3.5 shots on goal and 5.2 corner kicks per game while allowing 1.4 goals per game.
RSL: 4-4-2, averaging 2.0 goals, 5.4 shots on goal and 4.7 corner kicks per game while allowing 2.2 goals per game.
NOT EXPECTED TO PLAY: Austin: Mikkel Desler (injured), Matt Hedges (injured).
RSL: Jose Kevin Bonilla (injured), Nelson Palacio (injured), Pablo Ruiz (injured).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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