Austin, TX
Austin weather: City prepares for winter weather
Austin officials prepared for winter weather
The cold weather is here, and the precipitation is on the way. The Austin-Travis County Emergency Operations Center has been activated.
AUSTIN, Texas – The cold weather is here, and the precipitation is on the way. The Austin-Travis County Emergency Operations Center has been activated.
The artic air is plunging towards Texas.
“We’re expecting a hard freeze at least through Wednesday, Jan. 22, and there’s precipitation that is expected later tonight,” Mayor Watson said.
RELATED STORIES:
Is Austin prepared for winter weather?
What they’re saying:
“We are prepared,” Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said.
City and state officials have been busy.
“What our teams have been doing over the course of the last week is restocking, resupplying our resource staging areas, making sure all of our equipment was ready to go,” Texas Division of Emergency Management Seth Christensen said.
“If you absolutely have to travel, please check official city communications regarding road conditions and any current incidents or road closures. Then, what we do is we suggest that you map out the route that you’re going to take, so that you can avoid areas where there might be black ice that could form like bridges and overpasses,” Mayor Watson said.
Remember the four P’s:
- People
- Pipes
- Plants
- Pets
“Please check on seniors and other people that cannot leave their houses, make sure that their heaters are working, make sure that they’re staying warm and that their medical needs, if any, are met,” Travis County Judge Andy Brown said.
Why you should care:
The expected precipitation is what could make the roads very dangerous.
“The best thing you can do is stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary,” Mayor Wayson said.
Austin’s Director of Transportation and Public Works said they’ll be treating about 25 percent of the roads in the city.
“The brine solution that will be pre-treating our high priority roadways and elevate structures is very effective at lowering the freezing point of the precipitation,” City of Austin Director of Transportation and Public Works Richard Mendoza said.
“Don’t assume that because we’re doing what I think is and will be a good job of covering the area, that your specific route is one that got covered,” Mayor Watson said.
What is open and closed in Austin?
What we know:
Schools, city and county officials are making it easier for people to stay home. Austin ISD has announced they are closed Tuesday, Jan. 21. The city and county offices are closed for those not providing essential services.
Three warming centers at public libraries are open; the Terrazas Branch, Little Walnut Creek Branch, and Ruiz Branch.
Cold weather shelters are open until at least Wednesday, Jan. 22. The overnight shelter registration happens from 6 to 8 p.m. at One Texas Center on Barton Springs Road.
Capital Metro will not be running after 9 p.m. Monday.
“We want to be sure that we all have a plan and that we’re ready to hunker down as nightfall falls today on Monday night through probably early Wednesday morning,” Christensen said.
If you haven’t already, sign up for emergency notifications at warncentraltexas.org.
The Source: Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin’s Meredith Aldis
Austin, TX
More dangerous Texas floods expected after at least 2 killed and hundreds of people rescued in high water, governor says – WTOP News
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — More dangerous Texas floods expected after at least 2 killed and hundreds of people rescued in…
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — More dangerous Texas floods expected after at least 2 killed and hundreds of people rescued in high water, governor says.
Copyright
© 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
Austin, TX
Live updates: Flash Flood emergency in Kerr County as rain continues to pound Texas
KERRVILLE, Texas (KXAN) — The City of Kerrville issued a shelter-in-place Thursday morning, with heavy rain causing reported evacuations early Thursday morning. A Flash Flood Warning is currently in place for Kerr County as the Guadalupe River continues to rise.
Around 5:30 a.m., the National Weather Service said a “large and deadly flood wave is moving down” the Guadalupe River.
KXAN First Warning Weather Meteorologist Kristen Currie said approximately 11 inches of rain have fallen northwest of Kerr County since 10 p.m. on Wednesday. The Guadalupe River is expected to reach major flood stage in multiple areas.
Kerr County PIO Lisa Walter said “there have been multiple swift water rescues and evacuations.” Officials emphasized not to drive through flooded streets and to turn around if water covers the roadway.
Evacuations were underway in multiple areas, according to the county, including:
- Goat Creek
- Arcadia Loop
- Lowery/Guadalupe area
- Junction Highway low-water crossings
- Other low-lying neighborhoods
Emergency shelters are open at Impact Church (Goat Creek evacuation point), Calvary Temple Church and City West Church for people in West Kerr County, the county said.
Here are the latest headlines:
Live updates
7:03 a.m.: KXAN’s Kevin Baskar is in Gillespie County providing updates on the latest flood conditions in the area. Watch his update below.
6:37 a.m.: Kerr County officials emphasized not to drive through flooded streets and to turn around if water covers the roadway.
Evacuations were underway in multiple areas, according to the county, including:
- Goat Creek
- Arcadia Loop
- Lowery/Guadalupe area
- Junction Highway low-water crossings
- Other low-lying neighborhoods
Emergency shelters are open at Impact Church (Goat Creek evacuation point), Calvary Temple Church and City West Church for people in West Kerr County, the county said.
6:27 a.m.: Video shows emergency crews hauling boats and rescue equipment through Kerrville.
6:15 a.m. NewsNation correspondent Xavier Walton and his photographer captured a structure being swept up in river water and crashing into a Kerrville bridge. The structure appears to be some sort of shipping container, pushing against the bridge.
Watch the video below:
6:08 a.m.: Kerr County PIO Lisa Walter confirms “there have been multiple swift water rescues and evacuations.”
6:02 a.m.: The Guadalupe River at Center Point is expected to crest at 35 feet, which is the same crest as July 4, 2025.
5:57 a.m.: The National Weather Service said “a large deadly flood wave” is moving down the Guadalupe River.
5:49 a.m.: The Comfort Volunteer Fire Department said it has units in Kerrville and Centerpoint alerting people along the Guadalupe River. They’re helping Kerr County with evacuations along Highway 27 between Comfort and Centerpoint. They said all VFD personnel are OK.
5:30 a.m.: The Kerr County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post that it’s received reports of “street flooding in Ingram, and it’s likely many roads and city streets are flooded as well.”
Austin, TX
Austin Pets Alive! activates emergency response to assist shelters affected by flooding
AUSTIN (KXAN) — As flood threats continue across parts of South Central Texas, Austin Pets Alive! has activated emergency response efforts to support animal shelters affected by the inclement weather.
In a social media post, APA! wrote, “We began offering aid last night, working to secure fosters for 10 dogs in the Castroville shelter, an open-air shelter that sits at the bottom of a valley.”
APA! said the situation escalated overnight with additional shelters reporting flooding. One shelter confirmed that floodwaters reached its facility, APA! added.
Communities overwhelmed due to weather include Uvalde, Castroville and Sabinal.
The nonprofit is asking the Austin community to foster, adopt or donate to free up capacity for animals displaced by the disaster. APA! needs to clear out its facilities to assist the animals in need of shelter.
Here are ways you can help:
- Adopt: APA! is offering a “Name Your Own Adoption Fee” on all animals.
- Foster: The shelter is seeking foster homes for a minimum of three weeks.
- Donate: Proceeds will fund vans and response teams setting up a staging and triage center at the heart of the disaster zone, along with an expanded stockpile of preventatives, PPE and additional supplies.
If you would like to donate, click here.
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