Austin, TX

Morning Briefing Texas Jan. 23

Published

3 months ago

January 23, 2026

Press Room

Good morning, Texas. Here’s what you need to know today.

Your Weather Planner

The first half of our Friday will be the final hours of preparation before the winter weather moves in. Expect rain on and off through the day for much of the state. A winter storm warning and extreme cold warnings go into effect over the weekend as our winter storm begins to unfold.

Get your 7-day forecast: Austin | San Antonio | Dallas

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Around Texas

1. ERCOT issues Weather Watch ahead of cold temperatures, grid conditions expected to be ‘normal’

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) has issued a Weather Watch for Jan. 24-27 ahead of incoming cold temperatures.

ERCOT says the Weather Watch is due to “forecasted below-freezing temperatures with the possibility of frozen precipitation, higher electrical demand, and the potential for lower reserves,” adding that grid conditions are expected to be normal during this period.

2. Airlines offer no-cost flight changes during winter weather threat

If you’re scheduled to fly out during the threat of severe cold weather this weekend, a few of the nation’s largest airlines are offering some relief.

Delta, American, Southwest and United Airlines are allowing passengers who are scheduled to travel starting Jan. 23 to change their travel plans at no extra cost.

3. TxDOT prepares roads for incoming winter weather

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has begun preparations in response to the incoming winter weather.

Texas Department of Transportation snow plows sit idle as a work crew, nearby, takes a lunch, Friday, Feb. 3, 2023, in Dallas. TXDOT continues cleaning off busy highways and streets that still have ice build up as the temperature is expected to dip down overnite in North Texas in the the low thirties. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Around The Nation

1. Major winter storm will bring heavy snow and dangerous ice across the country this weekend

2. Border Patrol says it won’t leave Minneapolis until all undocumented immigrants are detained

3. Trump says deal framework would give U.S. ‘everything we wanted’ in Greenland

Deep in the Heart of Texas

Kristine Crump, right, and her husband Todd clean up debris from fallen branches Friday, Feb. 3, 2023, in their northwest Austin, Texas, neighborhood. Nearly every house in the neighborhood had trees damaged by an ice storm earlier in the week. (AP Photo/Nell Carroll)

Austin Energy says it’s ready for the potential storm

Andrew Anstrom has vivid memories of the 2023 winter storm that left Austin covered in ice. He’s the owner of a tree service company and was out helping the community clean up their neighborhoods.

The ice and snow were so heavy that they caused trees to topple over onto homes, cars and power lines. The damage left over 400,000 Texans without power at the peak of the storm. Over 170,000 Austin Energy customers were without electricity, according to Austin Energy. The utility company reported that 10.5 million trees were damaged.

Over two years since the ice brought the city to a standstill, Austin Energy officials said their modernized program is leading to improvements.

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Austin, TX

Austin named No. 1 coffee city in the U.S.

Published

5 hours ago

April 15, 2026

Press Room

Austin named No. 1 coffee city in the U.S.

AUSTIN, Texas — Culinary magazine Food & Wine named Austin the top U.S. city for coffee in the nation.

The city seems to have a coffee shop on every corner, with some operating out of unique locations.

Mercado Sin Nombre in East Austin brings a Mexico City street vibe with cempasúchil flowers and other colorful decor, a Coca-Cola brand menu sign and milk crates doubling as tables. Walter’s Tavern on South Congress Avenue operates out of a historic Victorian home and A Hole Coffee literally serves drinks out of a hole in the wall.

From creative concepts to beloved classics, shops like Leona, which recently opened in Sunset Valley, Desnudo — serving up masterful lattes with ingredients like miso paste and fruit purees — and Cherrywood Coffeehouse are some of the city’s most popular haunts for a cup of joe.

“The sheer variety of cultural influences, creative drink options, and accompanying food choices make Austin’s one of the most vibrant coffee scenes in the country,” Food & Wine said.

See the magazine’s full list below.

Top 10 U.S. cities for coffee, according to Food & Wine:

Austin
New York City
Los Angeles
Chicago
Seattle
Miami
Honolulu
San Francisco
Boston
San Juan, Puerto Rico

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Austin, TX

Man charged with murder in connection with deadly East Austin shooting

Published

17 hours ago

April 15, 2026

Press Room

Man charged with murder in connection with deadly East Austin shooting

AUSTIN, Texas – A man was charged with murder in connection to a deadly East Austin shooting last week, police said.

This is the Austin Police Department’s 20th homicide of the year.

What we know:

Police said on April 10, around 8:40 p.m., officers responded to a call of a shooting at the Cabana Club at 5012 East 7th Street.

When officers arrived, they found a victim, Richard Barr, with gunshot wounds to his body. He died from his injuries.

The investigation showed there had been a fight in the parking lot outside the club that escalated into the suspect, 21-year-old Ryan Lara, shooting Barr in the back.

Barr had been moving away and across the parking lot from Lara when he was shot. Police said Lara had also shot two other people in the group. They were taken to a local hospital for their injuries. One victim remains in critical condition while the other victim was released.

Ryan Lara, 21 (Austin Police Department)

Lara was charged with murder.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Austin Police Department at 512-974-TIPS. You may submit your tip anonymously through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program by visiting austincrimestoppers.org or calling 512-472-8477. A reward of up to $1,000 may be available for any information that leads to an arrest.

The Source: Information from the Austin Police Department

East AustinCrime and Public Safety

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Austin, TX

Austin weather: Intense storms in West Texas could make it to Hill Country

Published

1 day ago

April 14, 2026

Press Room

Austin weather: Intense storms in West Texas could make it to Hill Country

AUSTIN, Texas – We will be on storm watch tonight.

Local perspective:

More of the same today with a cloud/sun mix, warm, humid and breezy conditions.

Highs heading for the 80s with wind gusts of 15 to 25 mph.

The backstory:

The West Texas dryline will be the storm machine. This is where the Gulf moisture meets up with dry air coming off the mountains.

As the two different air masses collide the air will be forced up.

The heating of the day and upper low will provide even stronger lift to generate numerous and more intense storms in West Texas.

There is a chance a few of the storms will survive their journey away from the dryline and reach the Hill Country starting this evening and overnight.

By the time they enter Central Texas, most of the storms will drop below severe limits.

The highest threat of severe weather remains west of the Hill Country.

What’s next:

Could we get redevelopment with the storms late on Wednesday?

The jury is still out because not all the models agree, so we will have to play the wait and see game.

The next game-changers will be a stronger Western Low and a cold front with bite to it entering the picture this weekend.

Expecting increasing rain chances on Saturday followed by a cooler and drier breeze the rest of the weekend.

What you can do:

Track your local forecast for the Austin area quickly with the free FOX 7 WAPP.

The design gives you radar, hourly, and 7-day weather information just by scrolling.

Our weather alerts will warn you early and help you stay safe.

The Source: Information from meteorologist Zack Shields.