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.

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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:

1. People
2. Pipes
3. Plants
4. 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. 

AUSTIN, Texas – Central Texas businesses, organizations and government entities are adjusting their operations due to the arctic blast that’s impacting the region.

The backstory:

A Winter Storm Warning has been issued from 6 p.m. today, Jan. 20, to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 21. This means snow and sleet are possible and could lead to some travel issues overnight. 

FOX 7 Austin’s Zack Shields says that all the pieces of the snow puzzle will come together tonight from midnight to sunrise tomorrow. The highest snow totals will stay east of Austin with 1 to 2″ possible.

Many school districts, private and charter schools, and colleges and universities have decided to close their campuses for Tuesday, Jan. 21 with decisions pending for Wednesday.

What businesses are impacted?

H-E-B

The Texas grocery store chain says they are temporarily adjusting store hours for the following stores:

Greater San Antonio area

• Boerne, Bulverde, Fredericksburg, all Kerrville stores, and all New Braunfels stores will close at 8 p.m. on Jan. 20 and open at 10 a.m. on Jan. 21.
• All other San Antonio area stores will close at 10 p.m. on Jan. 20 and open at 10 a.m. on Jan. 21.
• Central Market will close at 10 p.m. on Jan. 20 and open at 10 a.m. on Jan. 21.

Central Texas area

• Kyle, Lockhart, Luling, and all San Marcos stores will close at 8 p.m. on Jan. 20 and open at 10 a.m. on Jan. 21.
• Wimberley will close at 7 p.m. on Jan. 20 and open at 10 a.m. on Jan. 21.
• All other Central Texas area stores will close at regular hours on Jan. 20 and open at 10 a.m. on Jan. 21.
• Central Market stores will close at 10 p.m. on Jan. 20 and open at 10 a.m. on Jan. 21.
• Stores in Belton, Harker Heights, Gatesville, Killeen, Temple, and Waco area will operate normal business hours.

For more information, click here.

What services are affected?

CapMetro

CapMetro services are suspended after 9 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 20. Riders are advised to take final trips before 9 p.m.  Night Owl buses are canceled.

Due to MLK Day, Rail, UT Shuttles and Express are not in service. 

CapMetro says that it expects service will also be impacted on Tuesday, Jan. 21 and will share updates here.

Central Health and CommUnityCare

All Central Health and CommUnityCare clinics and offices will be closed Tuesday, Jan. 21.

Central Health and CommUnityCare team members are contacting patients with information about how the weather will impact their appointments. Patients seen by third-party providers will be contacted by those providers.

Central Health Eligibility Services team members are contacting applicants with appointments to reschedule or provide information about how to apply online and over the phone. An announcement on Wednesday closures will be issued Tuesday.

Central TX VA Health Care System

VA outpatient clinics in Austin, Cedar Park, LaGrange and Bryan/College Station will be closed Tuesday, Jan. 21.

Local VA staff are reaching out to patrons affected by the closures to reschedule appointments either via VA Video Connect (VVC), Telehealth, or in-person appointments.

All clinics are expected to reopen on Wednesday. All other facilities and services remain open for normal operating hours.

Integral Care

Integral Care clinics, administrative offices, and other non-essential programs will be closed on Tuesday, Jan. 21. Psychiatric Emergency Services, all other crisis services and all residential services are continuing normal operations. 

Anyone in need of urgent help can call 512-472-HELP (4357), then press 1 for English, then 1 for immediate assistance.

YMCA of Greater Austin

All Greater Austin YMCA centers will be closing all facilities on Monday Jan. 21 at 8 p.m. and expects to reopen facilities at noon on Tuesday, Jan. 21.

What government offices are impacted?

City of Austin

All City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department facilities will be closed on Tuesday, January 21, except those being utilized as Warming Centers.

Austin City Manager T.C. Broadnax announced the City will be under modified operations on Tuesday, Jan. 21, requiring critical employees to telework if they are able.

City of Georgetown

City of Georgetown facilities will be closed to the public on Tuesday, Jan. 21, in response to winter weather. Tuesday’s closures include:

• Art Center, 816 S. Main St.
• Animal Shelter, 110 Walden Drive
• City Hall, 808 Martin Luther King, Jr. St.
• Council and Courts Buildi,.ng (including Municipal Court), 510 W. Ninth St.
• Garey Park, 6450 RM 2243
• Georgetown Municipal Complex, 300-1 Industrial Ave.
• GoGeo paratransit services
• Grace Heritage Center, 817 S. Main St.
• Parks and Recreation Administration, 1101 N. College St.
• Planning Department, 809 Martin Luther King, Jr. St.
• Public Library, 402 W. Eighth St.
• Public Safety Operations and Training Center, Police Records and Fire Support Services offices, 3500 D.B. Wood Road
• Recreation Center, 1003 N. Austin Ave.
• Tennis Center, 400 Serenada Drive
• Visitors Center, 103 W. Seventh St.

Board and Commission meetings scheduled for Tuesday have been cancelled. The Georgetown Executive Airport will remain open.

Solid Waste and Recycling Collection

As of 3 p.m. on Monday, Texas Disposal Systems was planning to collect landfill trash or recycling on Tuesday, Jan. 21. If you are on a Tuesday route, please put your carts out by 7 a.m. as per usual. Residents should leave their cart at the curb until it is collected, as TDS may run late or decide to delay routes until the following day. The Transfer Station, 250 W.L. Walden Drive, will remain open on Tuesday.

City of New Braunfels

The City of New Braunfels is making operational changes to city services due to the weather:

• Das Rec will close at 6 p.m. Jan. 20
• All non-essential City services will delay opening until 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 21st. This includes City Hall and other administrative offices, Municipal Court, the Public Library, the Westside Community Center, Das Rec, the Civic & Convention Center, and the City Municipal Building.
• Garbage and Recycling collection will have a delayed start and will resume normal operations when roads are determined to be safe.
• The Landa Park Golf Course will be closed through Wednesday, Jan. 22 and will re-open on Thursday, Jan. 23 at noon.
• Restrooms, water fountains, and other similar facilities in all city parks are temporarily closed.
• The Downtown Advisory Board meeting scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on Jan. 21 has been cancelled and will be rescheduled for a later date.

Travis County

Travis County Judge Andy Brown announced Travis County’s non-essential offices, services, and facilities will be closed on Tuesday, Jan. 21. 

Essential emergency personnel will continue to report for duty. Travis County employees who have questions about their department can reach out to their immediate supervisor.

The Travis County Commissioners Court voting session scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 21, at 9 a.m. is cancelled.

Williamson County

Williamson County offices will be closed on Tuesday, Jan. 21.

WASHINGTON (OSV News) — Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston and named as his successor Bishop Joe S. Vásquez of Austin, Texas.

Cardinal DiNardo has headed the Texas archdiocese since 2006, and a year later Pope Benedict XVI elevated him to the College of Cardinals. On May 23, 2024, he turned 75, the age at which canon law requires bishops to submit their resignation to the pope. The cardinal is a former president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Archbishop Vásquez, 67, has headed the Diocese of Austin since 2010. Additionally, he served as apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Tyler, Texas from November 2023 to December 2024.

The resignation and appointment were publicized in Washington Jan. 20 by Cardinal Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States.

This is a developing story. More to come.