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An arctic blast headed for Austin next week means many residents will be adjusting thermostats – and hoping the power stays on.
The National Weather Service says a cold front moving in Sunday afternoon will bring freezing temperatures to Central Texas by Monday morning. The cold snap is expected to last several days and could include some precipitation later in the week, which could ice over roads.
The onset of winter weather may cause anxiety for Austinites who lived through previous freezes and power outages, but officials say the city has learned from past mistakes. They say they are prepared to effectively communicate, both internally and with the public. They’ve also put tougher materials around power lines and water and electric equipment to protect it from ice buildup, and adjusted transformers for an increase in demand.
Bob Kahn, general manager for Austin Energy, said during a news conference last month that the utility has spent the year preparing for a cold blast.
“At our power plants and substations the focus has been on weatherizing, insulating and inspecting equipment,” he said. “We performed more frequent inspections throughout the winter months. Our personnel are trained for winter weather emergencies, and critical supplies are in stock.”
Kahn said the utility has also continued to focus on tree trimming around power lines and equipment.
Even with the preparations, Mayor Kirk Watson said people could still lose power.
“I want to be clear, we are working very hard to make sure what we can do with our part of the grid, what we can do with regard to making sure people know what needs to happen,” he said. “This will not be perfect. Winter weather is not perfect.”
But the city is as ready as it can be, he said. That includes having plans to keep roads safe and to open warming centers and overnight shelters. First responders have also trained crews to respond to possible severe weather.
Austin Water officials said they have backup generators to power their equipment in the event of a power outage and have crews ready to ensure the water stays on.
People should be prepared and proactive ahead of the cold weather. The city is urging residents to sign up for alerts about water and power outages. They should also stock up on water, and have blankets and backup medicines, batteries and pet supplies ready.
For more information, visit ReadyCentralTexas.org.
Andrew Weber contributed to this report.
