From KUT News:
Over the next 48 hours, staying warm will be a top priority for many Texans due to a winter storm expected to drop temperatures across the state to below freezing as early as Wednesday night.
With 2021’s deadly winter storm still looming large in people’s memories, state leaders are projecting confidence that we’re ready to weather the storm.
“Obviously, the lives of our fellow Texans are by far the most important thing,” said Gov. Greg Abbott in a press briefing Wednesday morning, adding that “we’re directing resources and responses and strategies to make sure that we put protecting life first and foremost.”
The majority of those resources will be concentrated in the northern parts of the state, including the Dallas-Fort Worth area, where meteorologists say residents should expect severely cold temperatures — plus sleet and possible snow — beginning Wednesday night and continuing through Friday.
Abbott said the state’s many preparations include pretreating of roads and bridges by crews from the Texas Department of Transportation.
The storm will also act as another test of the state’s power grid, which Abbott said he believes Texas will pass with flying colors.
“If there is a loss of power, it’s not going to be because of the power grid,” said Abbott.
The governor receives a briefing about cold weather conditions at the State Operations Center.
Michael Minasi / KUT News
The state’s grid is managed by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT. Its CEO, Pablo Vegas, said recent infrastructure improvements have equipped Texas to handle this storm easily.
“We have added more than 10,000MW of new generation just this year since the last winter. And so we’ve got more supply on the grid than we ever have had before,” said Vegas.
However, some localized power loss is still possible. Abbott said that would be due to, “freezing rain on power lines that could cause downed power lines. Or could cause trees or tree limbs and things like that to fall to cause a power line to go down,” said Abbott.
Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd said local shelters have opened for homeless and families who may have trouble staying warm in their homes.
“Our local partners have already opened over 340 warming centers,” said Kidd, adding additional ones will be opened soon.
Warming centers can be located via this search tool on TDEM’s website.
Brian Barth, the Deputy Executive Director for the Texas Department of Transportation added the agency has moved staff, “from South Texas that aren’t impacted by this up to the DFW area.”
As for the highly anticipated Cotton Bowl, which is scheduled for Friday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Abbott said, “there should be no hindrance to people being able to attend the game.”
The college football semifinal will feature the University of Texas Longhorns versus the Ohio State Buckeyes. The winner will go on to play in the National Football Championship game in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
