North Austin News

The Austin-Travis County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) remains active following overnight sub-freezing temperatures and wintry precipitation that have created hazardous travel conditions. Residents of Austin are advised to stay home unless travel is necessary, as the National Weather Service Cold Weather Advisory continues until Wednesday morning.

The EOC is coordinating efforts among city and county departments, partner agencies, and non-governmental organizations. Critical updates will be available online at AustinTexas.gov/Alerts in 14 languages.

Transportation and Public Works crews are treating critical bridges and roadways, but overall travel conditions remain dangerous. Some roads may be closed for safety reasons by officials from the City, County, or State. School Zone beacons were turned off Tuesday due to school closures.

Austin-Travis County EMS has responded to over a dozen cold exposure calls since Monday, including two fatal incidents under investigation by the Travis County Medical Examiner. Residents are reminded that exposure to cold can lead to hypothermia and should call 9-1-1 if immediate medical attention is needed.

Cold Weather Shelters will remain open through Wednesday morning based on weather forecasts. A sixth shelter is expected to open Tuesday night. Approximately 550 guests used the City’s overnight shelters on Monday night with intake continuing at One Texas Center.

Four libraries are serving as warming centers from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., providing refuge from the cold for those in need.

Austin Water crews have restored service after water main breaks at West 43rd Street and Rosedale Avenue and Burnet Road and Koenig Lane. Motorists should avoid these areas while repairs continue at another break reported at 3012 Stokes Drive affecting about 50 customers who are receiving bottled water deliveries.

Austin Resource Recovery has suspended Tuesday collections; customers should leave uncollected carts out for pickup later in the week. Updates can be accessed via the Austin Recycles app or AustinTexas.gov/MySchedule.

Austin Energy reports normal operations with no major power outages related to weather conditions; outages can be reported at AustinEnergy.com/Outages.

The Parks and Recreation Department will inform after-school participants about programming changes due to some locations being used as shelters. General parks programs are canceled through Wednesday morning at certain sites; updates are available at AustinTexas.gov/ParkClosures.

The EOC will remain operational until further notice with updates posted on social media accounts @AustinHSEM on Facebook, X/Twitter, Instagram, and shared through official City of Austin channels.

Residents should refrain from calling 9-1-1 unless there is a medical or life-threatening emergency. For other services or assistance from the city, contact 3-1-1 or download the mobile app for information. Signing up for emergency alerts via WarnCentralTexas.org is encouraged for receiving notifications by text, call, or email during this period.