Houston Mayor John Whitmire has urged residents to remain indoors and avoid all non-essential travel from Saturday through Tuesday, as a potentially dangerous winter storm is expected to grip the city.
According to city officials, an arctic front will move into Texas following midweek rainfall, setting the stage for extreme cold and possible icy conditions across the Houston area. Emergency Management Director Brian Mason briefed city council, warning of “bone-chilling” temperatures that could plunge into the low 20s and even the upper teens. With strong winds, wind chills may dip into the low teens or single digits.
Although the exact level of precipitation and ice accumulation is still uncertain, Mason said the system is causing serious concern. He noted that early indicators bear similarities to the catastrophic winter storm of 2021, though he stopped short of predicting a repeat. He emphasized that preparedness is critical, recalling that the 2021 storm left millions without electricity, triggered widespread boil-water notices, and led to hundreds of deaths across Texas.
City leaders say widespread power outages are not currently anticipated, but precautionary coordination is underway with CenterPoint Energy. Mayor Whitmire confirmed that Houston began activating emergency response teams and departmental leadership as early as last weekend.
All city warming centers will remain open throughout the cold spell, including four locations equipped with backup generators to operate during potential power disruptions. The mayor described the situation as serious and said conditions are being reviewed hour by hour.
Public Works Director Randy Macchi advised residents not to drip their pipes and said the city will start pre-treating roads for ice roughly 24 hours before the storm arrives. Crews will focus on 41 high-priority sites, including bridges, overpasses, and elevated roadways.
Macchi added that while the city does not own snowplows, assistance can be requested from the Texas Department of Transportation if conditions worsen. He also assured residents that water and wastewater facilities are expected to stay operational, with crews on standby to address any infrastructure or road safety issues.
Mayor Whitmire is expected to provide further updates later this week as forecasts become clearer and preparations continue.
