Translated Emergency Information 

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During a disaster or emergency, visit this page to get up-to-date official information from the City of Austin and Travis County about the hazard impacting our community and immediate actions you should take to keep you and your loved ones safe.  Consider bookmarking the link to this page so you can quickly find it during a crisis. You can also follow Austin HSEM on social media: 

Twitter - @AustinHSEM

Facebook - @AustinHSEM

Prepare now for emergencies 

The best way to protect yourself during a major emergency is to have a safety plan, supplies, and access to critical information long before it happens. Visit ReadyCentralTexas.org to sign up for emergency alerts, and learn what you can do today to help yourself survive and recover more quickly from disasters in the future.

Download Ready Central Texas App

The City of Austin Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and the Travis County Office of Emergency Management have partnered to deploy an emergency preparedness mobile app.

The Ready Central Texas app provides:

  • News updates and warnings
  • Preparedness resources
  • Emergency plan checklists to help make sure you have what you need

The app is available on Android and iOS devices and is free to download and use.

Status

Winter Storm Warning until February 2, 06:00 AM CST

7-Day Forecast 30.27N 97.74W (weather.gov)

Cold Weather Shelters are activated Jan. 30, Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, 2023.

Cold Weather Shelter Activation Thresholds: 

  • 32 degrees or colder overnight  
  • 35 degrees, with rain/wet  
  • 35 degrees, with wind chill of 32 or colder 

The City uses the National Weather Service weather report at Camp Mabry as the official location for assessing temperatures due to its central location and proximity to Downtown. 

  • Individuals can get information about access and activation by calling the Cold Weather Shelter Hotline - 512-305-4233.  

  • Shelter registration takes place between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. at One Texas Center (OTC), 505 Barton Springs Road.  

  • CapMetro transports registered individuals from the OTC to a Cold Weather Shelter.  

  • While Cold Weather Shelters are primarily accessed by people experiencing homelessness, they are available to anyone in need of a warm place to spend the night.

Warming Centers

City Parks Facilities and Libraries serve as warming shelters during regular businesses hours.  

Terrazas and Little Walnut Creek Library Branches will be available as warming centers Jan 31 until 5:00 p.m. and Feb 1 from 9:00 a.m -5:00 p.m. The Special Events Center at the Central Library is available as a warming center only Jan 31 until 6:00 p.m..

See Park Closures for facility operations.

City Hours of Operations

The City of Austin is suspending all regular, non-essential operations effective 2 p.m. today, January 31, 2023 through Wednesday, February 1, 2023.  More information available on the City's home page featured news, and below in the Modified Hours section.

Modified Hours for Select City Departments
  • Code - No in-person inspections 1/31/23. Emergency Field Ops teams will be on standby only for emergency or imminent conditions.
  • Courts - Municipal Court  and Downtown Austin Community Court are closing at 2 p.m. today, Jan. 31, 2023, except for the Violet KeepSafe Storage (VKS) program. The VKS program will remain operational throughout this time period as an essential service for individuals experiencing homelessness.
  • DSD - The Development Services Department is suspending all in-person services, including inspections, on Tues., Jan. 31. Staff will remain available by phone, chat, email, and for any virtual appointments, but the Permitting and Development Center is closed. For those with scheduled inspections on Jan. 31, please reach out to your inspector to determine eligibility for virtual inspections. 
  • Golf - Golf courses will be closed.  
  • Libraries - All Austin Public Library locations will be closed, except for a few locations used as warming centers. 
  • Parks/Pools - For information about park closures, visit www.AustinTexas.gov/ParkClosures. 
  • Public Health - All Austin Public Health clinics and offices are closed due to inclement weather. Limited remote WIC services are available by calling 512-972-4942.
  • Trash/Recycling - Austin Resource Recovery closing as of 11 a.m. Jan. 31, 2023. Some Tuesday and all Wednesday trash, recycling, composting, bulk and brush collections will be suspended until later in the week. Carts should be left at the curb so staff can collect material once road conditions improve.
  • Utilities - All Utility Customer Service Centers will be closed today Tuesday, Jan. 31 due to the inclement weather. Customers can make utility payments at http://coautilities.com or by calling 1-833-375-4919 for Quick Payment. Additional payment options: http://coautilities.com/go/paymentoptions  
Volunteering 

The Austin Winter Response Collaborative is working to aid unhoused neighbors during this winter response. To volunteer or donate supplies, please visit https://communityresiliencetrust.org/winter-response/

Updated  2:20 p.m., Jan. 31, 2023