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City of Austin

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Release Date: Jan. 24, 2026
Contact: EOC Media Line     512-974-0699    Email
The downtown Austin skyline viewed from Lady Bird Lake with fog coming off the water

Afternoon/evening update on Jan. 24, 2026 on how winter weather is impacting the area

The Austin-Travis County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) activated today at noon in response to winter weather impacting the Central Texas region this weekend. Austin Emergency Management (AEM) will coordinate the City’s response to this event with other City service departments and non-governmental organizations. Critical updates will be posted online at austintexas.gov/alerts in 14 languages.
 

Weather Update

The Winter Storm and Extreme Cold Warnings issued by the National Weather Service remain in effect until noon on Sunday, January 25. Additionally, an Ice Storm Warning was issued this afternoon and will be in effect until noon Sunday. NWS is now projecting a more intense night with more widespread icing and freezing rain.

Ice accumulation totals have increased slightly as well. One-quarter inch of ice is more likely across a larger portion of Central Texas. Austin is still projected at one-tenth of an inch to one-quarter inch with isolated totals higher than this possible in areas. Ice accumulation of one-quarter inch also has the potential to cause issues with tree limbs.

Air temperatures are now in the upper-20s and will drop into the mid-20s around 6 p.m. Freezing rain should move into the area in the evening hours. NWS advised that when temps hit the mid-20s with freezing rain is when road conditions worsen significantly. By midnight most locations in the area will be in the low- to mid-20s with widespread freezing rain along the I-35 corridor.

Road conditions will deteriorate drastically once freezing rain begins to fall this evening (around 6 p.m.) because temperatures will already be at the ideal temperature for sticking. The NWS indicated travel will be near impossible, and the public is urged to remain off the roads and keep them clear for emergency responders.

Austin Transportation and Public Works began pre-treatment Thursday evening for critical roadways and structures. Pre-treatment is complete for 100% of our critical network, including 347 lane miles of streets and 66 bridges. Not all streets are part of this critical network, and even if a street has been treated, there may be ice present.

Crews will continue monitoring and treating as conditions change.
 

Cold Weather Shelters and Warming Centers

Cold weather shelters welcomed 370 guests overnight Friday across four facilities. Ahead of CapMetro suspending services at 4 p.m., Austin Homeless Strategies & Operations (AHSO) reached out to its people experiencing homelessness list to encourage them to be on a bus by 4 p.m. in order to get to One Texas Center for Cold Weather Shelter registration and embarkation, which will be open until 8 p.m. Embarkation for Cold Weather Shelters will be held from 2-8 p.m. on Sunday. Shelter goers needing transportation to embarkation should call 3-1-1.

All Austin Public Library locations closed at 3 p.m. today, with the exception of three branches serving as Warming Centers. Those locations will also be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, but library services will not be available.

  • Central Library – 710 W. Cesar Chavez St.
  • Terrazas Branch – 1105 E. Cesar Chavez St.
  • Little Walnut Creek Branch – 835 W. Rundberg Ln.
     

Closures and Changes to City Services

Multiple City departments closed facilities due to the winter storm. As a reminder, Austin Arts, Culture, Music, & Entertainment, Austin Parks & Recreation, and Austin Public Library closed all locations on Saturday at 3 p.m. and will remain closed on Sunday. These closures do not affect the facilities being used as Warming Centers.

CapMetro suspended all bus, rail, CapMetro Pickup, CapMetro Access, and Bikeshare service at 4 p.m. today, and will remain suspended on Sunday. This decision is based solely on safety. CapMetro staff will continue to monitor conditions for Monday, January 26.
 

Austin Animal Services

Animal Services had a significant response from the community to their call for fosters and adopters. Friday and Saturday saw a total of 66 fosters, 20 adoptions, and one reclaimed pet, freeing up critically needed space for additional intake over the weekend. AAS will be open on Sunday for the public from 1-4 p.m. Staff will be onsite to ensure care for our animals throughout this weather event. Managed animal intake will be for emergencies only during the shortened hours. To report stray or injured animals, call 3-1-1.

Due to the large number of animals fostered out, AAS is in need of bedding and dog kennels of all sizes. Items needed can be found on their wish list.
 

Watershed Protection

Austin Watershed Protection wants to remind residents to avoid discarding brush and fallen tree limbs in creeks or waterways. Do not stack piles of debris in the street next to storm drains. Doing so impedes the flow of water into our city’s drainage infrastructure and can cause flooding for you and your neighbors. For large, heavy tree limbs or storm debris removal, call 3-1-1 to arrange special collection.
 

Emergency Management

The EOC will remain operational until further notice. In addition to the Alerts page listed above, updates will be posted on @austintexasgov social media accounts on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, and shared to Austin Emergency Management’s social media accounts and by other City accounts. Community members are encouraged to follow their preferred local news media for up-to-date information. AEM will contact reporters to ensure they have up-to-date information for the public.

AEM asks all members of the community to take necessary actions to protect themselves and other household members including pets for this event. Information on preparing for, withstanding, and recovering from a variety of emergencies is available online at ReadyCentralTexas.org. Multiple departments contributed to the winter weather seasonal awareness and preparedness press release last month that includes more information on the four steps of preparedness: Make a Plan, Build a Kit, Know Your Neighbors, and Stay Informed. It also has tips on road safety, utilities, and more.

Please do not call 9-1-1 unless you have a medical or life-threatening emergency. If you need other types of service or assistance from the city, please call 3-1-1 or 512-974-2000 or download the 3-1-1 mobile app. Keeping 9-1-1 lines clear for only emergencies will aid the City to properly dispatch first responders and emergency personnel to those who need help.

If you have not signed up to receive emergency alerts on your phone, please visit WarnCentralTexas.org to register. Alerts can be sent via text, call, and/or email.

The City encourages everyone to stay safe and be resilient. Take measures to protect the four Ps: People, Pets, Pipes, and Plants. AEM will provide updates throughout the EOC activation and notify members of the media accordingly as well.
 

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