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City of Austin

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Release Date: Jan. 25, 2026
Contact: EOC Media Line     512-974-0699    Email
City and County employees working in the Austin-Travis County Emergency Operations Center

Afternoon update on Jan. 25, 2026 on the winter weather response

City of Austin and Travis County officials shared an update Sunday on the ongoing winter storm response, outlining current conditions, impacts to services, and next steps to keep residents safe. During a virtual press conference, Mayor Kirk Watson, Travis County Judge Andy Brown, and emergency management leaders provided the latest information on weather forecasts, city infrastructure, public safety, and available community resources, while urging the public to stay informed and take precautions as conditions evolve.
 

Weather Update

The Extreme Cold Warning remains in effect through noon Monday, January 27. Wintry precipitation has moved out of the area. Temperatures will remain below freezing today and throughout all of Monday and drop into the teens overnight. Any melting of ice on roads that may occur during the day will likely refreeze into ice tonight.
 
The public is urged to stay off the roads. Roads are icy and Transportation & Public Works crews continue to treat critical roads to make them passable for emergency responders. But, passable does not necessarily mean safe. If you must drive, take precautions and use resources like Drivetexas.org to plan your route. Help keep roads clear for emergency first responders.
 

Closures and Changes to City Services

The City of Austin will move to modified operations on Monday. This means that many City facilities will be closed to the public. However, City employees who can do their job remotely will do so. Those responding to this weather emergency will be out and about.

Further details about City facility closures to the public will be shared later today.

CapMetro announced this morning that they will have a delayed start on Monday, Jan. 26, with limited service beginning at noon. Additional information is available on CapMetro’s website.
 

Cold Weather Shelters and Warming Centers

In partnership with the Austin Area Urban League, the City expanded to six facilities, with the ability to expand further as needed. Facilities are operating 24 hours through morning of Tuesday, Jan. 27.

Embarkation for Cold Weather is being held today from 2-8 p.m. Shelter goers needing transportation to embarkation should call 3-1-1. Austin Public Library is extending hours for three branches on Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to serve as Warming Centers. Those branches are:

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

A Warming Centers Map is available on the Alerts webpage www.austintexas.gov/alerts.
 

Austin Energy

Overnight, Austin Energy crews responded to isolated outages related to the winter storm, working through icy road conditions and frozen equipment to assess damage and restore power. While impacts have been limited, ice remains on trees and power lines today, and outages are still possible as conditions change. Ice can affect all electric systems.  

  • Wind and Ice — Trees, power lines and poles are already stressed under the weight of ice. Wind may cause extra stress that can break tree limbs and cause outages.
  • Galloping Lines — Galloping lines often result from ice buildup on one side of the power line due to strong winds. The buildup of ice changes the flow of air around the line, causing bouncing wires, or galloping power lines. This can lead to outages.
  • Melting Ice — As ice melts, tree branches and lines spring back into place and this can cause lines to hit each other and cause outages. 


Austin Water

The Austin Water Operations Center remains activated as a precautionary measure during ongoing freezing weather conditions. Water and wastewater operations remain normal. Austin Water encourages customers to review cold-weather readiness guidance, including steps to protect pipes and conserve water during freezing conditions to help reduce the risk of weather-related service disruptions.
 

Public Safety

Austin-Travis County EMS responded to just over 400 total incidents between 10 a.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. Sunday, including 12 traffic collisions with injuries and 15 cold-related illness calls, one of which was unfortunately a fatality. ATCEMS Community Health Paramedics have transported 29 people to cold weather shelters since Friday.

Austin Police responded to 67 collisions, 32 traffic hazards, 10 persons transported to shelters, and 1068 calls for service between noon Saturday and 9 a.m. this morning.

Austin Fire responded to a fire at 9807 N FM 620 RD (Council District 10) just before 7:30 p.m. Saturday night. The fire was a result of a chimney malfunction. Six apartments were damaged and 12 people displaced, thankfully no one was injured. Those displaced were either housed by the complex or had somewhere else to go. Additionally, Austin Fire responded to 64 Vehicle Accidents in the past 24 hours; 34 of those accidents occurred after weather conditions declined around 5 p.m.
 

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.

All members of the community should 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, which 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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