KPUB’s service territory will be under a winter storm warning later this week. Confidence continues to increase that a wintry mix of freezing rain and sleet will occur by Thursday morning for the Hill Country and continue into the afternoon.
While we are not anticipating this event to be like that of the February 2021 Winter Storm Uri event, it’s important to always be prepared and take safety precautions for you and your family during extreme winter weather conditions.
A very strong arctic cold front will move through South Central Texas, bringing the coldest temperatures we have seen so far this winter. Up to ¼ of an inch of ice is currently forecast. Travel could be very difficult on untreated roads, especially elevated bridges, overpasses, and roadways. Please stay safe and off the roads as much as possible on Thursday.
Cold weather can pose a danger to your health and safety—now is the time to prepare and protect yourself with the four ‘Ps:’
PEOPLE
When you’re heading outside in cold weather, it’s important to stay warm. Layer up in sweaters, large coats, gloves and something to keep your head warm.
Never leave children or the elderly in vehicles during cold weather, as they can act as refrigerators and expose anyone inside to sub-freezing temperatures.
Never use a generator, grill, camp stove, or any gasoline, propane, natural gas or charcoal-burning device to heat your home (or any enclosed area). These devices can generate carbon monoxide, which can’t be seen or smelled, but is deadly.
PETS
On the coldest days, make sure to not forget about your four-legged friends. Hypothermia is the main threat to pets from the cold. Make sure to bring your pets inside where it’s warm (long or short-haired).
PIPES
When the temperature drops below 32 degrees, pipes can freeze and burst. Make sure to protect your pipes with the following tips:
Keep a steady drip. When the weather is very cold outside, let the cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes. Running water through the pipe, even at a trickle, helps prevent pipes from freezing.
Open cabinet doors. Keep cabinet doors open under sinks in the kitchen and bathrooms to allow heat from inside the home to reach pipes.
Insulate your pipes. There are many different ways to protect your pipes, from heat to foam or rubber insulation. Whatever method you choose, make sure that not only are your pipes covered, but any other part of the house that may be covering it is crack-free.
PLANTS
Another thing to protect in times of cold is your plants. You may want to consider bringing your plants inside or covering them with a plastic bag to help them stay warm.
ERCOT & ENERGY DEMAND
KPUB is continuously monitoring weather outlooks and grid conditions. While Texas is anticipating high energy demand through the weekend, ERCOT projects to have sufficient generation to meet the high demand for electricity. ERCOT has not issued any energy conservation warnings at this time.
We are not anticipating this to be a severe event for major outages in our service area, but we are prepared and are on standby 24/7 to keep the lights on safely and reliably for you all. If you experience an outage, visit our outage center here or contact us at 830.257.2883.
For all of our winter prep tips, click here.