February 12, 2021
Harris County Urges Residents to Prepare for Historic Winter Freeze
What is the danger?
Bottom Line:
• Wherever you are Sunday night, you should be prepared to stay there through at least Tuesday.
• Take action now to protect people, pets, plants, and pipes from the effects of freezing weather.
• Road conditions will become extremely hazardous and all travel should be avoided.
• Residents should closely monitor media and the National Weather Service for updates to the forecast.
The Arctic air moving into Texas this weekend will push low temperatures well below freezing beginning Sunday night. Temperatures are expected to fall into the teens overnight on Monday and Tuesday and may remain below freezing on Tuesday. Areas of north and northwestern Harris County could experience single digit temperatures.
Long periods of below freezing weather will create life-threatening conditions for people, animals, and plants. It can also cause water pipes to freeze and burst. Residents are urged to take steps now to prepare for impacts.
Ice, sleet, and snow will make road, bridges, and overpasses dangerous. Beginning Sunday night, all travel should be avoided. Even roads that are treated will still be unsafe.
Harris County Public Health will be closing all testing and vaccination site from Sunday through Tuesday.
Additional information will be posted at ReadyHarris throughout this event.
What you should do:
Protect the “Four P’s”: People, pets, pipes, and plants.
People:
• Keep warm, stay inside if possible.
• If you need to go out, dress in layers and wear hats, gloves and an appropriate coat.
• Avoid overexertion, as cold weather puts added strain on your body.
Pets:
• Bring pets inside, and move other animals or livestock to sheltered areas.
• Keep adequate food and water available.
Pipes:
• Disconnect outdoor hoses, drain and store in protected area.
• Wrap exposed faucets and pipes - including those outside the house or in unheated crawl spaces, attics, garages and other areas.
Plants:
• Bring potted plants inside or store in garage near interior wall to provide extra warmth and protection from wind.
• For cold-sensitive outdoor plants, put down extra mulch and consider covering with a cloth fabric of some kind to shield the plants from wind and frost.
Heater Safety: Portable space heaters are often used to heat rooms and homes. If not used properly, they can cause fires, severe injuries, and death. If using a portable heater, remember these important safety tips:
• Keep heaters at least 3 feet from anything that can burn, including furniture, carpets, curtains, and people.
• Place heaters on solid, non-flammable surfaces.
• Never block exits with a heater and keep them out of the way of foot traffic.
• Keep children away from heaters.
• Always plug heaters directly into wall outlets – NEVER use an extension cord.
• Turn off and unplug space heaters when leaving a room or going to bed.
Protect yourself from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning by installing a battery-operated CO detector and never use generators, grills, camp stoves, or similar devices indoors.
Remember: 9-1-1 is ONLY for emergencies.
Where you can learn more:
El Condado Harris insta a los residentes a prepararse para la histórica helada invernal
¿Cuáles el peligro?:
• Dondequiera que se encuentre el domingo por la noche, deberá estar preparado para permanecer allí al menos hasta el martes.
• Actúe ahora para proteger a las personas, mascotas, plantas y tuberías de los efectos del clima helado.
• Las condiciones de la carretera se volverán extremadamente peligrosas por lo que se recomienda no transitarlas.
• Se le recomienda sintonizar los medios de comunicación local asa como el Servicio Nacional de Meteorología para obtener actualizaciones del pronóstico.
El aire del Ártico que ingrese a Texas durante este fin de semana provocará un dramático descenso en las bajas temperaturas muy por debajo del punto de congelación a partir del domingo por la noche. Se espera que las temperaturas bajen a un solo dígito durante las noches de lunes y martes y puedan permanecer bajo cero el mismo martes. Así mismo, las áreas del norte y noroeste del Condado Harris podrían experimentar temperaturas de un solo dígito.
Los períodos prolongados de clima bajo cero crearán condiciones potencialmente mortales para las personas, animales y plantas. También puede provocar que las tuberías de agua se congelen y revienten. Se insta a los residentes a tomar medidas ahora y prepararse para los impactos de las inclemencias del tiempo.
El hielo, aguanieve y nieve causaran que las carreteras, puentes y pasos elevados se tornen peligrosos. Por ello, a partir del domingo por la noche, se aconseja evitar cualquier tránsito vial, ya que incluso las carreteras tratadas seguirán siendo inseguras.
Por su parte, el Departamento de Salud Pública del Condado Harris cerrará todos los sitios de prueba y vacunación de domingo a martes. La información de reprogramación se anunciará más tarde.
Información adicional será publicada en ReadyHarris durante este evento.
Qué necesita hacer:
Es importante que proteja a las personas, mascotas, tuberías y plantas.
Personas: