NOTICE: This live blog for Saturday and Sunday is no longer being updated. For the latest information and updates on the winter weather in Central Texas, go to the live blog for Monday.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — After days of icy cold weather in Central Texas, historically cold weather and snow reached the area late Sunday night and Monday morning.
This is the first-ever wind chill warning issued by the Austin/San Antonio National Weather Service Office. Our KXAN team is tracking the latest updates on this storm which will likely cripple the City of Austin and surrounding areas for days.
A Winter Storm Warning issued by the National Weather Service continues in the Austin metro area through noon Monday at least. A dangerous period of icing and sleet began Saturday and continued Sunday with snow accumulating across the area Sunday night.
We will include all the notices we receive from law enforcement or other traffic officials about crashes in this post.
Check our list of school closures and postponements with potential dangerous driving conditions on deck.
- KXAN First Warning Weather forecast updates
- Central Texas Radar
- Weather alerts
- Checklist for protecting your home during wintry weather
- What to know about COVID-19 vaccine appointments amid wintry weather
- Austin area rainfall amounts
- Central Texas webcams
- How to drive on icy roads if you must
- Download the KXAN First Warning Weather App
Monday 2:40 a.m.
KXAN photojournalist Andrew Choat’s camera was rolling as the winter storm pushed through Round Rock Sunday night.
Check out the time lapse video above.
Monday, 1:30 a.m.
Early Monday morning, the ERCOT (the Electric Reliability Council of Texas) moved the Energy Emergency Alert to level three, the highest alert level for the state.
ERCOT, who manages the state’s power grid, said Monday around 1:30 a.m. that rotating outages are underway to reduce demand on the electric system.
Additionally, ERCOT said traffic lights and other infrastructure may be temporarily without power.
Monday, 12:17 a.m.
Early Monday morning, the ERCOT (the Electric Reliability Council of Texas) declared an Energy Emergency Alert 1 for the state of Texas, noting that energy conservation is needed statewide. ERCOT, who manages the state’s power grid, said Monday there are no rotating power outages at this time.
11:58 p.m.
KXAN Meteorologist Nick Bannin said temperatures were so cold during his live reports that the bottom piece of a camera tripod froze to the ground in Austin.
10:51 p.m.
Bluebonnet Electric posted on Twitter that its crews had arrived at FM 812 in Bastrop Country to begin repairs on equipment impacted by the extreme cold.
“Working as quickly, safely as possible to restore power in difficult conditions,” Bluebonnet said.
10 p.m.
The south terminal at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is closed due to the winter storm. The airport expects to provide an update at 12 p.m. Monday. You are advised to check with Frontier and Allegiant Airlines for your flight before heading to the terminal.
8:46 p.m.
Leander Police Department shared that one of its vehicles was damaged Sunday during the icy conditions as an officer got stuck while driving on ice, then got struck by another vehicle. The department urged the public to stay home.
8:37 p.m.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) who manages the state’s power grid shared on Twitter that ERCOT set a new winter peak demand record Sunday evening.
7:55 p.m.
Bluebonnet Co-Op posted on Twitter that two Bluebonnet crews were headed to an outage northeast of Independence in Washington County along the Brazos River impacting 203 people. Bluebonnet noted that their crews are slowed by the “treacherous road conditions.”
7:33 p.m.
Austin Public Health announced that the St. John’s Lark Center, Wellness, and Southeast COVID-19 testing sites will be closed February 16 due to “adverse weather.” Those with appointments are asked to reschedule. APH was already not planning to do COVID-19 tests on February 15 due to President’s Day.
7:02 p.m.
Baylor Scott & White announced that all its clinics in the Austin/ Round Rock area will be entirely virtual on Monday February 15. BS&W added that its Austin/ Round Rock drive-through COVID-19 testing sites will be closed.
Baylor Scott & White’s hospitals, however, will remain open.
“We appreciate the commitment of our staff who work to maintain our facilities, patient care, and support services during this winter weather event,” Baylor Scott & White said in a statement.
7 p.m.
The city of Austin and Travis County issued local state of disaster declarations in response to ongoing severe winter weather in the area. Both Austin Mayor Steve Adler and Travis County Judge Andy Brown urged residents to stay home and off the roads.
6:44 p.m.
Leander ISD announced it will move to all virtual learning through Thursday February 18. The district says it has a virtual professional learning day for staff on Monday Feb 15. Learning and events for students will be all virtual on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
6:33 p.m.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced that the White House issued a federal Emergency Declaration for the entire state in order to respond to ongoing severe winter weather.
5:42 p.m.
Thrall ISD announced the district is planning to go to all remote learning from February 16 through February 18. The district says no activities will be taking place on campus due to the freezing conditions. Thrall ISD doesn’t have classes on Monday, February 15 because of President’s Day.
5:40 p.m.
5:36 p.m.
The Lakeway Police Department posted on Twitter urging the public: “PLEASE STAY OFF AREA ROADS!”
The department said several vehicles have been stranded on roadways and that conditions will worsen as freezing rain turns to snow overnight. Additionally, the department warned of possible power outages.
Lakeway PD reminded the public that if they have an emergency, please call 9-1-1.
YMCA of Austin told KXAN all its branches will be closed on Monday, February 15, 2021, due to the weather advisory and road conditions.
Additionally, YMCA of Austin said it will monitor the forecast Monday and will let people know about branch schedules for Tuesday.
5:30 p.m.
KXAN Photojournalist Andrew Choat captured photos from Sunrise Road and Old Settlers Boulevard in Round Rock Sunday evening. Choat reports that roads are becoming more slick than when he first got there.
5:28 p.m.
CapMetro announced its services will be stopped after 8 p.. on Sunday. Its service hours will be 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday. You can view more details about CapMetro service updates here.
5:22 p.m.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) who manages the state’s power grid is urging Texans to help conserve energy across the system to maintain the reliability of the electric system. ERCOT President and CEO Bill Magness said ERCOT is seeing record-breaking electric demand due to extremely cold temperatures in Texas.
“At the same time, we are dealing with higher-than-normal generation outages due to frozen wind turbines and limited natural gas supplies available to generating units,” Magness continued. “We are asking Texans to take some simple, safe steps to lower their energy use during this time.”
Some of the measures ERCOT is encouraging include:
- Turn down thermostats to 68-degrees.
- Close shades and blinds to reduce the amount of heat lost through windows.
- Turn off and unplug non-essential lights and appliances.
- Avoid using large appliances (i.e., ovens, washing machines, etc.).
- Businesses should minimize the use of electric lighting and electricity-consuming equipment as much as possible.
- Large consumers of electricity should consider shutting down or reducing non-essential production processes.
5:13 p.m.
Since midnight, Austin-Travis County EMS tells KXAN its medics have responded to 8 “environmental exposures,” 36 traffic injuries with six rollovers and 40 isolated falls.
ATCEMS crews report the roads are “terrible” and that it is hard for their employees to get to calls.
5:09 p.m.
Dripping Springs ISD announces it will be going 100% remote on Tuesday. Monday is a student holiday for the district.
4:48 p.m.
Pflugerville ISD announced classes at all its schools will be virtual Monday and Tuesday due to anticipated inclement weather.
“The roads and sidewalks are already too treacherous for safe passage to and from school,” the district said.
4:41 p.m.
WellMed clinics in Austin shared their offices will be closed Monday, Feb. 2021 due to the severe winter weather. Physicians and clinic staff will reach out to patients who had appointments on Monday to reschedule or offer virtual visits.
4:32 p.m.
The Travis County Sheriff’s Office tells KXAN its deputies are working “lots of collisions right now, but no major calls.”
TCSO explained that lots of people in the area have been stranded in different locations with cars sliding off the road.
4:20 p.m.
The Austin Police Department advised KXAN that there are road closures at the following places due to weather.
- FM 620 at Boulder
- 2222 between City Park Road and FM 620
- Northbound ramp connecting SH71 and SH 130
- Southbound I-35 exit ramp at Stassney
- 900 block of East Oltorf
- 1700 Block of Heatherwilde Boulevard
- 9500 block of 2222/ River Place
4:00 p.m.
At around 4:00 p.m., Pedernales Electric Cooperative, who provides electricity to one million Central Texans, noted there were more than 110 outages affecting 3,500 meters across the area PEC serves. PEC added that “crews are working as safely and quickly as possible in hazardous conditions to restore power.”
PEC advises that customers check its website for outage updates and estimated restoration times.
Additionally, PEC said that because of the inclement weather, all PEC offices will be closed Monday February 15.
Austin Resource Recovery announced its services will continue to be suspended due to winter weather. This includes recycling, composting, trash, yard trimmings, bulk items, large brush removal, street sweeping and dead animal collection.
If you are an Austin Resource Recovery customer, leave any uncollected cars, yard trimmings, bulk items ad large brush at the curb for crews to catch up with. If the weather allows, ARR hopes to catch up on this work over the week and into next weekend.
3:53 p.m.
A spokesperson for the Texas Department of Public Safety updated KXAN that the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) is keeping US 281 in Blanco County from Johnson City to Comal County open with caution signs and will be applying dirt and sand on the roadway in hazardous areas.
3:52 p.m.
James Bass, the executive director of the Texas Department of Transportation posted on Twitter noting that not all Austin toll roads are closed at this time. He clarified that while toll roads operated by Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority are closed, the toll roads in Austin operated by TxDOT are note closed at this time. Those open toll roads in the Austin area include:
- SH 130
- SH 45N
- MoPac (North of Parmer Lane)
- SH 45SE
Bass said these TxDOT toll roads in Austin are open now but could be subject to worsening weather conditions.
He added a reminder to the public “stay home if at all possible.”
3:36 p.m.
The Central Texas Food Bank tells KXAN that “unfortunately, the weather has caused us to cancel all our distributions as of Friday.” Mobile Food Pantries scheduled in Manor, Waco and Lexington were also cancelled Friday.
Central Texas Food Bank said a Mobile Pantry in Fredericksburg had to be cancelled on Saturday as did a mass distribution event in Kyle.
The nonprofit also said it is cancelling the Mobile Food Pantry that was scheduled for Monday in Luling and the Food Bank will be closed on Monday.
“Obviously, this means that hundreds of Central Texas families will not be able to avail themselves of our services,” a spokesperson for Central Texas Food Bank explained to KXAN. “But, given the harsh weather and extremely hazardous driving conditions, we feel that it’s best to cancel these events for the safety of all.”
3:27 p.m.
Austin-Travis County EMS posted in Twitter noting that nearly half of their current calls are responding to people who have fallen.
“Falls on hard ice-covered surfaces can be serious and even deadly,” ATCEMS noted in a Tweet, adding that their first responders are having “extreme difficulties responding safely or even at all due to the current road conditions.”
3:19 p.m.
Sgt. Deon Cockrell with the Texas Department of Public Safety told KXAN that the southbound lanes of US 281 in Blanco County are being shut down from Johnson City to Comal County because of road conditions.
3:09 p.m.
Reliant, which provides electricity services in Round Rock, Wells Branch, and Pflugerville, sent out a release Sunday asking customers to reduce electricity use from Sunday, Feb. 14 through Tuesday 2/16.
“Over the next few days, freezing temperatures across Texas are expected to create record-breaking electricity demand,” Reliant said in the release. The company noted frozen wind turbines and solar panels combined with limited natural gas supplies will lead to higher-than-usual energy outages.
Reliant noted that ERCOT (the Electric Reliability Council of Texas) has asked Texans to conserve and reduce electricity usage.
3:00 p.m.
H-E-B announced it will temporarily reduce store hours due to the winter storm in Texas, noting that severe weather has disrupted some deliveries to stores.
In Austin and Central Texas H-E-B stores on Sunday will close at 5 p.m. Monday these stores will open at 9 a.m. and close at 5 p.m.
Additionally H-E-B noted at any time, its store hours could be adjusted according to local conditions.
The H-E-B & Favor Senior Support phone line will be closed on Monday, Feb. 15.
Robert Ramirez, who lives in the Pflugerville area, was showing his two girls how cold it was outside by throwing a glass of water into the air.
“I wanted them to understand the dangers of the cold air to their bare skin if outside to long,” Ramirez told us in an email.
2:44 p.m.
Leander Police reports conditions have worsened to the degree that crews are unable to continue sanding roads at this time. Roads are not safe to drive on and rescue operations may be difficult should drivers become stranded, the department says.
Hays County has issued a local disaster declaration “out of an abundance of caution.” The declaration is set to last for up to a week or until conditions improve.
2:32 p.m.
The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority posted a travel alert on social media, saying that due to icy conditions, the Mobility Authority in coordination with TxDOT and local police, will close all Mobility authority toll facilities starting Sunday, February 14 and extending until further notice.
“Due to continued dangerous subfreezing conditions and freezing precipitation, as well as the National Weather Center forecast of extreme cold and freezing precipitation through the evening into Monday morning, the safest course of action is to close all toll roads operated by the Mobility Authority,” the mobility authority said in a press release.
The Austin Transportation Department followed up with a Tweet explaining that the toll lanes closing Sunday until further notice include:
- 183 A toll lanes (south of San Gabriel Parkway to RM 620)
- 290E toll lanes (US 183 to east of Parmer Lane including the direct connectors)
- 183S toll lanes(US 290 to SH 71)
- 71E toll lanes(from the Austin Bergstrom International Airport to SH 130)
- 45SW toll lanes (FM1626 to MoPac)
- MoPac Express Toll Lanes (Lady Bird Lake to Parmer Lane).
2:31 p.m.
Cedar Park Police reports roads have become impassable in the city as cars are getting stuck and stranded. “YOU NEED TO STAY HOME,” the department tweeted Sunday afternoon.
Meanwhile, Travis County Fire Rescue is also warning residents to “not assume the roads have been treated” and says driving right now is “absolutely dangerous to you and those around you.”
2:20 p.m.
Texas Department of Public Safety is reporting a 25-vehicle crash on Interstate 20 westbound. The shutdown will last for hours.
2:15 p.m.
The Austin Transportation Department posted on Twitter saying the Public Works Department and Bridge Operations Crews are “sanding” streets with dolomite. The department is asking the public to help out these crews by staying alert while driving, slowing down on the road, and staying home if possible.
2:07 p.m.
Texas State University will be closed through 8 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 17 and only designated work personnel should report to work on campus.
Lakeway Police Department is reporting cars stranded on RM 620 in Lakeway on Sunday afternoon. Crews are currently working on sanding the roadways, but drivers are urged to stay home.
Texas State Technical College in East Williamson County will be closed Monday, Feb. 15. While online classes/remote operations will continue, in-person day/evening classes will be cancelled.
1:45 p.m.
1:30 p.m.
Shut down at 45th and North Lamar Boulevard due to fallen electric pole.
Shut down at 45th and North Lamar Boulevard due to fallen electric pole (KXAN/Frank Martinez) 
Shut down at 45th and North Lamar Boulevard due to fallen electric pole (KXAN/Frank Martinez)
Austin Police Department is reporting the following road closures:
- 900 block of East Oltorf
- 1700 block of Heatherwilde Boulevard
- 300 block of MoPac
- 9500 block of 2222/River Place
Police in Jonestown report a shutdown on FM 1431 between Jonestown and Lago Vista due to several cars stuck on the hills.
12:58 p.m.
Williamson County has issued a declaration of disaster. The county has activated its Emergency Operations Center and will remain active until the weather is now longer a threat. Residents are being urged to stay home.
St. Edward’s University has cancelled all on-campus, virtual and remote classes/events/ activities through 8 a.m. Wednesday.
Johnson City ISD will be closed Monday and resume for 100% remote instruction only on Tuesday, Feb. 16.
Austin Fire Department reports its total numbers of responses/calls for service from 10 p.m. Saturday to 10 a.m. Sunday is 140. Of these, 51 were collisions, two were wires down/arcing, three were structure fires and six were public assistance calls.
Bauerle Ranch in Austin taken at the beginning of the ice and winter storm (Courtesy of Dana Zoch) 
A windmill in Marchele Tubbs’ backyard in Dripping Springs (Courtesy of Marchele Tubbs) 
A truck slides off Fitzhugh Road between 290 West and RR 12, where the McElwee family reports roads are a “sheet of ice” (Courtesy of McElwee Family) 
Icicles hanging at the CEFCO carwash at Parmer and 620 (Courtesy of Erica Chasco) 
Winter storm weather on McGregor Road west of Dripping Springs (Courtesy of Jane Stewart) 
12:48 p.m.
Effective immediately, Austin-Travis County EMS medics will only be transporting patients to the closest hospital. ATCEMS has activated its 4×4 vehicles, as well as utilizing fire department vehicles to access patients on many 911 calls. Many roadways are impassable.
12:11 p.m.
Southbound MoPac is closed at Lake Austin Boulevard after a multi-vehicle crash. Drivers should detour to side streets and consider alternate routes.
Meanwhile, all lanes are blocked on MoPac southbound past Fifth Street after multiple crashes.
Icy conditions are also causing problems for first responders in Buda — causing extended response times to emergencies, the City of Buda reports.
11:58 a.m.
The University of Texas at Austin announced its campus would close at 4 p.m. on Sunday and remain closed through at least February 17 at 8 a.m. In a letter to the campus community, UT Austin president Jay Hartzell said that due to expected power outages and other challenges, all classes and events will be canceled, including those that are virtual or online.
The letter went on to say that if UT staff are in positions identified as essential, and they are required to go to campus, they will still need to report for their shift. Those positions include safety positions and roles responsible for security of buildings, property or data. Essential employees unable to report to campus are asked to contact supervisors as soon as possible.
Additionally, Hartzell said COVID-19 vaccine operations and proactive community COVID-19 testing will not happen on Monday or Tuesday. For those who had appointments scheduled for those days, UT says it will be reaching out to reschedule at a later date. Hartzell wrote, “we expect to be able to use all vaccine doses we have available by increasing our throughput once conditions allow.
11:56 a.m.
The Junction Police Department posted on Facebook sharing that the department has no radio communication available because it has no tower. The department posted a video explaining that the county tower had collapsed.
“Now it is even more important not to call dispatch unless you really need something,” Junction Police Department wrote on Facebook. “Because dispatch will be calling all first responders by telephone.”
11:43 a.m.
Cedar Park Police reports it’s working to close down the Cedar Park section of the 183A toll road in both directions due to dangerous conditions.
Austin-Travis County EMS medics say they’re responding to an increasing number of slips and falls due to icing. Additionally, help from 911 may be delayed due to driving conditions.
The University of Texas Austin will close its campus beginning at 4 p.m. Sunday and remain closed through at least 8 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 14. ALL classes are cancelled, including online classes and events.
11:30 a.m.
Austin-Travis County EMS crews are reporting ice on all road surfaces throughout the area.
Sunday 10:50 a.m.
BELOW: An 18-wheeler jackknifes west of Austin near Junction. Drivers are urged to stay at home if possible as icy road conditions continue (Video courtesy of Cody Butler).
Sunday 10:24 a.m.
Austin Community College will remain closed Monday, Feb. 15 and Tuesday, Feb. 16. All in-person and remote classes and work are cancelled.
Sunday 9:55 a.m.
ATCEMS reports only 17 collisions since midnight, two of which were rollovers. It’s not yet confirmed if they were weather-related, however. ATCEMS also says crews across Travis County are encountering ice, which is making it harder to respond to incidents.
Austin Police Department says there are no road closures at the moment despite five collisions across the city so far this moment.
Meanwhile, Travis County Sheriff’s Office says several people are stuck at Turnersville Road and North Turnersville Road due to ice. TCSO says there’s no crash, just driving being impeded by ice.
IDEA Austin has canceled all in-person classes out of an abundance of caution. All classes will be held virtually, the school says.
Sunday 9 a.m.
Ramp 223 to I-35 is now shut down in Buda, the City reports.
Meanwhile, Bastrop County says there is a “particularly dangerous situation” on SH 71 after an early morning crash knocked down a section of the bridge’s barrier.
In Leander, there are currently multiple road closures throughout the city due to ice.
Sunday 8:35 p.m.
Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services says crews are seeing an increasing number of winter weather-related incidents. The agency urges residents to stay home if possible and to remain in vehicles should they become involved in a crash.
CapMetro says due to the severe weather expected Sunday night into Monday morning, all fare collection will be suspended through Tuesday, Feb. 16. UT Shuttle service will also be suspended until 8 a.m. Wednesday.
Sunday 8:07 a.m.
TxDOT’s Brad Wheelis gave the latest to KXAN anchors Jacqulyn Powell and Tom Miller, explaining drivers should stay home as “conditions can change by the minute.”
“My advice is to stay home. We’ve seen problems on I-35, SH 130, U.S. 281 out west. So again, we’re responding to any of these icing areas, but we’re asking folks to stay off the roadways,” said Wheelis.
Sunday 7:45 a.m.
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport reports over 30 flights have been cancelled as of 7:45 a.m.
Sunday 5:50 a.m.
First up on Sunday, Austin Police Department reports roads incidents are relatively uneventful so far, with overpasses and flyovers reopened Saturday. Nevertheless, APD says upper decks on U.S. 183 are slick — APD says it’s received reports that some elevated roadways are already frozen or beginning to freeze.
William Cannon is closed at Pleasant Valley Road due to a water main break, APD says.
Austin-Travis County EMS says Sunday morning is “better than yesterday morning” because of slightly better road conditions and fewer people on the roads. Overnight there were nine traffic injuries, including two rollovers, although ATCEMS says it’s not yet known how many of these incidents were weather-related.
Despite an improvement over Saturday morning, ATCEMS says the worst is yet to come today as icing over has already begun.
Meanwhile, Austin Energy is currently reporting 3,919 homes without power, mostly concentrated in the Great Hills neighborhood in northwest Austin.
Travis County Sheriff’s Office says while roads are icy, there are no road closures so far.
11:15 p.m.
A Tweet from the City of Kyle says portions of I-35 in the city will be closing due to increasing icy conditions and crashes that have resulted on Saturday night.
Drivers will be detoured on the access roads, but are asked to avoid the area entirely if possible.
10 p.m.
Texas Gas Service officials are encouraging customers to conserve energy as the cold weather continues.
8 p.m.
Fayette County EMS has extra personnel on duty Saturday night/Sunday morning as crashes are starting to add up in the county. Officials are asking everyone to stay off the road, if possible.
7:15 p.m.
Austin Energy said its workers were able to make “tremendous” progress Saturday. Austin Energy reports there are eight active outages, affecting less than 100 customers.
6 p.m.
Austin Energy Chief Operating Officer Leslie Jones provided an update on outages and with the ongoing work around Austin due to extreme cold and potential winter storm ahead.
Currently, the utilities company says it has crews working around the clock to address outages. Austin Energy says it’s taking 183 minutes on average to address each ice event.
- Forestry: 15 crews
- Day: 30 crews, 75 personnel and 40 trucks
- Night: 16 crews, 40 personnel and 25 trucks
5:40 p.m.
Gov. Greg Abbott addressed the wintry weather as it extends across the state on Saturday afternoon from the Alternate State Operations Center in Austin.
Gov. Abbott urged the importance of safety for Texans and listed all the state resources he has activated and deployed to help in the response effort.
Gov. Abbott said he will also be asking for a Federal Emergency Declaration from the White House.
5:05 p.m.
Here’s the latest update from Austin-Travis County EMS.
Since 12 a.m. Saturday, ATCEMS has received four environmental exposure calls and five winter weather-related calls.
The total number of crashes is at 34, including 10 rollovers.
4:45 p.m.
H-E-B is temporarily shortening store hours through Monday due to the winter weather that is affecting the entire state.
The release also said curbside and delivery orders may be limited — “We will do our best to fulfill current orders and will contact customers if orders are impacted.”
KXAN has reached out to Whole Foods and Randalls to see if they will be changing operations due to the winter weather as well. We will update this story when we hear back.
Austin and Central Texas stores
Sunday: 6 a.m. -7 p.m.
Monday: 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Wimberley & Dripping Springs
Saturday closing at 5:30 p.m.
Sunday: 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Monday: 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.
San Antonio and Hill Country stores
Sunday: 6 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Monday: 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.
4:15 p.m.
Austin Energy reports there are 29 active outages, affecting around 600 customers as of Saturday afternoon.
2:30 p.m.
The Austin Fire Department released video Saturday afternoon of a “close call” on an Austin road. AFD said this was one of 152 calls for service from 10 p.m. Friday through 10 a.m. Saturday.
12:51 p.m.
Austin-Travis County EMS reports that four or five ambulances have been involved in collisions since the winter weather moved in. Most collisions were minor and involved vehicles sliding into EMS vehicles. One ambulance was placed out of service and a replacement vehicle is being used.
12:15 p.m.
Austin Energy – Over 5,000 customers without power and 45 active outages.
11:13 a.m.
Austin-Travis County EMS responded to a rollover collision/reported vehicle rescue in the 1000 block of Southwest Parkway. Drivers should avoid the area. ATCEMS was able to extricate the patient, who was taken to the hospital with potentially serious injuries. The scene is clear.
11 a.m.
There are thousands of customers without power in the area at the moment.
Austin Energy – 3,268 customers without power
Oncor – 5,412 in the Austin area
Pedernales Electric Co-op – 388 in the Austin area
Bluebonnet Electric Co-op – 63 in the Austin area
10:49 a.m.
Williamson County has issued a travel warning for west and northwest parts of the county.
“We are urging people to please stay home. Even where roads have been treated, due to rapidly changing conditions that does not mean they are ice-free,” said Michael Shoe, director of emergency management for Williamson County. “Help us keep you safe and our first responders safe by staying home.”
Below, the shelves are emptied at one local H-E-B store as residents buckle in for a rough few days.
(KXAN/Haley Cihock) 
(KXAN/Haley Cihock) 
(KXAN/Haley Cihock)
10:10 a.m.
Austin Police Department is reporting a nine-vehicle collision in the 5100 block of north I-35. APD says APD is working the scene. While many vehicles were involved, only a few people are reporting minor injuries.
APD says the department is working several crashes in the area, but nothing seems to be major.
Meanwhile, Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority is reporting a crash on MoPac southbound at RM 2222 blocking the express lane. The left lane and express lane are now blocked as Austin Fire Department assists.
In Round Rock, all flyover are closed due to icy conditions. The entrance ramps from Louis Henna Boulevard to SH 45 are also closed.
9:25 a.m.
The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority is reporting several closures in the Austin metro area, including:
- MoPac southbound at 5th Street and Cesar Chavez Street
- Cesar Chavez Road westbound before MoPac
- 183A toll southbound at Avery Ranch Road
Austin-Travis County EMS reports four firefighters involved in the Pedernales Fire Department truck rollover are being transported to the hospital with non life-threatening injuries.
8:39 a.m.
A Pedernales Fire Department truck rolled over in the 16100-16300 block of west SH 71, Travis County Sheriff’s Office reports.
8:20 a.m.
8:07 a.m.
Austin Public Health has cancelled all vaccination appointments for Saturday due to the weather. APH says it will contact patients to reschedule appointments for next week. About 2,300 second dose appointments were scheduled for Saturday for patients who received their first doses between Jan. 11 and 16.
7:53 a.m.
There are at least 3,351 customer power outages in the area at the moment.
Austin Energy – 1,207 customers without power
Oncor – 1,211 in Austin area
Pedernales Electric Co-op – 929 in the Austin area
Bluebonnet Electric Co-op – 4 in the Austin area
7:45 a.m.
The City of San Marcos reports Wonder World Drive bridges west of I-35 are both closed due to ice. They will be reopened as soon as deicer can be applied. Early Saturday morning, San Marcos Police Department responded to more than a dozen ice-related crashes on I-35 in both directions. According to SMPD, I-35 was treated for ice and re-opened at 6:30 a.m.
Cedar Park Police is diverting all southbound traffic on the U.S. 183A toll off at Avery Ranch due to collisions and icy conditions.
6:52 a.m.
The 6500 block of north FM 620 is shut down due to a collision/ice. FM 1431 is also shut down due to ice concerns — there are also reports across Travis County of ice on roads.
Austin Police Department reports a closure on the flyover at U.S. 183 and I-35 southbound due to a crash.
6:50 a.m.
There are at least 2,652 power outages in the area at the moment.
Austin Energy – 1,334 outages
Oncor – 1,210 outages in Austin area
Pedernales Electric Co-op – 108 outages in the Austin area
Bluebonnet Electric Co-op – no outages reported
6:09 a.m.
Portions of I-35 through San Marcos are iced over, according to San Marcos DPS Chief Chase Stapp. Drivers should avoid travel if possible.
5:30 a.m.
From midnight to 5:30 a.m., Austin-Travis County reports two traffic injuries.
4:32 a.m.
Inclement weather is currently affecting CapMetro service across the area. All routes may not operate as scheduled, CapMetro reports.
10:20 p.m. Friday
Austin Energy – The outage map shows about 2,500 people are still without power in the coverage area. The most affected areas include some neighborhoods near Anderson Mill Road, the High Vista neighborhood near Spicewood Springs Road, a neighborhood off Hudson Harbor on Lake Travis and Hazeltine Drive in Lakeway.
Austin Energy told KXAN it was reviewing issues with the map and with customer notifications. Its crews were seeing so many overlapping outages that all of them may not be reflected on the map, a spokesperson explained.
Oncor – About 1,822 customers are without power in Williamson County. About 69 customers are without power in Travis County.
Pedernales Electric Co-op – There are about five outages reported in the Round Rock area, six in Cedar Park, eight in Lago Vista, three near Liberty Hill and two near Kingsland.
Bluebonnet Electric Co-op – Five outages are being worked on by crews or being investigated.
10 p.m. Friday
Austin Mayor Steve Adler released a video urging residents to be safe and understand what to do if their power goes out.
