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Houstonians without source of heat bracing for cold weather
The cold weather is not expected to cause any major issues near Houston but as FOX 26’s Matthew Seedorff explains, it could be a long night for those without heat.
HOUSTON - Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo has activated the county’s emergency operations center as temperatures drop close to freezing.
"We don’t expect any major issues, but it’s always good to be prepared," said Hidalgo in a Tweet.
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The Texas Department of Transportation crews pre-treated some bridges and overpasses Thursday in the Houston area to prevent possible ice. However, temperatures are expected to hover at or slightly above freezing in Houston.
"We will be monitoring the situation overnight," said Brain Murray, a spokesperson from Harris County Homeland Security and Emergency Management. "We’ll be doing it remotely with staff. We will have established links with partners that might be necessary in case there are any impacts."
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TxDOT preparing for icy road conditions
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has crews already pre-treating various elevated roadways and typically have issues with the cold weather as that wintry weather comes close.
While cold rain, sleet, even snow could fall overnight in Harris County, no major issues are expected.
"If the weather forecast for tonight holds true, this should be a very minimal event for Harris County," said Murray.
Although the winter weather event likely won’t cause any major issues in Houston, it will bring cold temperatures to the region.
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On Thursday, the Independence Heights Redevelopment Council delivered portable heaters to seniors in homes without heat.
"You can’t keep them on all night long," said Andrea Deese. "We want to keep them warm enough so we can keep the house warm as best we can."
According to Deese, her family’s home in Independence Heights was damaged from Hurricane Harvey more than 4 years ago. Since the destructive hurricane, they’ve been without air conditioning and heat.
"We’ve been on the list, waiting for them to come and redo our home," said Deese. "They keep saying they’re going to come and do it. We keep waiting."
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Deese lives with her sisters who are in their seventies. According to Deese, the donated heater they received could be a life-saver during this burst of cold weather.
"We’re God-fearing people," said Deese. "We love God, and we know that he’s got us."
A local organization is providing shelter Friday night for those who do not have a warm place to stay. NACCS Disaster Services is opening a warming center on Air Center Blvd in northeast Houston beginning at 7 p.m. Buses will pick people up at the downtown library on McKinney and the Search Building on Congress.