Our crews are in place, we are executing a plan, and we will safely and quickly restore power." "We as utility understand those memories are still very fresh," Mitchell said. While many in the region may be having flashbacks to Winter Storm Uri which caused massive power outages for days, this storm is not predicted to be that bad, and Mitchell said power will be restored as the weather warms over the next 24 hours. If you have a generator, be sure it's in a well-ventilated area before using it. In addition, do not use stoves, ovens or portable grills to heat your home, as it can cause carbon monoxide poisoning that can result in hospitalization or death. If you do lose power, follow this advice from Mitchell: don't panic, stay inside, keep all windows and doors closed, unplug major appliances and heaters, layer up, grab some blankets and wait for the power to be restored. Ice can cause tree limbs and other vegetation to freeze, snap and fall on power lines, resulting in mass outages. The utility company tweeted that outages are widespread and some customers could see outages for 12 to 24 hours. Temperatures could get above freezing for a few hours Wednesday afternoon, which he said will help crews get outages fixed faster. He added that each outage is unique, and some repairs will take longer than others, especially as treacherous road conditions make it harder to navigate the city. More: Affected by the Austin, Texas, power outages? Here's what you can do to stay safe Austin Energy says power will be restored 'quickly'Īustin Energy spokesperson Matt Mitchell said crews are dispatched and working to restore power as quickly as possible. The winter storm warning is still scheduled to end at 6 a.m. There's a light chance of rain throughout the day also. Temperatures are expected to hover above freezing Thursday morning and move into the 40s by the afternoon. However, the wintry weather mix could return Wednesday evening with more chances possible for freezing rain going into early Thursday morning. There's still a chance of freezing drizzle and rain, which could turn to just a cold rain or sleet mix as temperatures are expected to get just above freezing Wednesday afternoon. "Drive very slow if you have to travel today, but it's probably best to just wait until tomorrow." City activates cold weather sheltersĪustin officials activated cold weather shelters for Wednesday as temperatures stay just below or barely above freezing throughout the night going into Thursday morning. "Continue to watch out on the roads," Heller said. That will set up the Austin metro area for a weekend that's forecasted to reach the mid to upper 50s on Friday and Saturday. She said icing on the roads is likely to remain an issue until Thursday morning when temperatures finally start to consistently rise above freezing, reaching the 40s by the afternoon. "Our team is monitoring and responding to challenges as they arise, which includes engaging backup power sources when needed," the hospital said in a statement.Īdditional ice accumulation Wednesday could cause more tree limbs to fall, power lines to go down and create further unsafe driving conditions, particularly along elevated surfaces such as overpasses and bridges, she said.Īlthough temperatures are expected to get just above freezing today at 33 degrees for a few hours in the afternoon, Heller said this fluctuation between freezing makes it difficult to say whether or not it will have a significant impact on improving conditions. On Wednesday afternoon, Baylor Scott & White hospital in Taylor had lost power and was on backup power. "All Ascension Seton hospitals have emergency response plans in place to provide uninterrupted patient care, including access to generators for each care site." Ascension Seton's other hospitals had power. The hospital was "operational with minimal impact to patient care," an Ascension Seton statement said. On Wednesday afternoon, Ascension Seton Northwest was operating on backup generators. In an abundance of caution, all remaining non-emergent procedures are being rescheduled," said Tom Jackson, CEO of the hospital. "The safety of our patients was not compromised at any time. David's North Austin Medical Center briefly lost power on Wednesday morning and was able to switch to generators. Katie Hall 2 p.m.: Hospital briefly loses power "Falling trees and downed power lines are creating an increase in call volume for first responders this morning," Austin-Travis County EMS said in a tweet Wednesday morning.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |