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March 21, 2012
Divers searching for woman swept away in Lee County creek
Divers from the Austin Fire Department are searching for a woman who was swept away last night into a creek in Lee County, a dispatcher from the Lee County sheriff’s department said today.
Officials have not released the woman’s name.
She was driving on FM 1624 near Lexington when she called 911 at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday to say she had been swept off the road by water, said Ciji Smith, Lee County Sheriff’s dispatcher.
“We got as much information from her as possible and then the phone was disconnected,” Smith said.
“A witness from TxDOT who was at the scene said the car had flipped over and was floating down the creek,” Smith said. The creek is Middle Yegua Creek, which often gets swollen after heavy rains, Smith said.
Searchers have not found the woman’s car, which was small and dark-colored, Smith said. She said there were signs on the road warning about possible flooding.
Lexington is about 50 miles northeast of Austin. The Austin Fire Department is assisting because Lee County does not have a dive team.
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September 6, 2011
Lower winds could aid firefighting efforts today
Lower wind speeds today could give fire crews an advantage in gaining control of raging fires in Central Texas.
Winds out of the north are expected to be 5 to 10 miles per hour today, well below speeds of 25 to 35 mph yesterday afternoon, said Pat McDonald, meteorologist for the National Weather Service.
The news bodes well for firefighting efforts throughout the region, including in Bastrop, Steiner Ranch and Leander.
“It is a lot less windier than it was yesterday, thank God,” McDonald said. “Hopefully they will get a good handle on it today.”
Last night, winds died down at sunset, ahead of the expected time of midnight, McDonald said.
Lower temperatures should also bode well for firefighting efforts, McDonald said. Today’s high is expected to reach 90.
Challenges remain, however, with low humidities and no sign of rain soon.
“Because the grasses are there, the low humidity is there, the only positive thing I can say about today is the winds won’t be so high,” McDonald said. “That’s why the fires spread so fast yesterday. The lower temperatures should help, too.”
The region is no longer under a Red Flag advisory, which warns for a high fire threat. But officials are asking residents to take extra precautions in such dry conditions, such as not using open flames outdoors and taking other steps to avoid sparks.
For example, in the Stone Oak area of northern San Antonio yesterday, a hot exhaust pipe on a vehicle driven onto a brushy area sparked a 200-acre fire, McDonald said.
“Everybody should be very careful with sparks and fires,” he said.
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June 3, 2010
Storms cause damage throughout Austin
A strong weather system that swung through the Central Texas kept emergency and utility personnel busy overnight, causing power outages to thousands of Austin customers, fires to homes and apartments and dozens of calls to fire personnel.
Austin Energy said today the storm caused outages for about 4,500 customers starting at about 7:30 p.m., as strong winds and lightning strikes caused damages to power lines and other utility equipment.
The Austin Fire Department said today they responded to more than 100 calls for service between 7:30 and 8:30 last night during the peak of a strong storm system that moved through the area.
Eight of the calls were for structures that were struck by lightning, officials said today. Four home and apartment fires saw significant damage, officials said.
The apartment fire in North Austin caused by a lightning strike has displaced five families, fire officials said.
In the case of a North Austin apartment fire, lightning struck an attic at the Chez Moi apartments at about 8 p.m. in the 12000 block of Metric Boulevard, officials said. Although the families were displaced, the fire was quickly put out, and there were no injuries, officials said.
The power outages also left thousands without power thoughout the region, putting about 17 Austin Energy crews to work starting at 7:30 p.m., said Ed Clark, spokesman for the utility.
By midnight, all but 200 remaining customers had power again, he said. By 5:30 a.m. this morning, any power-related outages were resolved, he said.
Overall, Clark said Austin Energy crews responded to about 70 locations throughout the Austin area.
“Our guys worked through the night,” Clark said. “It was pretty much scattered around the entire service area.”
The damage was caused by a mix of the strong winds and lightning strikes, Clark said.
Clark said Austin Energy crews are on standby in case rain chances for today, which are 30 percent, lead to more severe storms.
Still, last night’s storm system won’t derail hot temps still headed our way in the coming days, including this year’s first 100-degree high slated for Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.
And the region likely won’t see more active storms anytime soon, said National Weather Service forecaster Amanda Fanning.
“You guys have a slight chance for rain, but nothing like yesterday,” Fanning said. “The atmosphere stabilizes after something like that. It doesn’t look conducive enough to reproduce” a storm like last night.
Today’s rain chances are 30 percent, the service said. The region is looking at a high of 91 today, the service said.
If the region does reach 100 this weekend, it will be about a week earlier than it did last year and two weeks before the official June 21st start of summer. Last year, the Austin area hit 100 degrees for the first time on June 13, Fanning said.
“Looks like on Saturday, you guys are going to hit 100,” she said.
Last night, the area saw wind gusts reach up to 31 miles per hour at Camp Mabry and 47 miles per hour at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, according to the National Weather Service.
Throughout the region, rain totals ranged from about half an inch at Camp Mabry to one inch at Austin-Bergstrom, Fanning said.
However, some pockets of Central Texas saw higher totals. Preliminary rain totals show Northern Travis County reached 1.8 inches.
The storm was the result of merging weather systems, Fanning said.
“What happened is these storms that were starting to pop up around San Angelo and Fort Worth all of the sudden began to merge,” she said. “It formed a line that moved through South Central Texas and even through the coast. The reason we saw a lot of peak winds is that line began to bow. That’s really indicative of strong winds.”
Fanning said while peak winds were “impressive” in Austin, they were even more intense south of the region. Peak wind gusts reached 64 miles per hour in the San Antonio area, the service said.
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January 16, 2010
Flooding closes Barton Springs Pool
An assessment of how long Barton Springs Pool may have to remain closed continued his afternoon after officials closed the popular site because of flooding from recent rains.
Victor Ovalle, spokesman for the Austin Parks and Recreation Department, said the poll was closed about 11 a.m. and workers were to begin assessing how much debris the rain-swollen creek may have dumped into the spring-fed pool.
Ovalle said the flooding in Barton Creek was caused by rains that recorded 1.32 inches of precipitation at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on Friday, and lsser amounts in other parts of the Austin area.
Ovalle said officials do not yet know when the pool will reopen.
But he said they are hoping to open the Deep Eddy Pool earlier on Monday to accommodate Barton Springs swimmers until the other pool in Zilker Park is reopened.
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August 26, 2009
Taylor cleans up after thunderstorm
A short thunderstorm that blew into Taylor last night may have only lasted a half hour, but residents and fire officials are still cleaning up the damage this morning.
The storm blew in about 6 p.m. in Taylor with strong winds that knocked trees onto roofs and power lines, causing several fires and a few roofs to cave in, fire officials said.
Deborah Cannon AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Nelson Belicek carries tree limbs away from the yard at his mothers home in Taylor on Wednesday.
Chris Morris, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said the storm brought gusts of wind about 50 mph and not a whole lot of rain. He said the storm lasted about 30 minutes.
Lt. Bob Kerzee said most of the damage was between West Second Street and Lake Drive. He said some homes and businesses suffered damage from fallen trees, but none was destroyed.
Deborah Cannon AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Downed power lines are marked with catch tape at the corner of Sloan and Sixth Streets in Taylor on Wednesday.
Eddie Ferguson, spokesman for Oncor Electric Delivery, said about 4,800 customers lost power yesterday for about two hours. He said about 150 customers were still without power this morning because of damage to their homes or businesses.
Kerzee said an assessment of damage would be completed later this morning.
There were a few minor injuries reported, he said.
During a two-hour span early in the evening, the Fire Department fielded more than 20 calls about down power lines, Woods said. By about 9 p.m., fire crews were still following up on the calls, he said.
“It looks like a war zone in Taylor,” Woods said. “There’s junk everywhere.”
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April 20, 2009
Lyrid meteor shower visible to Central Texans
Central Texas should see quite a few meteors over the next few days during the annual Lyrid meteor shower, said Bob Rose, a meteorologist with the Lower Colorado River Authority.
Rose said the shower is named Lyrid after the star, Lyra, which is the point where most of the meteors seem to fall near.
He said the shower will peak early Wednesday morning, two to three hours before dawn, when about 10 to 20 meteors will fall every hour.
Astronomy magazine has more on the Lyrid shower here.
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February 2, 2009
Forest System warns of wildfire danger
from the Texas Forest System:
Feb. 1, 2009
Extremely high wildfire danger alert for Central Texas and the Hill Country Texas Forest Service urges caution
COLLEGE STATION, Texas— The Texas Forest Service (TFS) is urging citizens from Austin to San Antonio, south to Cotulla, across the Hill County and over to the Rio Grande to be aware of heightened wildfire danger due to a cold front that will drop humidity levels and produce high winds.
The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for the area tomorrow, February 2, 2009, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The forecast predicts strong northerly winds of 15 to 20 mph and relative humidity levels in the 20s to the teens.
“A red flag warning represents critical fire weather with continuous winds of 20 mph or greater and relative humidity at 20 percent or less,” said Tom Spencer, TFS predictive services department head. “This weather, added to critically dry fuels, such as grasses and trees, can lead to very high to extreme fire danger.”
These predicted conditions could lead to wildfires that will be difficult to contain and can quickly endanger public safety.
This area has the potential to see very dangerous wildfires due to the prolonged drought. The area has seen little to no precipitation for months. Additionally, the freezing temperatures of last week caused the drought-cured grasses to become even drier.
TFS Predictive Services Department forecasts that through the month of February fuels, such as grasses and trees, are expected to remain critically dry.
Yesterday, TFS responded to 13 wildfires for 7,093 acres.
For more information on fire advisories and area conditions, go to http://texasforestservice.tamu.edu and click on Fire Danger/Advisories.
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September 23, 2008
Travis County announces burn ban
The Travis County Commissioners Court announced a burn ban for unincorporated areas of the county. The ban is in effect until Oct. 22, but will be reviewed on a weekly basis.
It is a violation to burn any combustible materials outside of an enclosure that contains all flames and sparks. A violation of the order is a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $500.
The order also gives guidelines for welding, grinding and cutting outdoors. A copy of the order can be found on the Travis County Web site at www.co.travis.tx.us, or by calling (512) 854-6472.
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May 16, 2008
Storage units burglarized in aftermath of storms
Austin police say an estimated 60 public storage units in South Austin were burglarized just before 5 a.m. Thursday and they are looking for suspects in connection with the incident.
Sgt. Richard Stresing, a police spokesman , said that an officer stopped in the 7200 block of South First Street at about 4:39 a.m. Thursday saw a vacant, idling pickup in the right lane. When the officer pulled over, Stresing said, he noticed that a fence around a nearby storage facility had been cut. Padlocks on the units had been cut and items from those units were on the ground.
Stresing said that police have impounded the vehicles and are taking reports from customers to get a list of the stolen property. Customers who believe their items were stolen should can call 311 to report their missing items. Stresing said that it is unclear how many items were stolen.
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March 19, 2008
Austin Regional Clinic re-opens after flooding
The Far West branch of the Austin Regional Clinic has re-opened this morning after it was closed due to flooding from yesterday’s rains, a clinic dispatcher said.
The flooding started around 3 p.m., according to Austin Fire Department spokeswoman Michelle DeCrane. About 100 people were evacuated from the building yesterday and the clinic was closed to after-hours patients as officials cleaned up the water.
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January 2, 2008
Protect your home in freezing weather
From the City of Austin:
When freezing temperatures threaten in and around the Austin area, the Austin Water Utility (AWU) offers residents the following tips for protecting their property during freezing weather. AWU recommends taking these precautions for preventing property damage due to freezing water pipes:
Before Freezing Weather
- Wrap all exposed pipes located outside or in unheated areas of the home.
- Remove garden hoses from outside faucets. Insulate outside faucets with Styrofoam cover, rags or paper.
- Cover vents around the foundation of your home.
- Know where your property owner’s cut-off valve is located and how to use it. Apply oil such as WD-40 to the cut-off valve before operating to prevent the valve from breaking. The valve is located adjacent to the water meter box under a 6” metal lid.
In Sub-Freezing Weather
- Drip outside faucets 24 hours a day (5 drops per minute). This is not necessary unless temperatures are expected to be 28 degrees or below for at least 4 hours.
- Open cabinet doors under sinks adjacent to outside walls.
- In unheated garages, shut off water to washing machines. Turn off both the hot and cold water lines and disconnect them from the back of the washer. Place both lines in the drain pipe behind the washer and drip the faucets. Water softeners should be drained and protected from freezing temperatures.
- In sustained sub-freezing weather, let water drip slowly from inside faucets (steady drip).
- Take extra precautions to protect pipes that have frozen in the past.
If You Are Not Going To Be At Home
- Cut water off at the property owner’s cut-off valve.
- Drain all outside water faucets if your house will be unoccupied for several days (leave outside faucets open).
- Or, leave home heating system on at a low setting.
- Open cabinet doors under sinks adjacent to outside walls. Renters/tenants may be responsible for personal property damage caused by broken water pipes during severe weather conditions. Residents should contact property management/ landlord or maintenance personnel to locate property owner’s cut-off valve and find ways to avoid pipe breakage during a freeze.
- Businesses that operate landscape sprinkler systems are asked to shut their systems off in order to prevent run-off water from freezing on road surfaces. Residential irrigation systems should also be shut off. If a water line breaks and the cut off valve does not work, the Austin Water Utility is available to turn off the water. Call the Utility’s 24-Hour Emergency Hotline at 972-1000. This information can also be found on the Utility’s web site: http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/water/
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November 17, 2007
Llano without power because of lightning
The community of Llano has been without electricity since about 7 p.m. because of a lightning storm, the Llano County Sheriff’s Office reports.
Streetlights are out at the intersection of Texas 79 and Texas 36, sheriff’s officials said. TXU is attempting to restore power to the community northwest of Austin, but efforts have been hampered by the storm, sheriff’s officials said.
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July 18, 2007
FEMA provides $7.4 million in disaster aid for Texas residents
WACO, Texas — The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Governor’s Division of Emergency Management (GDEM) are working in partnership to help Texas residents recover from the recent flooding that occurred June 16th and continuing. The following is a summary of ongoing response and recovery efforts:
• The June 29 Presidential declaration made FEMA’s Individual Assistance programs available to residents in Archer, Bell, Burnet, Cooke, Coryell, Denton, Eastland, Grayson, Hood, Lampasas, Parker, Starr, Tarrant, Victoria, Webb, Wichita and Williamson counties.
• Additionally, 26 Texas counties have been declared eligible for Public Assistance funds to repair damaged infrastructure. They are: Archer, Baylor, Brown, Bosque, Burnet, Callahan, Coleman, Collin, Comanche, Cooke, Coryell, Eastland, Erath, Fannin, Grayson, Hamilton, Jones, Lampasas, Llano, Mason, Mills, Montague, San Saba, Webb, Wichita and Wise.
• To date, FEMA has approved a total of $5,983,317 in disaster housing assistance, which includes temporary rental assistance for those whose homes have been severely damaged and funds to make essential repairs.
• An additional $1,440,830 has been approved for the Other Needs Assistance (ONA) program which helps pay for items and services such as: medical and dental care, funeral costs (as a result of the flooding), transportation expenses and household items and clothing.
• 4,570 Individuals and families affected by recent flooding have registered for assistance through FEMA’s toll-free registration line, 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or by going online to www.fema.gov. Recovery specialists are available from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. local time seven days a week until further notice. The specialists can assist with the registration process, provide counsel on assistance programs and also check on the status of an application. Registrations by designated counties are as follows:
Archer - 27 Bell - 118 Burnet - 323 Cooke County - 661 Coryell County - 303 Denton - 242 Eastland - 179 Grayson - 740 Hood - 82 Lampasas - 123 Parker - 66 Starr - 199 Tarrant - 508 Victoria - 46 Webb - 155 Wichita - 317 Williamson - 87
*Note: 394 registrations have come in from undesignated counties.
• To date, 1,644 residents have visited Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs). FEMA operates six fixed DRCs and two Mobile DRCs which are traveling to affected areas around the state. DRCs are open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday days a week.
• The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has approved $728,000 in disaster loan assistance. The SBA is the primary source of federal funds for long-term disaster recovery for owners of private property, including homeowners, renters, non-farm businesses of all sizes and private non-profit organizations. These low-interest loans cover costs of repair or replacement of damaged real estate, personal property and business assets not fully covered by insurance or other aid.
• Inspectors are examining damaged properties of those who have registered for disaster assistance. More than 2,847 housing inspections already have been completed, which enabled the approval of $7.4 million in disaster aid to date.
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June 27, 2007
Rescues continue in Williamson, Lampasas, Burnet counties
From Austin-Travis County EMS:
Heavy overnight rains have created flood conditions in several nearby counties, including Williamson, Lampasas and Burnet counties. Some reports indicate 16+ inches of rainfall since midnight. There are multiple reports of persons trapped in fast moving water atop vehicles, on roof tops, or clinging to trees.
6:45 a.m. Update — STAR Flight Helicopter Swift Water Rescues In Williamson, Lampasas, and Burnet Counties. EMS Special Operations Boat Rescue Resources en route to Marble Falls.
6:25 a.m. — ATCEMS STAR Flight Program Manager Casey Ping is in Marble Falls with a team of boat rescue resources. Ping says the rain continues, roadways are flooded badly, and rescuers are coordinating their efforts to assist those in need. Ping and his crew were assigned a rescue mission as this update was received and communications was cut short abruptly.
6:40 a.m. — Fire and rescue resources from the Westlake Fire Department, Oak Hill Fire Department and Austin Fire Department are either assisting with rescue efforts, or at a reported structure fire in Marble Falls.
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Rescues in Williamson, Lampasas, Burnet counties
5:40 a.m. Update — STAR Flight Helicopter Swift Water Rescues In Williamson, Lampasas, and Burnet Counties. EMS Special Operations Boat Rescue Resources Enroute to Marble Falls.
5:40 a.m. — ATCEMS Distric Commander Corey Ricketson is one of a three person ATCEMS rescue crew in Marble Falls / Granite Shoals. Ricketson reports as many as 20 persons in need of rescue, some requiring medical assistance or intervention. He says rescuers are moving house to house to provide assistance in the areas hardest hit.
ATCEMS Special Operations boat resources are en route to Burnet County and Marble Falls to assist with rescue operations there. EMS rescue personnel are advising the only current access to Marble Falls is State Hwy 71 West / Hwy 281.
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Water rescues under way in Hill Country
From Austin-Travis County EMS:
4:50 a.m. Update — STAR Flight Helicopter Swift Water Rescues In Williamson and Burnet Counties. EMS Special Operations Boat Resources en route to Marble Falls
Heavy overnight rains have created flood conditions in several nearby counties, including Williamson, Lampasas and Burnet counties. There are multiple reports of persons trapped in fast moving water atop vehicles or clinging to trees.
At 2:50 a.m. STAR Flight personnel rescued at least two victims from vehicles in fast moving water at San Gabriel Ranch Road/County Road 256 in Williamson County.
At 3:40 a.m. STAR Flight moved to Williamson County CR 256/CR 3405 for another mission.
At 4:30 a.m., STAR Flight was responding to Granite Shoals for two rescue missions, both involving multiple victims trapped on top of houses with rising flood waters.
There are several additional reports of persons stranded and multiple requests for helicopter and boat-based rescues, including at least two in Granite Shoals and several in the areas around Marble Falls.
ATCEMS Special Operations boat resources are en route to Burnet County to assist with operations there. Personnel are advising the only current access is State Hwy 71 West / Hwy 281.
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June 26, 2007
LCRA to close Tom Miller Dam floodgate
AUSTIN - LCRA plans to close the partially opened floodgate at Tom Miller Dam at 7 p.m. as rain runoff flows into the Highland Lakes system are subsiding.
However, since the ground is saturated from recent rains, any additional rain will quickly run off and could lead to localized flooding and possible floodgate operations with little or no notice.
LCRA will continue to monitor conditions and asks residents who live along Hill Country rivers and creeks to do the same. Residents who live along the lake, river or other tributaries should closely monitor weather conditions and be prepared to take any necessary precautions such as securing boat docks and other property that may be in the floodplain.
Drivers should not attempt to drive through water that is causing flooding at low-water crossings through the Central Texas area. Travelers are urged to follow the advice of the National Weather Service’s campaign to warn people of the hazards of walking or driving through flood waters: Turn Around Don’t Drown™.
— From the LCRA
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May 29, 2007
Boating ban continues for portion of Lake Austin
Due to ongoing Lower Colorado River Authority floodgate operations at Tom Miller Dam, City of Austin officials have extended a boating ban for a portion of Lake Austin near the dam. The ban will extend through 5 p.m. Friday, June 1, 2007.
The no-boating area extends from downstream of Oyster Landing boat docks to Tom Miller Dam and includes all recreational, commercial and navigational boating. Watercraft illegally operated on waters in the watercraft ban area may be impounded. Recent rains have necessitated a partial release from the dam, creating swift waters.
People should contact the City of Austin Parks Police Headquarters at 974-7707 during business hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., to receive written authorization to secure property in the flood ban area. Proof of ownership or occupancy is required.
For current flood ban information, visit the City of Austin’s Emergency Conditions Web site at www.cityofaustin.org/emergency.
— From the City of Austin
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May 9, 2007
Rain may be on its way to Austin
There may be rain in Austin Wednesday and Thursday, with rain chances increasing from 20 percent during the day to 50 percent Wednesday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.
From noon Wednesday until Thursday morning, a flash flood watch is in effect for much of south Central Texas including the following counties:
• Bandera
• Blanco
• Burnet
• Dimmit
• Edwards
• Frio
• Gillespie
• Kendall
• Kerr
• Kinney
• Llano
• Maverick
• Medina
• Real
• Uvalde
• Val Verde
• Zavala
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May 3, 2007
No severe damage reported from overnight storms
Severe thunderstorms overnight felled trees and flooded some low-water crossings, causing city officials to close a few intersections until around 6 a.m. Thursday morning. At least one building was struck by lightning and Austin Energy crews were working to restore power to about 150 customers.
A utility pole fell on a house south of Weir in Williamson County, said Kim Reid, a supervisor in the Williamson County Sheriff’s Offiice. No injuries or major damage were reported. A tree fell on a house in downtown Georgetown, but there were no injuries or damage to the house said Melissa Connell, dispatcher at Georgetown Police Department.
No other major damage was reported in the Central Texas area as of 7 a.m.
The City of Austin is reporting that Lakewood Drive in Bull Creek Park is closed this morning due to water over the road.
The National Weather service reported that about two inches of rain fell between 6 p.m. Wednesday night and early Thursday morning. Almost 2 inches fell around Lake Austin, 1.8 inches fell at Camp Mabry and 1.3 inches of rain fell at Austin Bergstrom International Airport, according to meteorologist Bob Fogarty.
He said there is a fifty percent chance of rain today after dawn. No heavy rain is expected today, but severe thunderstorms are possible this afternoon, according to the National Weather Service. After today, rain chances will pick up again on Sunday afternoon through the middle of next week.
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Austin Energy Update: About 150 without power
From Austin Energy:
As of 6:24 a.m.: Approximately 150 Austin Energy customers are without power at this hour in scattered isolated outages from a second wave of stormy weather that hit Austin early this morning. However, as customers awaken, additional scattered outages could be reported. The two storms that hit the Austin overnight included strong winds that downed at least a half dozen power poles. Broken tree limbs or limbs pressing against power lines and equipment caused the majority of the outages. Austin Energy has 15 repair crews in service with additional crews reporting at this hour.
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May 2, 2007
Tornado watch issued for parts of Central Texas and Hill Country
The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for parts of Central Texas, including Travis, Williamson and Hays counties, and several areas in Hill Country until 1 a.m.
Thunderstorms, hail and damaging winds are possible in Austin and the surrounding areas, said Dennis Cook, forecaster for the service. The flash flood watch for parts of Central Texas has been extended until 6 a.m. Thursday.
Storms will move into the Austin area soon, with the heavier part of the system revving up by 8 p.m., Cook said.
The severe weather could last through the night. If drivers are out after dark, they should be especially careful of water on the road.
“You can’t tell how deep it is,” Cook said. “If you’re not sure, don’t try to go through the water.”
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Another round of storms expected this afternoon and evening
Heavy thunderstorms are expected to fire up once again this afternoon and evening, according to the National Weather Service, sparking a flash flood watch for most of the area that will go into effect at 4 p.m.
Forecasters say there is a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms late today, and some of the storms could be severe. Storms rumbled through the area Tuesday, with some of the more severe weather north and east of Austin. A lightning strike killed a fisherman in Cameron, a town in Milam County.
The flash flood watch will be in effect beginning at 4 p.m. for the following counties:
• Bandera
• Bastrop
• Bexar
• Blanco
• Burnet
• Caldwell
• Comal
• Edwards
• Gillespie
• Guadalupe
• Hays
• Kendall
• Kerr
• Kinney
• Lee
• Llano
• Medina
• Real
• Travis
• Uvalde
• Val Verde
• Williamson
If a storm moves into your area, report it here. Be sure to post your address so your report can be plotted on our map.
More thunderstorms are possible overnight. Check the Statesman Weather page for more information.
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May 1, 2007
Thunderstorms roll through area; more likely later
The National Weather Service says that thunderstorms moving into Central Texas could drop between 1 and 2 inches of rain over the area this morning.
Officials urged drivers to use caution because saturated soil from recent heavy rainfall could cause roadways to flood.
The following counties are under a flash flood watch until noon today:
• Bastrop
• Blanco
• Burnet
• Caldwell
• De Witt
• Fayette
• Gillespie
• Gonzales
• Hays
• Lavaca
• Lee
• Llano
• Travis
• Williamson
If severe weather affects you, report it here. Be sure to post your address so your report can be plotted on our map.
More thunderstorms are possible Wednesday. Check the Statesman Weather page for up-to-date information.
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April 30, 2007
Severe weather expected throughout the day
The National Weather Service reports that showers and thunderstorms could move into the area throughout the day. The weather service says isolated areas could get between 2 and 5 inches of rain, prompting a flash flood watch for much of the area through this evening.
A line of heavy storms was seen on radar just west of San Antonio, moving northeast toward Central Texas this morning.
Because of daytime heating, another chance for severe weather, including the possibility of heavy winds, hail and isolated tornadoes, is this afternoon and this evening, according to the weather service. But the weather service says the biggest danger could be from the possibility of heavy rainfall, which could cause flash flooding.
The weather service has put the following counties under a flash flood watch through this evening: Atascosa, Bastrop, Bexar, Caldwell, Comal, De Witt, Fayette, Frio, Gonzales, Guadalupe, Hays, Karnes, Lavaca, Lee, Travis, Williamson and Wilson.
If severe weather affects you, report it here. Be sure to post your address so your report can be plotted on our map.
More thunderstorms are possible Tuesday and Wednesday. Check the Statesman Weather page for up-to-date information.
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April 24, 2007
Flash flood watch in effect for Central Texas
The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood watch this morning as a slow moving band of storms are to move through the area after 1 p.m. Light drizzle is expected for most of the morning, but no significant rainfall is expected until later today.
The storms could bring possible hail and periods of heavy rain, according to the National Weather Service. The Flash Flood watch is expected to be in effect until Wednesday morning.
The Flood watch is in effect for the following areas:
• Atascosa
• Bandera
• Bexar
• Blanco
• Burnet
• Caldwell
• Comal
• De Witt
• Edwards
• Fayette
• Frio
• Gillespie
• Gonzales
• Guadalupe
• Hays
• Karnes
• Kendall
• Kerr
• Lavaca
• Medina
• Real
• Travis
• Uvalde
• Williamson
Permalink | Categories: Weather
April 16, 2007
Weather impact at ABIA
One United Airlines flight scheduled to arrive in Austin-Bergstrom International Airport from Washington Dulles International Airport just after 11:00 this morning was canceled due to the severe weather on the East Coast, said Jeff Kovick, spokesman for United. The flight was supposed to depart Austin at noon to return to Washington Dulles International Airport.
Kovick said a very small number of United flights had been affected by the weather. He did not have specific numbers Monday morning.
A JetBlue Airways flight scheduled to arrive in Austin from New York John F. Kennedy International Airport was also canceled, Koenig could not confirm if this was weather-related.
As of noon on Monday, no other flights have been canceled that she is aware of, Koenig said.
Permalink | Categories: Weather
April 13, 2007
Austin Energy update
6:30 a.m. update Last night’s storm with high winds and lightning caused widespread minor outages across Austin affecting in excess of 15,000 customers with repairs necessary at as many as 120 different locations.
Austin Energy crews worked throughout the night and power has been restored to all over night outages.
A small flurry of new scattered small outage calls have come in and will continue throughout the early morning hours as customers wake up to discover they are without power. Any customer without power should call 322-9100.
Currently about 250 customers are without power in scattered isolated outages that will require repairs at about 40 different locations. There are no large outages.
Austin Energy has 14 repair crews that have been working throughout the night. Power should be restored in all current outage situations by 8:00 a.m.
The largest outage from the storm occurred last night in the east Austin/Riverside area where about 9,000 customers were without power for about an hour and a half. The outage began about 9:30 p.m. Power was restored to all customers by just before 11:00 p.m.
11:10 p.m. update The substation that serves the east Austin and adjoining areas experienced an equipment malfunction that caused a loud noise and a flash that was likely heard by nearby customers. However, the substation is back to normal operation and power has been restored to east Austin residents. Anyone in east Austin or elsewhere in Austin that does not have power should report their outage by calling 322-9100.
There are still about 5,000 Austin Energy customers without power in widely scattered outages across Austin due to strong winds and lightning that occurred earlier. The largest single outage involves about 500 customers located east of IH-35 and south of Airport Blvd.
Austin Energy has about 14 repair crews in service and restoration will continue throughout the night until power has been restored to all customers.
10 p.m. update Very strong winds and rains that just moved through the Austin area and continue have resulted in scattered outages across Austin.
About 13,000 customers are without power.
A large portion of those customers reside within the east Austin-Riverside Drive area. There are some downed power lines along Riverside Drive due to strong winds. Austin Energy has crews deployed. We will report back shortly with an update.
Permalink | Categories: Weather
April 10, 2007
This morning's storms won't last
Thunderstorms moving through the Austin-area Tuesday morning should be gone by noon, said Dennis Cook, forecaster for the National Weather Service.
Though there is some patchy, dense fog in the area, the visibility is not bad enough to warrant a weather advisory, Cook said.
After the storms move out, it’s going to be nice, with no more rain in the forecast until Friday, Cook said.
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April 6, 2007
A blast of cold Easter weather
Although it will be a beautiful today, with partly cloudy skies and daytime highs around room-temperature, colder, wet weather is on the way for the weekend.
It’s expected to dip into the 40s tonight, and showers are possible starting tonight, and chances of rain continue through Sunday. The high temperature on Saturday isn’t expected to climb out of the 40s and the overnight low is expected to be in the mid 30s.
Easter Sunday is expected to be cool, with highs in the mid 50s and a slightly decreased chance of rain all day. It’s expected to dry up and warm up starting Monday.
For the forecast and the local radar, click here.
Permalink | Categories: Weather
April 4, 2007
Cooler weather today after brief thunderstorms
A cold front created a brief thunderstorm this morning and dropped an inch and a half of rain at Austin Bergstrom International Airport, according to the National Weather Service.
Central Texas could see cooler temperatures today with highs in the 70s. There is a slight chance of showers later today.
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March 31, 2007
Sunshine all day
The rain clouds have cleared and should stay away for the rest of the day, letting the sun shine in Austin, said Pat McDonald, meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
High temperatures today will be about 74 degrees with 10 to 15 mph winds out of the northwest. Low temperatures tonight could dip down into the upper 40s, but Sunday will be sunny with highs near 85 degrees, he said.
The next chance of rain could be Monday or Tuesday, but until then it will be sunny and warm, he said.
“We need the rain,” McDonald said. “But it’s nice to have a break every now and then to let things dry out a little bit.”
Permalink | Categories: Weather
March 30, 2007
Flash Flood Watch in effect for Central Texas
The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood watch this morning effective as of 7 a.m. today until 9 a.m. Saturday.
Heavy thunderstorms from West Texas are expected to move into Central Texas at 25 miles an hour by 1 p.m.
The flood threat for low lying areas may last into Saturday morning, forecasters say, since the soil is saturated from recent storms. Central Texas is expected to see between 2 and 4 inches of rain.
The Flood watch is in effect for the following areas:
• Atascosa
• Bandera
• Bastrop
• Bexar
• Blanco
• Burnet
• Caldwell
• Comal
• Dimmit
• Edwards
• Fayette
• Frio
• Gillespie
• Gonzales
• Guadalupe
• Hays
• Karnes
• Kendall
• Kerr
• Kinney
• Lavaca
• Maverick
• Medina
• Real
• Travis
• Uvalde
• Val Verde
• Williamson
• Wilson
• Zavala
Permalink | Categories: Weather
March 29, 2007
Severe weather possible this afternoon
There’s a 50 percent chance of heavy rain this afternoon, according to the National Weather Service. Check here to see an up-to-date forecast.
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March 27, 2007
Storms to help raise Lake Travis water level
The heavy rainfall yesterday and early this morning will cause Lake Travis’ water level to rise to between 659 feet and 661 feet above sea level by midnight tonight, according to the Lower Colorado River Authority. The lake was at 653.5 feet before the storm.
And the LCRA says the lake level is forecast to rise as high as 664 feet above sea level by the weekend because of this storm. The lake is considered full when it’s at 681 feet.
The National Weather Service said the 1.49 inches of rain that fell at Camp Mabry yesterday was a record for the date. Some roads are still closed this morning.
According to the City of Austin’s Emergency Management Office, the roads closed are:
• Lakewood Drive in Bull Creek Park
• Hamilton Pool Road at Pedernales River
Bastrop County officials rescued a woman at around 4 a.m. today after her car stalled at the intersection of Texas 21 and Caldwell Road. Sheriff Steve Spencer said a fire truck with the Chisholm Trail Fire Department rescued the woman from two feet of water. Her pickup was still at the intersection as of 10:15 a.m., as officials waited for the water to recede, Spencer said.
As of midnight, the following rainfall amounts were recorded in parts of Central Texas:
• 1.2 inches at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
• 1.3 inches in San Marcos
• 1.79 in Georgetown
• 0.89 in Giddings
• 1.2 in Burnet
• 1.7 in Llano
Permalink | Categories: Weather
March 26, 2007
Strong storms, heavy rain expected this afternoon, meterologist says
Strong storms and heavy rain are expected this afternoon, said Bob Rose, meteorologist for the Lower Colorado River Authority. Much of Central Texas could get up to three inches of rain, with flooding possible. Rain is expected to affect the afternoon commute, Rose said.
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Flash Flood Watch in effect for Central Texas
The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood watch this morning that is in effect until 11 p.m. tonight.
Thunderstorms from West Texas are expected to move into Central Texas at 25 miles per hour by 2 p.m.
The flood threat for low lying areas may last into Tuesday morning, forecasters say. These areas could see up to .5 inches of rain an hour:
• Atascosa
• Bandera
• Bastrop
• Bexar
• Blanco
• Burnet
• Caldwell
• Comal
• Dimmit
• Edwards
• Frio
• Gillespie
• Guadalupe
• Hays
• Kendall
• Kerr
• Kinney
• Lee
• Llano
• Maverick
• Medina
• Real
• Travis
• Uverde
• Williamson
• Wilson
• Zavala
Permalink | Categories: Weather
March 15, 2007
Dense fog advisory for Central Texas
The National Weather Service office serving Austin and San Antonio has issued a dense fog advisory for Central Texas until 10 a.m.
A dense fog advisory means visibilities can be reduced to less than a quarter of a mile. NWS recommends slowing down while driving, using regular beam headlights and leaving plenty of distance between you and the car in front of you.
The counties included in the advisory are Travis, Williamson, Hays, and Bastrop.
Cities included are Austin, Georgetown, San Marcos, Bastrop, Giddings, San Antonio, New Braunfels, and Lockhart.
For more information, click here.
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March 14, 2007
Some roads still closed in Williamson
March 14, 2007 (Williamson County, TX) - The Williamson County Unified Road System reports that some roads still are closed due to high water as of 12:30 p.m. For updated road closure information, check the county website at www.wilcogov.org.
West of IH 35:
County Roads 268, 305, 177, 272, 267 @ 270
East of IH 35:
County Roads 123, 471, 382, Big Mankins @ 100, 398
Permalink | Categories: Weather
Official: Warning light turned on seconds before couple hit flood
Only 45 seconds before Kathlyn List, 78 and Fred List, 80, drove into a low-water crossing, a city of Georgetown utility worker manually turned on the warning lights for the crossing, according to Georgetown spokesman Keith Hutchinson.
This morning, rescue workers found the body of Fred List in Berry Creek near Airport Drive, about a mile from where the rescue attempt happened.
Kathlyn was released at 1 p.m. today from a Georgetown hospital with no major injuries.
The couple’s car became stranded at about 8:15 p.m. Tuesday where water was flowing over a bridge on Oak Tree Drive next to a golf-course hole at the Berry Creek Country Club.
Hutchinson said that automatic flashing warning lights that warn drivers that water is coming over the roadway were not working because of Monday’s storms.
Georgetown utility workers checked on the crossing at 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, Hutchinson said. He said they determined there was no water coming over the bridge and left. Hutchinson said Georgetown police officers called the city at 8 p.m. to tell them water was going over the roadway. The utility workers returned at 8:15 p.m., Hutchinson said, to manually turn the lights on and to close gates that block traffic.
Hutchinson said the lights were on for about 45 seconds, and another worker was on his way to close one of the gates when the utility worker who turned on the lights saw the Lists’ car drive into the water-engulfed road, Hutchinson said. The water was up to the wheel wells when they first drove across, Hutchinson said. By the time rescuers were able to reach the car, the water topped the vehicle.
The first 911 call was placed at 8:22 p.m., Hutchinson said.
Hutchinson said the Georgetown police officer who called in at 8 p.m. to report water over the bridge couldn’t close the gates because they are padlocked, and police officers do not have key to flood warning gates. Hutchinson said he did not know why the police officer didn’t block the road some other way.
Hutchinson also said the city utility workers who checked on the road at 7:45 p.m. didn’t close the gates despite the area being under a flash flood warning because it would cut the neighborhood in half.
A neighborhood resident, Robert Nelon, said this morning that the city usually isn’t very consistent about closing the gates during floods.
Hutchinson said this morning that Georgetown firefighter Jesse Brookes was the first to reach the car after entering the creek with a rope. Brookes knocked out the back window of the car, Hutchinson said, and handed a life vest to Kathlyn List.
While the Lists were still in the car, Brookes was swept off his feet by the rushing water and had to be pulled to safety by other rescuers, Hutchinson said.
Georgetown firefighter Matt Wilson then made his way to the car and grabbed Kathyln List, who was holding onto her husband, who did not have a life vest. The couple then was swept away, Hutchinson said. Kathlyn List was pulled safely from the creek about 75 yards downstream by rescue workers.
Fred List was an advocate for death-row inmate Cathy Lynn Henderson. Henderson is scheduled to be executed April 18 in connection with the 1994 killing of 3-month-old Brandon Baugh in the Pflugerville area.
A List family member says a psychiatrist who was talking about the case with the Lists was at the Lists home Tuesday evening, and the psychiatrist was following the Lists out of the neighborhood when the incident happened.
Leander Fire Department, as well as departments from Cedar Park, Round Rock and Georgetown helped at the scene. Starflight was grounded this morning because of fog in the area.
Permalink | Categories: Weather
March 13, 2007
Hays County road conditions
Hazardous Road Conditions
UPDATED: 03-13-2007 TIME: 15:10 HRS
Low-water crossings that have been identified with water-over-the-road:
Dripping Springs area - all roads currently passable
Wimberley area
CR 1492 @ River Rd (gates closed)
Wayside Dr, CR 179 @ Blanco River (gates closed)
Fischer Store Rd, CR 181 @ Stone Canyon subd.
Little Arkansas Rd @ Blanco River (gates closed)
Spoke Hollow Rd west of Hidden Valley Rd
Valley View Dr
Cypress Creek Rd
River Rd south of Wayside Dr
Hidden Valley Rd (gates closed)
Kyle area
Dacy Ln, CR 205 south of Bebee Rd
Cotton Gin Rd, CR 129 @ 800 blk.
Harris Hill Rd, CR 160 near Hwy 21
Plum Creek Rd South, CR 156 @ Plum Creek near City of Uhland
Post Rd, CR 140 @ Blanco River
Lehman Road north of FM 150
Buda area
Lakewood Dr @ FM 1626
Garrison Rd @ Onion Creek
Carpenter Ln @ Little Bear Creek
Chaparral Rd @ Little Bear Creek
Turnersville Rd South, CR 212
San Marcos Area
Old Bastrop Hwy @ Miller’s Lake crossing (gates closed)
Old Bastrop Hwy @ San Marcos River (gates closed)
Uhland Rd @ Blanco River
Permalink | Categories: Weather
Williamson County roads still closed
Some county roads in Williamson County are still closed due to high waters as of 4:30 p.m. today, said Connie Watson, a county spokeswoman.
These include:
East of I-35: County Roads 123, 471, 382, Big Mankins @ 100
West of I-35: County Roads 250, 251, 305, 232
Updates on road closures can be checked online at www.wilcogov.org.
Permalink | Categories: Weather
Storms moving into Central Texas
Several clusters of heavy storms have moved through the area from the south, and more storm cells are expected to come this way, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a flash flood warning for all of Central Texas.
The weather service says some of the storms this afternoon could produce heavy rainfall and possibly include small hail. New rainfall totals will average .5 inches to 2 inches, with higher amounts near 4 inches possible.
The area is under a severe thunderstorm watch until 7 p.m. today, and a flash flood watch until Wednesday morning.
With the storms Monday morning saturating the area, dangerous flooding can be expected. Click here for a map of dangerous low-water areas and for an explaination of how a car can float away in a seemingly small amount of water.
Permalink | Categories: Weather
Central Texas under flash flood watch
After Monday’s deluge in which parts of Central Texas received 9 inches of rain, the entire area has been put under a flash flood watch until 6 a.m. Wednesday.
A line of storms moved through overnight, but there was only a trace of rain (.04 inches at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport).
Storms are expected to reignite this afternoon, which could quickly cause problems in Central Texas’ trouble spots. Click here to see the problem areas and to learn about the dangers of low-water crossings.
Permalink | Categories: Weather
March 12, 2007
The dangers of low-water crossings
Permalink | Categories: Weather
Travis and Williamson County Road Closures
Lakewood Drive in Bull Creek Park in Travis County is still closed today because of high water.
Williamson County has announced the following roads as of 11:55 a.m.:
West of IH 35:
• CR 226
• CR 305
• CR 268
• CR 269
• CR 177
• CR 179
• CR 272
• CR 174 from Great Oaks to Sam Bass Road
• low water crossing in Brushy Creek Subdivision off of CR 174
• CR 143
• CR 220
• CR 239 at Espinoza Stone
• CR 251
East of IH 35:
• CR 366
• CR 100 (Big and Little Mankins)
• CR 123
• CR 398
• CR 382
• CR 348
• CR 471
• CR 300
• CR 336
• CR 333
• CR 350
• CR 351
• CR 363
• CR 337
Permalink | Categories: Weather
Roads re-opened after closings due to overnight flooding
Overnight rainfall in Travis County swelled creeks and produced flood conditions throughout the Austin area that are still in effect this morning.
The Austin Office of Emergency Management reports that only two roads remain closed this morning after up to two inches of rain fell across Austin.
The National Weather Service for the Austin/San Antonio region reported that parts of Travis County north of Lago Vista got up to 4 inches of rain and southern parts of the county got up to 3 inches of rain.
“It’s like getting a month’s worth of rain in 12 hours,” said Clay Anderson, a forecaster for the National Weather Service.
Flash Flood warnings are in effect for Travis County, Hays County near Driftwood and other parts of Texas east of the Interstate 35 corridor.
Anderson said rain may not start again until tonight, but it is expected to be rainy all day tomorrow.
Permalink | Categories: Weather
March 8, 2007
Dense Fog Advisory this morning for Central Texas
The National Weather Service has issued a Dense Fog Advisory this morning for parts of Central Texas until 10 a.m. because fog has already developed along the Interstate 35 corridor.
The advisory means drivers’ ability to see will be reduced to one quarter mile. If you’re driving this morning, slow down, use your headlights and leave plenty of distance in front of your car.
The advisory effects these cities:
• Austin
• Georgetown
• San Marcos
• Bastrop
• Giddings
• San Antonio
• New Braunfels
• Seguin
• Lockhart
• La Grange
• Pleasanton
• Floresville
• Karnes City
• Gonzales
• Cuero
• Hallettsville
Permalink | Categories: Weather
February 27, 2007
Dense Fog Advisory for Central Texas
The National Weather Service has issued a Dense Fog Advisory for Central Texas around the areas of the Interstate 35 corridor this morning.
The advisory is in effect in Williamson, Hays, Travis, Bastrop, Lee, Bexar, Comal, Guadalupe , Caldwell, Atascosa and Wilson counties until 10 a.m. Austin, San Antonio, Georgetown, San Marcos, Giddings, Bastrop, New Braunfels, Seguin, Lockhart, Pleasanton and Floresville are also expected to see dense fog during this morning’s commute.
Meteorologists say the fog is expected to diminish by mid-morning. They urge drivers to slow down, since it will be difficult to see beyond a quarter of a mile when driving.
Permalink | Categories: Weather
February 16, 2007
Record cold weather in Austin last night and this morning
It was a chilly morning — and a record cold one, depending on where the temperature was measured. But don’t fret — Central Texas is in for a much warmer weekend.
The National Weather Service reports that Austin has broken February records over the last two days with record low temperatures in the 20s, according to a meteorologist.
Last night, temperatures plummeted to 23 degrees at Austin Bergstrom-International Airport right before midnight, setting a record that was previously set on Feb. 15, 2004, meteorologist Joe Baskin said.
We’re expected to reach a high in the mid 50s this afternoon. Baskin said that lows tonight will be in the mid-30s, but we’ll see daytime highs in the 60s over the weekend. Check the forecast here.
On this day in 1958, Bergstrom reported a previous record of 27 degrees. Early this morning, temperatures reached a record 20 degrees, Baskin said.
Overnight temperatures at Camp Mabry reached 24 this morning — nowhere near the all-time February low there: a rather frigid -1 degrees on February 12, 1899. The all-time low for Bergstrom is negative 5 degrees set Jan. 31, 1949.
Baskin said these bone-chilling temperatures have been created because of no wind, clouds and low humidity, which have created an atmosphere for radiational cooling. (Regular people just call it very cold weather.)
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February 15, 2007
Freeze expected tonight
Central Texas is looking at one more extremely cold night tonight before it warms up this weekend. We’re only going to reach the mid 40s for a high today, and lows tonight could be near a record and are expected to be well below freezing. To find out why it has been so cold, read LCRA meteorologist Bob Rose’s blog. Also, you can check the weather forecast here. Before you go to bed tonight, take in your plants, wrap your outdoor faucets and take care of your pets.
Permalink | Categories: Weather
February 12, 2007
Dense fog advisory for Central Texas
The National Weather Service has issued a Dense Fog advisory for Central Texas including Travis, Williamson and Hays counties. The fog may reduce driving visibility and create hazardous driving conditions, so drivers are asked to be cautious on the road this morning. Officials ask that drivers slow down and leave plenty of room between their cars and the vehicles ahead of them. Click here to see the advisory notice. Click here to check for traffic problems and here for the weather forecast.
Permalink | Categories: Weather
February 8, 2007
Rainy days are here again
A light rain may continue to fall throughout Central Texas today with showers expected on and off throughout the weekend, according to the National Weather Service.
These small showers will lead up to a 40 percent chance of thunderstorms Monday morning, a forecaster said.
Temperatures will be in the low 60s today and tomorrow, but could get as warm as 70 degrees on Sunday.
Permalink | Categories: Weather
February 7, 2007
Spring-like afternoon expected
We’re expecting an unseasonably warm day, with highs in the low to mid 70s. Click here for the forecast.
Permalink | Categories: Weather
February 2, 2007
Freeze expected tonight
Although it appears that the forecasters were off when they said Central Texas’ temperatures would dip into the teens this weekend, a milder shot of arctic air has moved into the area. The high isn’t expected to get above 50 this afternoon, and the temperature is expected to drop below 30 degrees early Saturday morning. But don’t worry about an ice storm this time around — it’s expected to be a dry cold. Take care of your pets tonight, bring in sensitive plants and wrap outdoor faucets. Click here to see the forecast.
Permalink | Categories: Weather
January 15, 2007
Weather updates moved to 2007 Storm Blog
We have created a special blog to cover the ice storm that is descending on Central Texas. Check out the 2007 Storm Blog for the latest information on the weather.
Permalink | Categories: Weather
January 14, 2007
Latest weather updates
A winter storm that could produce about a quarter inch of ice is expected to roll into Central Texas on Sunday night.
The area is under a winter storm warning from 6 p.m. today until 6 p.m. Monday.
Rain will continue to fall Sunday with the high near 40 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. It issued a flash flood watch for Travis County until 1: 45 p.m.
As night falls, so will the the temperatures. Freezing temperatures are predicted until mid-week.
The freezing rain could begin after midnight and continue throughout Monday. There is also a chance of snow and sleet beginning Monday night.
Permalink | Categories: Weather
Latest road closure updates
From the City of Round Rock:
The City of Round Rock reports the following roads remain closed due to high water:
Low water crossing at Chisholm Trail at the round rock;
Low water crossing at Lee Street in Memorial Park;
Low water crossing at Lee Street in Lake Creek Park;
Low water crossing at Harrell Parkway in Old Settlers Park;
Low water crossing at Old Bowman Road;
Chisholm Trail at the Onion Creek crossing north of Sam Bass Road.
We anticipate re-opening the roads later today if creek levels drop.
City of Austin:
All roads and low water crossings are now open except for the 2400 block of Hoke Lane.
Williamson County:
The following roads remain closed:
CR 123
CR 177
CR 258
CR 268
CR 272
CR 471
Permalink | Categories: Weather
November 30, 2006
10,000 without power after front blows through
A news release from Austin Energy.
A thunderstorm that moved through south Austin overnight left almost 10,000 Austin Energy customers without power.
Heavy lightning knocked out four circuits in South Austin just before midnight. The outage area extended from East St. Elmo and IH-35 to the north, IH-35 and FM 1327 to the south, South 1st Street to the West and Thaxton Road to the East.
Power was restored to about half of the affected customers about 1:40 am and to the remainder about an hour later (2:40 am). By 4:00 a.m. there had also been about a dozen isolated single outages reported throughout the Austin community from the stormy weather, but no additional large outages. Power has also been restored in those individual outages.
Austin Energy is prepared should the cold weather expected over the next 48 hours result in system problems of any type.
Customers are reminded that should outages occur, it is important that every customer report their outage by calling 322-9100. Those calls relay the corresponding address data to the Austin Energy outage system. If all customers affected by an outage call in, the data helps our outage system more quickly identify the piece of equipment or location of problems.
Permalink | Categories: Weather
November 15, 2006
Power restored to all Austin Energy customers
Austin Energy Update:
By 9:00 p.m. power had been restored to all Austin Energy customers that lost power this afternoon due to the windy conditions. An occasional call may continue to come in due to residual wind damage to tree limbs that cause an outage here or there throughout the evening.
AE crews today have made repairs at more than 300 locations. There were also as many as 7 power poles downed by the winds and 24 instances of downed power lines.
The vast majority of outages were due to tree limbs blowing into and against power lines and power equipment.
The attached computer maps chronicle the restoration effort. Each dot represents a location from which outages were reported. A dot can represent more than a single outage. The numbered green squares on other screens represent the location of AE repair crews. In all some 41 repair crews assisted in restoring power with assistance from as many as 10 tree trimming crews at any one time.
Permalink | Categories: Weather
About 130 Austin Energy customers without power at 7:30 p.m. due to wind
Austin Energy Update:
There are about 130 Austin Energy customers without power at 7:30 p.m. Outage repairs are still needed at about 32 locations throughout Austin.
AE now expects to have power restored to all customers by 10:00 p.m.
The most common repair needed from this afternoon’s weather was replacement of fuses blown due to contact between tree limbs and power lines and equipment.
There were as many as 7 poles downed by the high winds and as many as 24 instances of downed power lines across Austin.
When the last customer is restored, Austin Energy crews will have made repairs at approximately 300 locations throughout Austin and Travis County.
Austin Energy serves approximately 372,000 customers. At peak this afternoon, about 1,900 customers were without power.
Permalink | Categories: Weather
October 23, 2006
Austin-Travis County EMS continues East Texas flood operations
The Austin-Travis County EMS Public Information Office released this statement:
Austin-Travis County EMS Special Operations medics and Texas Task Force 1’s water strike squads remained in East Texas Monday to assist local officials with damage assessments from the recent heavy rainfall that resulted in localized flooding along the Neches River.
Strike squad members rescued 12 people from the rising floodwaters in Orange County over the weekend and conducted more than 200 damage assessments and wellness checks of East Texas residents through Monday. The water strike squads are also providing documentation and digital photos of the flood-affected homes to local officials.
Austin-Travis County EMS Special Operations is one of three Texas public safety agencies supporting the 16-man team providing rescue efforts on the Neches River near Vidor. The team was deployed late Friday evening at the request of the Governor’s Division of Emergency Management. Texas Task Force 1, which is sponsored by the Texas Engineering Extension Service, coordinates the state’s water rescue program and also serves as Texas’ only statewide urban search and rescue team.
Permalink | Categories: Weather
October 19, 2006
Central Texas recovering after severe storms overnight
Llano County officials are cleaning up after thunderstorms accompanied by 62 mph winds knocked down power lines in Kingsland and damaged homes and businesses.
Rain storms started in Llano and Burnet counties just after 5 p.m., and lasted until around 6:45 p.m., National Weather Service meterologist Cristy Mitchell said. Over an inch of rain fell at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport; 0.82 of an inch fell at Camp Mabry.
Emergency management officials in Llano are surveying the damage this morning, officials at the sheriff’s office said. They have not yet assessed how much damage has been done. No injuries have been reported.
Rain is not expected in Central Texas again until Saturday.
Permalink | Categories: Weather
October 16, 2006
Heavy rain expected today
Up to 2 inches of rain may fall today throughout Travis County and around Central Texas, meteorologists at the National Weather Service say, and the agency has issued a heavy rain advisory for the area.
Thunderstorms are expected to last until around 3 this afternoon, according to Robert Blaha, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
Blaha said high temperatures tomorrow may be in the 90s and lows in the 60s are expected. A cold front is expected by Wednesday.
Permalink | Categories: Weather
October 10, 2006
Williamson road closures
The Williamson County Unified Road and Bridge Department advises motorists that the following roads are closed due to high water as of 3:50 p.m. Tuesday. Updates are available at the Williamson County Web site, www.wilco.org.
East of IH 35: CR 123; CR 363; Big Mankins @ CR 100; CR 361; CR 152; CR 471
West of IH 35: CR 177; CR 174 @ Brushy Bend Creek; CR 272; CR 266 near CR 270
— Williamson County news release
Permalink | Categories: Weather
Wet weather expected most of morning
A severe thunderstorm warning is in effect for Travis and Williamson counties until 11:30 this morning, and a forecaster with the National Weather Service says there will be scattered showers throughout the day today. Some are expected to produce up to 2 inches of rain.
Joe Baskin with the National Weather Service said there would be heavy rainfall between 6 and 8 a.m. and again from 10 a.m. to noon. Storms could drop up to 2 inches in an hour’s time, he said. “Drive slow on those wet streets,” he cautioned drivers.
Commuters can expect low temperatures in the 70s and highs in the mid-80s. Baskin said a cold front is expected to bring in low temperatures in the 40s by Thursday night.
Permalink | Categories: Weather
September 18, 2006
Overnight storms to bring cold front later today
Thunderstorms dropped more than an inch of rain over parts of Austin and Travis County between midnight and 5:45 a.m., a forecaster with the National Weather Service said.
While the wet weather was a nice break from the heat, it wasn’t a drought-buster.
“Some people will wake up this morning and say, ‘What rain?’” said Pat McDonald, a forecaster with the Austin/San Antonio National Weather Service office.
An inch of rain fell at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport overnight, and .81 inches fell at Camp Mabry. No major wrecks were reported.
McDonald said that some parts of Texas — Victoria, Vanderpool and Seguin — got between 4 and 8 inches of rain overnight.
Showers had largely subsided by 7 a.m., leaving behind partly cloudy skies. High temperatures are expected to be in the mid-80s and lows will be in the upper 50s.
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September 5, 2006
Light rain for Austin today
Light rain that started around 4 this morning will greet commuters throughout the day in Austin and Travis County, according to the National Weather Service.
There could be an average of 1 to 1.5 inches throughout Travis County, forecasters said, and showers are expected to last through most of the day, tapering off this evening. Some areas could see as much as 3 inches of rain.
Slick roads have contributed to several collisions around town. At 8:15 a.m., a crash in the 5200 block of RM 2222 had all eastbound lanes and one westbound lane closed. Earlier, an 18-wheeler struck a telephone pole at Fifth and Chicon streets and a rollover collision was reported at Doyle and Hokanson roads in Travis County.
High temperatures for the day will be in the mid-80s, with lows tonight in the mid-60s, meterologists said. Wednesday is expected to be mostly sunny with highs in the upper 80s.
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July 17, 2006
Austin Energy, ERCOT expect record energy demand
A news release from Austin Energy
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas is predicting possible record electric demand today throughout Texas but do not expect problems meeting that demand.
ERCOT is forecasting peak demand of 63,517 MW. If reached, that level of demand would be a new all-time demand record for the ERCOT system. The state has over 68,000 MW of generation available today to meet that demand.
Austin Energy is also forecasting the possibility of record demand today for a July day. Austin Energy also projects adequate generation to meet our needs. Austin Energy’s current record for a July day is 2,316 MW set last year. Austin Energy has 2,900 MW of generation.
The peak demand period is expected to occur between 4:00 and 6:00 p.m.
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May 8, 2006
Austin Energy storm update: 5:55 p.m.
Austin Energy Storm Update
Power has been restored to all of the remaining area affected by recent severe storms.
Austin Energy has a quality assurance program that is underway whereby every customer who called in an outage gets a call back to ensure that they have power at their home or business. If a home or business reports they still do not have power—Austin Energy sends a crew to determine why not.
Any customer without power should notify Austin Energy by calling 322-9100.
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Austin Energy storm update: 4 p.m.
Austin Energy Storm Update
Power has been restored to 99.9% of the remaining area affected by recent severe storms. The remaining .1% which affects less than 50 customers will be restored by about 5:00 p.m. The .1% affects about 20 houses located in the area of Schulle and Pecos streets.
Austin Energy has a quality assurance program that is underway whereby every customer who called in an outage gets a call back to ensure that they have power at their home or business. If a home or business reports they still do not have power—Austin Energy sends a crew to determine why not.
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Austin Energy storm update: 6:15 a.m.
There are currently between 700-800 Austin Energy customers without power. The numbers have remained steady overnight due to additional storm activity in the early morning hours which produced some additional scattered outages.
The majority of customers without power are located in the area bounded by 35th Street to the north, Enfield to the south, Pecos to the west and Lamar to the east.
The restoration effort today will involve some 40 Austin Energy repair crews, 15 CenterPoint repair crews and about 25 contract tree trimming crews.
City of Austin Solid Waste Services will provide a special pickup today for customers who have been without power for an extended period and have food that is spoiling. Those customers should call 3-1-1 and provide their address. Spoiled food may be placed garbage cans or secured bags but customers are asked to put out spoiled food only for the special pickup today.
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Austin Energy storm update: 4:30 a.m.
A thunderstorm moving through the service territory about 1:30 am caused a one circuit to trip off line leaving about 2,000 customers without power for about an hour in the Howard Lane area. The storm resulted in some additional scattered outages. Currently there are between 700-800 customers out. The bulk of those customers are located in an area bounded by 35th Street to the north, Enfield to the south, Pecos to the west and Lamar to the east. Austin Energy repairs crews and contract tree trimming crews worked throughout the night. Barring additional bad weather, Austin Energy expects to have power restored to all remaining customers from the past week of storm activity by mid-afternoon.
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May 7, 2006
Austin Energy storm update: 9 p.m.
Austin Energy Storm Update
The of Austin Energy customers without power has been reduced to about 700.
Austin Energy Storm Update
The largest concentration of customers still without power are in an area bounded by 35th Street to the north, Enfield to the south, Pecos to the west and Lamar to the east.
Austin Energy calls back each customer who called in an outage to ensure each customer has power. That process a yielding a handful of customers who are within restored areas but are without power because of additional outage problems at their individual addresses.
Austin Energy repair crews and contract tree trimming crews will continue working throughout the night. The current projection is that if additional weather does not occur, power should be restored to all remaining Austin Energy customers by mid-afternoon Monday.
Our next report will be at 4:00 a.m.
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Austin Energy storm summary: 8 p.m.
Austin Energy Storm Summary
Storm Thursday night May 4th brought the strongest winds to the core of the city in years. Winds peaked at 74 mph which is Category I Hurricane wind speed.
The total number of customers without power at peak was 52,000 customers.
An estimated 90% of the outages caused by tree limbs.
Repairs and assessments made at more than 2,000 locations over a 4-day period.
Have had 640 calls reporting lines down
Current Status At 8:00 p.m. Sunday, May 7— about 1100 customers remain without power. Estimate about 800 customers will not have power restored before tomorrow afternoon.
Primary area of town currently affected: (boundaries) 35th Street to the north, Enfield to the south, Pecos to the west and Lamar to the east
Why has power not been restored to all customers?
Most extensive damage since ice storm in December 2000.
Escalating Outage Count Many tree limbs weakened by May 4th storm and toppled by subsequent storms that occurred Friday and Saturday nights. As a result, the number of outages continued to escalate with each storm.
Difficult Access Many outages occurred in older neighborhoods (Central Austin) where power lines are at the back of lots. No access for equipment. Cannot use bucket trucks. Must climb trees to trim and climb poles to make repairs. Progress is much slower. Transformers, depending on size weigh 350 -700 pounds and have to be hand maneuvered into these back lot areas.
Tree Trimming Needed Austin has never been fully trimmed. Started about 5 years ago with comprehensive program. Have about half of community trimmed. If that had not been achieved, number of outages would have been 2-3 times higher and we would be looking at additional days of restoration.
Utilities Staff for Standard Emergencies Utilities cannot staff for extraordinary outage events that may occur a few times a year. Would dramatically increase rates for staff that could not be utilized during majority of year.
Mutual Assistance used Mutual Assistance program developed by utilities for this reason. CenterPoint provided assistance as part of mutual assistance agreements.
All staff works around the clock Austin Energy worked 40 crews during daylight hours and more than 20 over night each night. 15 CenterPoint crews during daylight hours. 30 tree trimming crews worked during days, 8 crews overnight.
Total: 210 linemen and field personnel total, 100 tree trimming and 30 additional staff at the Energy Control Center supporting planning and crews. The City of Austin Customer Service Center also has been staffed throughout this event.
AE linemen and outage restoration staff in the Energy Control Center have worked on average of 72 hours each over 4 days. First day, 24-hours, then 16-hours each subsequent day.
Number of crews cannot exceed saturation point Storm damage was concentrated through core of city. There is a saturation limit on how many crews can work in a confined geographic area and be properly coordinated and to ensure safety.
Spoiling Food Calls from those with power outages 48 hours or more to report spoiling food. Call 3-1-1 and provide your address. Solid Waste Services conducting special pickup tomorrow. Use standard garbage containers or secured bags. Spoiled food only.
Compensation Utilities do not compensate for spoiled food or other expenses resulting from act of nature.
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Austin Energy storm update: 4 p.m.
Austin Energy Storm Update
Austin Energy will hold a press conference at 7:00 p.m. at Town Lake Center, 721 Barton Springs Road. We will identify any neighborhoods that will be without power overnight into tomorrow. We are performing a complete analysis of remaining outages at this hour.
At 4:00 p.m. there were about are 1,100 Austin Energy customers without power.
Those with outages are generally in older neighborhoods where the electric system is very hard to access because it is located at the back of lots, surrounded by very heavy tree growth, with lines passing in places through creeks and even a few canyon type areas. Tree trimming crews and repair crews must climb trees and power poles to perform the necessary trimming and repairs. Therefore repairs in this area are very time consuming.
Meanwhile some Austin Energy customers who have been without power for more than 48 hours – are reporting spoiling food. To help address this problem, City of Austin Solid Waste Services is launching an immediate pickup in the largest area most affected. That is Tarrytown-Pemberton bordered by 35th Street on the north, the river to the south, Scenic Drive to the west and Lamar Boulevard to the east.
Solid Waste Services garbage trucks are rolling at this hour to begin an emergency pickup of spoiled foods in that area. Customers may use their normal garbage receptacle or bags but are asked to limit what they put out for this special pickup to perishable foods only. Those who miss this pickup or who live in other areas and have spoiling food due to a power outage of 48 hours or more may call 3-1-1 and provide their address. Once their outage is verified, Solid Waste Services will send a special pickup to their home by noon tomorrow to pick up spoiling food. Again, only perishables will be picked up.
This is an effort by the City of Austin to respond quickly to an unfortunate consequence of the extended outage the City has experienced due to severe weather.
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Austin Energy Storm Update: 5:30 a.m.
Austin Energy Storm Update
At 5:30 a.m. there are approximately 3,500 Austin Energy customers without power. Austin Energy estimates that to restore power to all customers, repairs will likely be needed at an estimated 300 individual locations.
Austin Energy estimates that since severe thunderstorms hit Austin Thursday night – repairs or investigations had been necessary at almost 2,000 locations.
In addition to the 300 remaining locations where repairs are likely needed, there are another approximately 170 locations where customers have reported a tree limb on a wire. These locations have not resulted in an outage but will require Austin Energy crews to investigate to determine whether the line at each location is electric or that of other utilities such as telephone or cable. In situations where lines belong to other utilities, Austin Energy will inform customers so that they may contact their service provider.
Outage Area While the remaining outages remain scattered, a large percentage of the remaining outages are located within an area bounded by Lamar Boulevard to the east, Camp Mabry to the north, Lake Austin to the west and Town Lake to the south as well as north of the UT campus.
Trees Responsible for Outages It is estimated that tree limbs have been responsible for as many as 90% of the outages. The areas where outages remain are essentially within the central part of Austin which includes a number of neighborhoods where extensive tree trimming is needed.
Restoration Resources Austin Energy has 26 repair crews and 8 contract tree trimming crews that have been working all night. At 6:00 a.m. the overnight crews will be relieved and additional crews will be added. The restoration effort today will total 40 Austin (approximately 100 linemen) Energy repair crews, 15 CenterPoint repair crews (47 linemen) and about 24 contract tree trimming crews.
The goal is to restore power to all customers today. By noon today, Austin Energy will provide an estimate on when Austin Energy expects to have power to restored to the very last customer.
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May 6, 2006
Austin Energy Storm Update: 9 p.m.
Austin Energy Storm Update
Power has been restored to about 90% of the 2,300 customers in the Slaughter Lane area that lost power during the 8:00 p.m. thunderstorm that came through Austin.
At 9:00 p.m. there were a total of approximately 9,000 Austin Energy customers without power. This is higher than the earlier count due to the thunderstorm that passed through Austin about 8:00 p.m. Here is why the count went up:
The earlier storms with very high winds left a number of tree limbs weakened or leaning on power lines—but not yet causing outages. The storm that came through Austin last night and the one tonight at 8:00 p.m. caused a number of those limbs to break or press against lines causing outages. The storm tonight also had lightning which caused additional isolated outages.
There is additional weather to the west which could impact the Austin area overnight, causing additional outages.
The Plan Tonight. Austin Energy will have 28 repair crews and 8 contract tree trimming crews working all night as the around-the-clock restoration effort continues. Around-the-clock restoration will continue until every Austin Energy customer has power.
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Austin Energy update: 8:30 p.m.
Austin Energy Update
The thunderstorm activity that just moved through the Austin area resulted in one large outage affecting approximately 2,300 customers. The boundaries of the outage are Dittmar to the north, Slaughter Lane to the south, Manchaca to the west and South 1st Street to the east. Austin Energy crews are working to restore power to that area.
Calls reporting smaller isolated outages as a result of this storm are also coming in and will likely increase the number of customers overall without power.
Just before this storm hit, the number of customers without power from earlier storms was down to under 8,000.
Repair crews and tree trimming crews continue work to restore power to customers affected by the earlier storms and will work throughout the night.
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Austin Energy storm update
Austin Energy Storm Update
At 7:00 p.m. the number of Austin Energy customers without power had been reduced to 8,000. Austin Energy estimates there are about 300 locations at which a repair will be needed to get power restored to all customers. Austin Energy repair crews and contract tree trimming crews will continue working all night.
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Austin Energy storm update
Austin Energy Storm Update
The number of customers without power has been reduced to 10,000. The outage restoration effort currently includes 40 Austin Energy repair crews, 15 CenterPoint repair crews and 31 contract tree trimming crews. The restoration effort will continue around the clock until power has been restored to all customers.
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13,000 customers still lack lights
Austin Energy issued this news release at 1:15 p.m.:
Within the hour, crews from CenterPoint Energy in Houston will begin assisting Austin Energy with storm restoration by focusing efforts in an area where as much as one-fifth of all the repairs still needed to be made are concentrated. An area in West Austin bounded roughly by the Colorado River, Lake Austin Boulevard, Lamar and 35th Street received considerable damage to electrical equipment from the strong winds that snapped trees and limbs and downed power lines. CenterPoint crews are following tree trimming crews to complete repairs. The area includes Tarrytown, which experienced considerable damage and power outages from fallen trees and limbs. Austin Energy crews have been working in other areas of the city and have not been able to significantly reach this area because of widespread damage to electrical equipment throughout Austin.
As many as 31 Austin Energy crews, 20 tree trimming crews and the CenterPoint crews are working today to restore power. Complete restoration is expected on Sunday. Repairs need to be made to as many as 400 different locations throughout the city. Currently, outages affect 13,000 customers. Of the 400 different locations where repairs need to be made, about 150 of those locations are reports of wires down. Residents need to stay clear of any downed wires because the wires may still be live. Reports also continue to come in about trees and limbs making contact with wires but not causing an outage. There are reports of at least 200 such incidents that Austin Energy crews must investigate and trim trees or make repairs to avoid further power outages. Residents are encouraged to report trees and limbs making contact with wires to 322-9100. Also, customers who do not have power and have not reported the outage, must call the same 322-9100 number to report the outage.
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15,000 Austin Energy customers lack power
Austin Energy issued this news release at 7:45 a.m. Saturday:
Austin Energy will have 31 electric restoration crews, 20 tree trimming crews, and 15 crews from CenterPoint Energy from Houston, working to restore power today to 15,000 customers affected by storms that have swept through the Austin area since Thursday evening. There currently are as many as 500 different locations where crews must make repairs. Full restoration is expected on Sunday. An outage that affected a part of Southwest Austin from a storm earlier this morning was fully restored by 7:15 a.m.
Since the storms began Thursday, Austin Energy has received reports of as many as 468 different locations where wires were down due to the fierce 70 mph or more winds that toppled trees and broke tree limbs throughout the city. Crews continued to find downed power lines as they responded to outages. Residents should not touch downed wires since the wires may still be live. Downed wires create time-consuming repairs to re-string wires and replace damaged poles and equipment. Damaged trees and limbs also continued to make contact with wires and equipment creating arcing. These problems also must be repaired to prevent more outages.
Customers who do not have power and have not reported the outage must call the outage reporting number at 322-9100 to report the outage. Residents who have been without electricity for an extended period should assess the food in their refrigerator before eating it or they should put the food in coolers. Food in freezers can stay cold for two days if the door is not opened and closed regularly. Residents with urgent medical health needs because they do not have electricity, especially if they use an electric medical appliance, should call 9-1-1.
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May 5, 2006
17,000 Austin Energy customers without power
A news release from Austin Energy:
Austin Energy continues to get new calls reporting power outages. Trees and tree limbs damaged by the storm continue to fall and create new isolated outages. Also, customers who may have not reported their outage in the morning have called in for the first time throughout the day. As of 4:15 p.m., 17,000 customers were without power and crews need to be sent to as many as 450 different locations to make repairs. It is estimated that full restoration will not be complete until 8 p.m. Saturday, pending whether new storms create outages today or tomorrow. Thirty-two electric restoration crews and 31 tree trimming crews currently are working to help restore power. Crews are working the outages that affect the most customers first. These outages typically include wire downed by trees often multiple spans. About half of the calls currently in the system involve three or fewer customers and will be worked after the larger outages are restored.
Customers who have an outage and have not reported the outage need to call 322-9100. Austin Energy also continues to get calls of wires down. Residents should not touch downed wires because they still may be live.
Customers who have been without power since Thursday evening should assess their refrigerated food before eating it. Freezers can keep food cold for two days if the door is not opened and closed regularly. Customers without power who may need electricity because of urgent medical health needs should call 9-1-1.
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17,000 without power at 6:30 a.m.
Austin Energy has issued this news release:
About 17,000 Austin Energy customers remain without power at this hour. The numbers continue holding fairly steady as customers call in outages they discover as they awaken. The outages are spread across the entire community with the greatest concentration from north to south through the core of the city.
Austin Energy estimates that repairs will be needed at as many as 400 different locations across Austin to get power restored for all customers. The current estimate is that the restoration effort will take all day and possibly into the evening. The outage response effort currently includes 20 Austin Energy repair crews, 4 contract repair crews and 14 tree trimming crews. Tree limbs are responsible for a large number of the outages. In many cases, repairs cannot be made until tree limbs affecting power lines and equipment are removed. In at least a dozen instances, tree limbs coming into contact with power lines resulted in brief flames or smoldering.
Each customer who has an outage should call in their outage to 322-9100. This will ensure that each outage is addressed.
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18,000 waking up without power
Austin Energy has issued this news release:
About 18,000 Austin Energy customers remain without power at this hour. The numbers are holding fairly steady as customers call in outages they discover as they awaken. The outages are spread across the entire community with the greatest concentration from north to south through the core of the city.
Austin Energy estimates that repairs will be needed at as many as 400 different locations across Austin to get power restored for all customers. The current estimate is that the restoration effort will take all day and possibly into the evening. The outage response effort currently includes 20 Austin Energy repair crews, 4 contract repair crews and 14 tree trimming crews. Tree limbs are responsible for a large number of the outages. In many cases, repairs cannot be made until tree limbs affecting power lines and equipment are removed. In at least a dozen instances, tree limbs coming into contact with power lines resulted in brief flames or smoldering.
Each customer who has an outage should call in their outage to 322-9100. This will ensure that each outage is addressed.
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April 29, 2006
Austin Energy reports scattered outages
Austin Energy has issued this news release:
Austin Energy crews continue to restore service to about 350 customers remaining without power. Most of those customers were part of an outage that originally affected about 2,200 customers in South Austin.
Crews fully restored at about 4 a.m. an outage that affected about 800 customers on the eastern part of downtown. A third large outage affecting about 1,600 customers in an area near Highway 71 and 360 was restored about 5:40 a.m.
Some customers may have experienced scattered outages during the night and need to call the outage reporting number, 322-9100, if they do not have electricity when they wake up.
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April 21, 2006
1,000 still without power
Austin Energy has issued this news release:
Approximately 1,000 Austin Energy customers remain without power as a result of heavy thunderstorms with high winds and significant lightning that passed through Austin between 3:00 a.m. and 3:30 a.m.
Some 20 crews are working to restore power. However, for the most part what remains are a large number of individual small outages each affecting a small number of customers. Therefore it will take time to travel to and make repairs at the estimated 50-60 individual locations where a repair is needed.
In many cases, repairs involve the replacement of fuses. Fuses are in place throughout the Austin Energy electric system to protect both power lines and equipment. Lightning can cause power surges that will cause fuses to blow. Tree limbs blown into power lines and equipment have also been responsible for a number of outages. In these cases, tree trimming crews must often remove limbs before power can be restored.
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April 20, 2006
Parts of Central Texas under a tornado watch
The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch until 10 p.m. this evening for the following areas:
BASTROP BEXAR BLANCO BURNET CALDWELL COMAL FAYETTE GONZALES GUADALUPE HAYS KENDALL LEE TRAVIS WILLIAMSON WILSON
Travis and Williamson counties are also under a severe thunderstorm warning until 9:45 p.m.
