“If people are not paying attention to [the weather] they’re going to be shocked by what’s going to happen over the next few hours, in the next few days.” — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott
Some of the coldest air of the season is heading our way beginning tonight as an Arctic front pushes its way down into Central Texas.
In addition to the Cold Weather Advisory, the National Weather Service has also issued an Extreme Cold Watch.
The City of Austin will again open overnight Cold Weather Shelters tonight and likely for the next several nights.
Officials open the shelters when the overnight temperatures are forecast to drop below 35 degrees.
Overnight shelter registration is available daily from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at One Texas Center (505 Barton Springs Road), which serves as the central pick-up location. The City of Austin alerts over 5,000 registered individuals via text and works with community partners to inform the unsheltered population about Cold Weather Shelter activations.
“The fact of the matter is, the power grid has never been stronger than it is now. The power grid is more prepared, more stable and more resilient than it’s ever been. There’s every reason to be 100% confident the power grid is going to be able to withstand this challenge.” — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott
Govenor Abbott held a briefing Monday from Austin’s underground State Operations Center.
Abbott has raised the state’s emergency response level in preparation for the freezing temperatures, ordering state agencies including ERCOT, TxDOT, TDEM, and the PUCT to prepare for the oncoming cold front.
ERCOT is encouraging Texans to sign up for grid condition notifications through the Texas Advisory and Notification System (TXANS). (Fox7 Weather)
More on the incoming cold front and extended forecast can be found further down this post in WEATHER.
Protesters rallied at the Texas State Capitol yesterday for the second time in less than two weeks to protest against the Trump administration and Elon Musk’s unelected involvement in government affairs.
Photo gallery from Monday’s protest. (Austin American-Statesman)
When it comes to protests and rallying at the capitol building…what are the rules?
As President Trump expands steel and aluminum tariffs, Austin-area builders are worried about potential impacts.
A new round of layoffs at the Federal Aviation Administration have begun and that has Austin airport officials concerned.
One person suffered serious injuries last night after a rollover was reported in downtown Austin.
Earlier in the day, ATCEMS responded to a crash on State Highway 71.
A Round Rock police officer is on administrative leave Monday after firing their gun during a domestic disturbance call. (CBS Austin)
Pflugerville authorities are searching for a runaway.
In what appears to be a trend as of late, a man says three of his French bulldogs were stolen after thieves broke into his house in Buda. (Fox7 Austin)
An Austin-area legislator is seeking to ban cellphones in Texas classrooms.
Rep. Ellen Troxclair’s Texas House Bill 515 proposes a statewide policy requiring school districts to prohibit students from using personal electronic devices during the school day. Students would be required to secure their cellphones in a lockable container or a specified area. (Austin American-Statesman)
CapMetro will debut its newest rapid bus lines later this month as part of the Project Connect mass transit system’s expansion work.
The Pleasant Valley Line and Expo Line broke ground in the winter of 2021-22 and will be introduced into service in Spring 2025 to provide important transit connections to areas east of I-35 with buses arriving every 20-to-30-minutes. Service would begin after the essential infrastructure and testing are complete. (CapMetro)
Cedar Park plans to upgrade roughly 900 crosswalks to make them more visible to drivers. (KVUE-TV)
Someone in Austin is $83.5 million richer after matching all six numbers in Saturday night’s Lotto Texas drawing.
Despite state leaders’ attempts to outlaw it, an Austin housing assistance program providing $1,000 monthly, no-strings-attached payments to many low-income families will continue for up to three years. (Community Impact)
Residents over 65 are Austin’s fastest-growing population. (Austin Free Press)
Renters in Austin may soon see relief, as a new study reveals the city led the U.S. in affordable housing construction in 2024. With 4,600 new units built for families earning approximately $76,000 a year, Austin is expected to maintain its leading position. (KUT 90.5)
WEATHER
5-DAY FORECAST / AUSTIN, TEXAS
The risk of wildfires is high right now. Travis County officials will hold a town hall meeting this evening to talk about wildfire preparedness and mitigation.
Current wildfire risk map:
U.S. Republican Sen. Ted Cruz has released a database of thousands of federal science grants, which he says “exposes how the Biden administration weaponized federal agencies to push a far-left ideology.” (Lonestar Live)
Gov. Greg Abbott and Speaker of the House Dustin Burrows assured private school parents on Monday that the Texas Legislature will pass school vouchers.
Governor Greg Abbott has directed the Texas Education Agency to investigate a Houston high school following accusations from a conservative activist that teachers were affirming a student’s gender identity by using their chosen name and pronouns. (MySanAntonio)
Dallas-based Southwest Airlines is taking drastic steps as it tries to catch up to peers, slashing some 15% of its corporate workforce, about 1,750 employees. The cuts mark the company’s first-ever layoffs, a move it hopes will save it millions this year and next as it struggles with recent underperformance.
No injuries were reported after a single-occupant plane crash occurred in Pearland late Sunday evening. (My Texas Daily)
Concerns are growing among East Texas residents that their drinking water is at risk due to state-approved oil and gas waste disposal sites, with one such plan approved in the last month alone. (Houston Chronicle)
The measles outbreak in West Texas reaches 48 cases but experts warn the actual number may be higher.
Vulgar, lewd, or profane language led to the Texas DMV rejecting 2,341 personalized license plate requests in 2024. June and July were the peak months for rejections, both recording 255. (Austin American-Statesman)
There are no mass ICE roundups in Bexar County, according to Sheriff Javier Salazar who spoke Monday night during a town hall meeting hosted by the San Antonio Catholic Archdiocese.
SPORTS
COLLEGE BASKETBALL: The Texas Longhorns women’s basketball team rises to No. 2 in the latest Top 25 poll and are aiming for a high seed in the upcoming SEC Tournament.
On the men’s side, the latest AP Top 25 College Basketball Poll shows the Texas Longhorns (15-10) did not make the list after their third victory over a Top 25 team over the weekend.
Three other Texas teams…Houston, Texas A&M and Texas Tech are all in the top ten.
However, their win against Kentucky perhaps preserved their NCAA tournament hopes. (Houston Chronicle)
The 5th-ranked Houston Cougars (21-4) are on the road tonight at Arizona State. (Yahoo! Sports)
7th-ranked Texas A&M (20-5) plays at Mississippi State tonight. (Yahoo! Sports)
9th-ranked Texas Tech (20-5) plays at TCU tonight. (Yahoo! Sports)
NBA and NHL: Both leagues have idle schedules. The NBA resumes play tomorrow while the NHL resumes play Saturday.
A new episode from The Daytripper takes us to Plano.
