Houston-area officials, TxDOT prepare for possible weekend freeze, icy road conditions
Winter Weather preps across our area
Preparations are underway across the Houston area ahead of the arctic blast expected to move across the area this weekend. FOX 26's Randy Wallace has the latest from officials.
HOUSTON - An arctic blast will plunge temperatures in Houston this weekend.
There's still a lot of unknowns as far as exactly when and where we could see icy conditions, but now is the time to prepare.
Houston-area weather preps
The county is prepping for 36 hours of freezing weather.
"We are making sure we are cleaning and preparing roads," said Precinct 4 Commissioner Leslie Briones. "We have 246 bridges in Precinct 4 by tomorrow they will be prepared for the upcoming storm."
"We are coordinating with law enforcement and EMS," said Precinct 4 Road and Bridges Director Walter Hambrick. "We rely on chat rock to increase traction and start the melting process."
The Texas Department of Transportation is expected to begin treating roadways Thursday evening,
"We treat these roads to get people to where they need to be," said Danny Perez with TxDOT. "It's for safety for our first responders, people that need to get around. If it's not safe to be on the roadways, stay off the road."
"We are also preparing to activate warming centers throughout Precinct 4," Briones said.
How is the power grid?
What they're saying:
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas released a statement saying, "Based on expected weather conditions, ERCOT anticipates there will be sufficient generation to meet demand this winter. ERCOT will continue to monitor conditions throughout the week. Texans can monitor real-time and extended grid conditions on the Supply and Demand dashboard on ERCOT.com.
ERCOT will continue to deploy all available resources to manage the grid reliably and coordinate closely with the Public Utility Commission, generation providers, and transmission utilities.
Grid Reliability Improvements Since 2021
- Weatherization and Inspections. Electric generation units/transmission facilities weatherized and inspected by ERCOT. See the Trending Topic and also slide #10 for the most recent Weatherization update provided at the December 2025 Board Meeting.
- ERCOT Contingency Reserve Service (ECRS).Brings 10-minute response to other Ancillary Services.
- Firm Fuel Supply Service. An additional source of fuel onsite for generators benefits the grid by providing a redundant, or additional fuel source should there be a natural gas scarcity.
- Scheduled Maintenance Period. Generators/transmission operators schedule equipment maintenance. ERCOT works with transmission and plant operators in the shoulder months (Spring and Fall) for them to schedule time for maintenance on their facilities to be ready for summer and winter.
- Fast Frequency Response Service. Added in 2022, this addition to our Ancillary Services takes advantage of the capability of faster-responding Resources to respond to events.
- Reliability Unit Commitments. ERCOT can bring more generation online sooner when needed.
- Critical Supply Chain/Critical Infrastructure Map. Share locations and connectivity of critical parts of Texas’ power infrastructure.
- Improved Agency Communications. Texas Department of Emergency Management (TDEM) and Texas Energy Reliability Council (TERC).
- Texas Advisory and Notification System (TXANS). Transparent advance notice grid conditions communications tool in English and Spanish. Texans can sign up to receive TXANS notifications in English and Spanish.
- Monthly Outlook for Resource Adequacy (MORA). Provides a monthly outlook for resource adequacy, two months ahead.
The Source: FOX 26 Reporter Randy Wallace spoke with officials involved in the process of getting roads, bridges, and communities ready.