Cold Weather Preparation

Be prepared for cold weather. 
Take these precautions to protect your home and those you love!

Panorama view unusual snowfall along Bayou River bank with downtown Houston, Texas, USA skylines city lights reflection at sunrise/twilight. Snow is extremely rarely and happen only 35 time since 1895

Prepare and Protect the 4 P’s

People
  • Dress in warm, layered clothing, including gloves, a coat, and a hat when you are outside.
  • Never use a generator, grill, camp stove, or any gasoline, propane, natural gas, or charcoal-burning device to heat your home (or any enclosed area). These devices can generate carbon monoxide, which can’t be seen or smelled, but is deadly.

WARMING CENTERS IN HOUSTON – Click Here

Pets
  • Protect your pets by ensuring that they have a warm, safe place to sleep. The best place for a pet to sleep is in a heated environment.
  • Never leave your animal in a car during cold weather. Cars can act as refrigerators in the winter, holding in the cold and causing animals to freeze to death.
Pipes
  • While generally, pipes don’t freeze until temperatures hit the mid-20s, it’s important to make sure you’re prepared and have proper insulation ready to go.
  • During cold weather, pipes may freeze and rupture, causing water leaks and damage to your home. Protect your home by opening the cabinets under kitchen and bathroom sinks to allow air from your home’s heater to warm the pipes under the sink. Let faucets drip – as moving water freezes more slowly than still water.
  • Insulate outdoor faucets and pipes with insulation or newspaper and be sure to disconnect and drain hoses from outdoor spigots.
  • Winterize your irrigation system. This video is a helpful step-by-step guide to winterization.
Plants
  • Protect plants from freezing by covering them with plant-cover fabric, or a light blanket with plastic sheeting on top of it.
  • Be sure to group potted plants near the edge of a building. Remember that soil in containers can get just as cold as the air temperature, and cause the roots to freeze, even if the above-surface leaves survive.
Please reference your trusted local news stations for weather information and updates!

Warming Centers

Warming Center Information

Starting Wednesday February 19, at 6 p.m., the City will open 12 warming centers across Houston to provide shelter and relief to those in need. The warming centers will remain open overnight until Friday, February 21, at 8 a.m. Individuals who arrive with items will be allowed to keep their items with them while they are at the warming centers.

For a complete map of available shelters, including those run by non-profit organizations, please visit HoustonOEM.org.

Transportation: Free transportation to warming centers will be offered. Individuals needing assistance, dial 3-1-1.

Stay Informed: Continue to monitor local weather reports and official sources. For more information and winter weather preparedness tips, visit: HoustonOEM.org/winterweather.