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Winter storm warning issued for Austin area from Saturday morning to Sunday at noon
By Andrew Weber
January 21, 2026 at 5:03 AM CST
Central Texas is bracing for dangerously cold temperatures this weekend. The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for much of the area — including Travis, Hays and Williamson counties — starting at 6 a.m. on Saturday and lasting through Sunday at noon. The service says the Austin area can expect freezing temperatures starting Saturday, along with wind chills in the single digits and the possibility of freezing rain or sleet.
NWS anticipates the massive front that's going to impact much of the country will make its way to the Austin area Friday night. Temperatures will plummet and drop to freezing by Saturday evening, forecasters say.
The strong front will also bring gusts of wind and a chance of precipitation starting Saturday morning through Sunday afternoon. NWS says it's likely the Hill Country will get between a tenth of an inch to a quarter-inch of ice, while some stretches could see between a quarter and a half-inch of ice on roads.
Temperatures are not expected to get above freezing until Monday midday, according to the weather service.
Bob Ferguson, a meteorologist at NWS' Austin/San Antonio office, said Tuesday that temperatures could get as low as the teens in stretches of Central Texas, and strong winds will make early morning temperatures Sunday feel like 6 degrees.
"At this point, we're thinking that there will probably be some icy conditions," Ferguson said. "It looks like it's going to be mostly freezing rain. We often have mixes of freezing rain [and] sleet, but [there's] probably not going to be any snow."
https://x.com/NWSSanAntonio/status/2014076930731946120
Ferguson advises Austinites to be prepared for the cold — and suggests hunkering down at home, if possible.
"It's going to be very cold and people should be prepared for that," Ferguson said.
As with any hard freeze, it's always good to remember to drip faucets to prevent pipes from bursting, stock up on water if you can, take care of plants, bring pets inside and remember to check on your neighbors. The city also has more tips to prepare for cold weather.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which operates the state's electric grid, is cautioning Texans to stay aware of local forecasts and conserve energy, if possible. ERCOT said it anticipates an increase in demand through Sunday but says it does not anticipate any widespread outages like much of the state saw five years ago.
Gov. Greg Abbott issued disaster declarations for more than 130 counties on Thursday ahead of the front. The governor assured Texans that the state's electrical grid would hold up in a news conference with ERCOT officials.
“The ERCOT grid has never been stronger, never been more prepared,” Abbott said. “It’s fully capable of handling this winter storm.”
(600x500, AR: 1.2)
Austin Energy General Manager Stuart Reilly told Austin City Council members Tuesday that the city-owned utility is prepared for the possibility of an ice storm, but that forecasts "aren't for anything like 2021 or [20]23."
Tree branches weighed down by ice hammered Austin Energy power lines and created outages for hundreds of thousands of Austinites in 2023. Reilly said, as of Tuesday, forecasts don't suggest a risk of widespread outages on the Austin grid.
"A lot can move between now and Friday night, and so we'll just keep an eye on it," he said. "But, so far, the predictions aren't for the worst case scenario."
Reilly said Austin Energy would keep up to date on forecasts and keep the public informed of any possible risks.
Austin will open up its cold weather shelters for people living outdoors Friday night, and they will remain open through the weekend.
Chris Anderson with Austin's Homeless Strategies and Operations, is urging people who may be in need of shelter to meet at One Texas Center on Friday, if possible.
"I've worked in homeless services for the last 13 years and [this] is the absolute most miserable combination of winter elements for people that are literally unsheltered on the streets," Anderson said. "So that's what we're telling people, trying to communicate ... come in Friday, stay off the streets."
Anderson said the city's shelter operations can accommodate up to 750 people, if needed.
People needing shelter can go to the One Texas Center, at the corner of First Street and Barton Springs Road, starting Friday at 6 p.m.
CapMetro will also provide free rides to Austinites needing to get to the shelter check-in.
Austin libraries and recreation centers also function as warming centers during freezes.
Some Austin parks and recreation facilities will also shutter this weekend and will remain closed through Monday or Tuesday, the city announced.
Williamson County does not have any official overnight shelters, but people needing to get out of the cold can head to St. James' Episcopal Church in Taylor. The church will serve as a warming center and a shelter starting Friday at 7 p.m. until Tuesday.
Hays County says it's activated shelters starting Saturday at the Southside Community Center at 518 Guadalupe Street in San Marcos. The center opens at 7 p.m. to overnight guests, closes at 9 a.m. on Sunday and will reopen at noon if it's still freezing. If you need more information on shelter, you can call the county at (512) 938-1600 or go to the county's website.
So far, no school districts have announced plans for potential closures on Friday, though Del Valle ISD has rescheduled some games on Friday night and canceled all activities on Saturday in light of the weather.
NWS anticipates the massive front that's going to impact much of the country will make its way to the Austin area Friday night. Temperatures will plummet and drop to freezing by Saturday evening, forecasters say.
The strong front will also bring gusts of wind and a chance of precipitation starting Saturday morning through Sunday afternoon. NWS says it's likely the Hill Country will get between a tenth of an inch to a quarter-inch of ice, while some stretches could see between a quarter and a half-inch of ice on roads.
Temperatures are not expected to get above freezing until Monday midday, according to the weather service.
Bob Ferguson, a meteorologist at NWS' Austin/San Antonio office, said Tuesday that temperatures could get as low as the teens in stretches of Central Texas, and strong winds will make early morning temperatures Sunday feel like 6 degrees.
"At this point, we're thinking that there will probably be some icy conditions," Ferguson said. "It looks like it's going to be mostly freezing rain. We often have mixes of freezing rain [and] sleet, but [there's] probably not going to be any snow."
https://x.com/NWSSanAntonio/status/2014076930731946120
Ferguson advises Austinites to be prepared for the cold — and suggests hunkering down at home, if possible.
"It's going to be very cold and people should be prepared for that," Ferguson said.
As with any hard freeze, it's always good to remember to drip faucets to prevent pipes from bursting, stock up on water if you can, take care of plants, bring pets inside and remember to check on your neighbors. The city also has more tips to prepare for cold weather.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which operates the state's electric grid, is cautioning Texans to stay aware of local forecasts and conserve energy, if possible. ERCOT said it anticipates an increase in demand through Sunday but says it does not anticipate any widespread outages like much of the state saw five years ago.
Gov. Greg Abbott issued disaster declarations for more than 130 counties on Thursday ahead of the front. The governor assured Texans that the state's electrical grid would hold up in a news conference with ERCOT officials.
“The ERCOT grid has never been stronger, never been more prepared,” Abbott said. “It’s fully capable of handling this winter storm.”
(600x500, AR: 1.2)
Austin Energy General Manager Stuart Reilly told Austin City Council members Tuesday that the city-owned utility is prepared for the possibility of an ice storm, but that forecasts "aren't for anything like 2021 or [20]23."
Tree branches weighed down by ice hammered Austin Energy power lines and created outages for hundreds of thousands of Austinites in 2023. Reilly said, as of Tuesday, forecasts don't suggest a risk of widespread outages on the Austin grid.
"A lot can move between now and Friday night, and so we'll just keep an eye on it," he said. "But, so far, the predictions aren't for the worst case scenario."
Reilly said Austin Energy would keep up to date on forecasts and keep the public informed of any possible risks.
Austin will open up its cold weather shelters for people living outdoors Friday night, and they will remain open through the weekend.
Chris Anderson with Austin's Homeless Strategies and Operations, is urging people who may be in need of shelter to meet at One Texas Center on Friday, if possible.
"I've worked in homeless services for the last 13 years and [this] is the absolute most miserable combination of winter elements for people that are literally unsheltered on the streets," Anderson said. "So that's what we're telling people, trying to communicate ... come in Friday, stay off the streets."
Anderson said the city's shelter operations can accommodate up to 750 people, if needed.
People needing shelter can go to the One Texas Center, at the corner of First Street and Barton Springs Road, starting Friday at 6 p.m.
CapMetro will also provide free rides to Austinites needing to get to the shelter check-in.
Austin libraries and recreation centers also function as warming centers during freezes.
Some Austin parks and recreation facilities will also shutter this weekend and will remain closed through Monday or Tuesday, the city announced.
Williamson County does not have any official overnight shelters, but people needing to get out of the cold can head to St. James' Episcopal Church in Taylor. The church will serve as a warming center and a shelter starting Friday at 7 p.m. until Tuesday.
Hays County says it's activated shelters starting Saturday at the Southside Community Center at 518 Guadalupe Street in San Marcos. The center opens at 7 p.m. to overnight guests, closes at 9 a.m. on Sunday and will reopen at noon if it's still freezing. If you need more information on shelter, you can call the county at (512) 938-1600 or go to the county's website.
So far, no school districts have announced plans for potential closures on Friday, though Del Valle ISD has rescheduled some games on Friday night and canceled all activities on Saturday in light of the weather.