LIVE UPDATES: Houston weather, snow, icy road conditions, power outages, closures

HOUSTON – Snow has stopped falling in Houston on Tuesday, but weather is still expected to be an issue going forward.

Roads are icy, schools are closed, businesses have changed their hours of operation, and officials are asking the public to stay home and stay safe.

Live updates

21:58: Rosenberg Police report that FM 723 over the Brazos River Bridge is now CLOSED due to ice. We are also monitoring I-69 for possible closure.

21:40: From Houston Transstar:

Melted snow freezes on roads in the area, creating large patches BLACK ICE CREAM! Several major accidents have been tracked across Harris County. These conditions are expected to worsen overnight. Black ice is one of the most dangerous driving hazards. It is almost impossible to see and often remains invisible until it is TOO LATE. All drivers, including first responders, face significant challenges due to DANGEROUS ROAD CONDITIONS. Longer response times may result. Do not risk your safety or endanger first responders. Stay home and off the roads. • Avoid ALL travel tonight to tomorrow morning.
• ONLY call 9-1-1 in case of life-threatening emergencies.
Monitor road conditions daily by visiting and be ready to adjust travel times. Nationwide road conditions are available at https://drivetexas.org/.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued an extreme cold warning which began at 18.00 today and will continue until 9.00 tomorrow. Dangerously cold wind chill values ​​as low as 10 degrees are expected. Warming Centers: Various partners in Harris County have warming centers available for those who need a place to stay overnight due to adverse weather conditions. Visit www.ReadyHarris.org to find the nearest location and the latest opening hours.

21:15: I-10 East Freeway main lanes westbound from Sheldon Road to Beltway 8, closed due to ice. Barricades were set up, officials said. Black ice also reported on Sam Houston Parkway Westbound at Almeda Road.

21:00: From Pct 5 Constable Terry Allbritton’s office, tonight, our concern is ice on the roadways as the temperature drops well below freezing once again. As we did last night, we are urging people to stay off the roads. Our patrol units have been actively responding to calls and helping citizens get through this winter event.

Here are some stats:1 – Major Crash
11 – Minor crashes
3 – Drivers the wrong way
19 – Traffic hazards removed
16 – Stranded motor vehicles assisted
3 – Patrons saved from frozen transitions

20:20: Additional road lanes are marked with black ice. Motorists are urged to use caution and stay home due to hazardous road conditions.

19:20: The Harris County Sheriff’s Office is reporting black ice on the roadways. FM 1960 entrance ramp to SH 249 and FM 1960 between Cypresswood and Lee Road. Lee Road is iced over. Officials said: “It’s too dangerous now and most businesses are closed. Stay safe, stay home!

18:10: Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez reported an accident that left one man injured on Tuesday. According to Gonzalez, two men pushed a stranded vehicle on the overpass of FM 1960 and Atascocita onto the underside of the overpass. A vehicle approaching from behind was unable to stop in time and hit one of the men, breaking his left leg. He was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Another man was not injured.

18:02: Capt. James Lovett of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office said ice has been reported on the I-10 East freeway, westbound lanes and on the Beltway 8 feeder roads under I10 East. Please avoid the area. Reduce speed if necessary to travel in this area.

17:28: We’ve had tons of great photos of the snow sent in to the FOX 26 newsroom. Here are just a few.

17:22: Harris County officials say they have worked 168 crashes since 6 p.m. Friday evening.

17:11: Houston Mayor John Whitmire warns that the next 24 hours could be the most dangerous of this winter storm.

16:55: Houston Mayor John Whitmire is expected to hold an update at 17.00

You will be able to watch it in the live player below.

4:35 p.m.: “We’re not done,” says Harris County Emergency Management Coordinator Mark Sloan. Frost is expected overnight.

4:27 p.m.: First responders expect to see an increase in pipes bursting overnight and shooting as we enter a deep freeze.

4:12 p.m.: Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo gives an update.

4:07 p.m.: All morning we were looking at your pictures and videos! Take a look back at some of the fun from our Snow Day Showcase!

16:00: William P. Hobby Airport and George Bush Intercontinental Airport will reopen Wednesday after closing Tuesday due to snow and ice, sources tell FOX 26.

15:00: Some shops close early due to the weather.

The Houston area Central Market, Joe V’s Smart Shop and Mi Tienda stores are open and close at 20.00 on 21 January.

All Kroger stores in the area close at 20.00 Tuesday and opens again at 10 on Wednesday 22 January. The pharmacy’s opening hours may vary depending on location.

1 p.m.: Galveston city officials say the CenterPoint transmission lines to the island have even been repaired, which previously raised capacity concerns.

Use of the warming center at McGuire Dent will be monitored throughout the day and the city will make a decision on whether to continue operations later this afternoon. The Salvation Army and Central Methodist will remain open for those unread who need warming centers until tomorrow.

12.00: CenterPoint reports that 99.9% of customers have power as the winter storm hits the Houston area.

Since the impact of the weather, 18,700 customers have had power restored. The company says 2,800 customers are currently without power.

11:50 a.m.: A man was found dead outside a restaurant in Harris County. The sheriff says his death was likely weather-related. Click here to read more.

11:00 a.m.: CenterPoint Energy notified the City of Galveston that they are experiencing load capacity issues.

The power company is asking all of Galveston to conserve energy to help ensure electricity is able to reach the west end.

CenterPoint says the biggest concern is for areas west of 61st Street.

Click here to read more.

8:50 a.m.: The residents take advantage of the rare snow day and have fun. We found a man skiing at Eleanor Tinsley Park. If you are looking for some places to sled, check out this link.

7:23: The Galveston County Office of Emergency Management says bridges and overpasses are iced over and crews are continuously treating them where necessary. They encourage everyone to avoid driving.

5 in the morning: ERCOT issued a transmission emergency in south and southeast Texas for loss of transmission from freezing precipitation. Transmission is how power gets from generators to the grid and from the grid to homes. Loss of transmission means it cannot move due to freezing precipitation.

It’s unclear how much of a problem this will be or how long it will last, but the ERCOT dashboard currently shows that supply and demand are being met. We follow the development.

4:45: A blizzard warning has been issued for Jefferson and Orange counties in Texas and six Louisiana parishes until noon. The warning means that “frequent wind gusts to 35 mph and snow that reduces visibility to ¼ mile or less are expected,” according to the NWS Lake Charles office.

4:30: Houston Transtar is now reporting more than 50 icy roads. Click here to see the updated list.

03:00: The Fort Bend County Office of Emergency Management is asking the public to avoid travel amid several road closures.

01:00: Several roads are reported to have ice or snow on the road. Click here for the latest list.

12:08 p.m.: We are getting our first reports of bridges about to ice over. According to Harris County Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman, the bridge at Gosling Road at the county line has ice on the roadway and is impassable at this time.

MONDAY

22:20: More snowfall reports are starting to come in across the northern parts of the Houston area.

21:08: FOX 26 is getting reports of sleet falling in the woods as well as snow changing to all snow in Prairie View, Texas.

19:48: FOX 26 Meteorologist John Dawson reported in his latest weather update via FOX 26 Live Stream that he is seeing reports on social media of different types of freezing precipitation falling over the area.

We’ve got you covered from every angle through this winter storm.

Here’s just some information you may need as the weather rolls through:

HoustonNewsWeather Winter Weather