Get winter weather ready, Round Rock

January 21, 2026
4:15 pm

Saturday Night Won’t Be Alright, Elton. It’ll be really cold Sunday night, too, actually.

This year marks the five-year anniversary of the deadly winter storm that impacted Texas in February 2021. And, fittingly, Texas weather is about to commemorate the occasion with another round of winter weather. Forecasts indicate temperatures will dip near or below freezing late Friday night or early Saturday, with possible freezing rain or other wintery precipitation. Extremely cold conditions are expected to persist through the weekend, with overnight lows dropping into the teens by Sunday night, though skies could be clear by then.

Now’s the time to ensure you and your loved ones are ready for the coming winter weather conditions. Consider this checklist below:

People, Pipes, Pets and Plants:

People

Be aware that cold weather adds a level of strain on the human body that may be harder to judge since the cold will often prevent sweating. Watch for signs of frostbite and hypothermia and wear layers to prevent sweating. Stay off roadways if possible.

Pipes

Turn off your irrigation/sprinkler systems to avoid damage and freezing due to the cold temperatures that are being forecast. Runoff from sprinklers causes hazardous conditions on roadways.
Trickle water from one faucet in your home during freezing temperatures. Outside, disconnect outdoor hoses, drain and store in protected area. Wrap exposed faucets and pipes, including those outside the house or in unheated crawl spaces, attics, garages and other areas.
If your pipes burst, turn off water flow into the home at the shut-off valve located by your meter.
Learn about preparing your pipes and water system for the winter weather ahead at roundrocktexas.gov/water-spot/2022/01/winter-ready-water-system.

Pets

Pets should be brought indoors during cold weather, as dogs and cats can suffer in freezing temperatures.
Do not use heaters or heat lamps in dog houses, as they pose a serious fire risk.

Plants

If you don’t already know how cold-tolerant your plants are, you can bring potted plants inside or store in a garage near interior walls to provide extra warmth and protection from wind.

Staying informed is just as important as your supplies on hand during a winter weather event. Stay up to date with the following:

Residents in Williamson County can sign up for Warn Central Texas, a regional notification system to alert the public to emergency situations. Users can choose what types of alerts they want to receive and how they want to receive the alerts, such as text message, phone call and/or email. Alerts are sent based off locations you register on your account, so you can add your home and work locations. To register, visit warncentraltexas.org.
Most importantly, stay tuned in to local news stations and www.weather.gov. Consider purchasing a NOAA Weather Radio if you don’t already have one.
Monitor road conditions by visiting drivetexas.org or calling 1-800-452-9292.
Oncor is the electricity provider in the City of Round Rock. Report power outages through Oncor’s Storm Center website, by calling 888-313-4747 or texting OUT to 66267 if you have registered for My Oncor Alerts. To register for My Oncor Alerts, text REG to 66267. You will receive proactive power outage notifications and status updates on your phone. (You can also select your contact preferences: email, text or voice alert).
If you have a disability, medical need or limited mobility, consider registering for the State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry (STEAR) so emergency responders can better plan to support you. While specific services are not guaranteed, registering at STEAR.Texas.gov helps ensure no one is overlooked during an emergency.
Most people have received automatic messages about flash flooding accompanied by a loud ringer or vibration on their phone — these are notifications through the Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) system, which automatically pushes weather alerts from the National Weather Service directly to your phone through a location-based technology. No opt-in is required for these important messages.

Emergency Kit

Make sure you have the following basic emergency supplies on hand in preparation for a severe weather event:

Solar chargers or power banks for items that rely on electricity
First aid kit
NOAA Weather Radio (make sure it has a hand crank or keep backup batteries on hand)
Seven-day supply of prescription medications, copies of prescriptions, special medical items, hearing aids and batteries, eyeglasses
Flashlight with extra batteries
Carbon monoxide detector (leave area and call 911 if you smell gas)
Supplies for babies, the elderly, family members with special health care needs, and food and supplies for pets
Manual can opener, knife, tools, fire extinguisher, duct tape, tarp, rope

Consider duplicating much of this list for your vehicle during winter months if you commute between cities or are traveling out of town with family or friends.

For additional information and tips on preparing for winter weather, visit ready.gov/winter-weather.