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Good morning, Houston! If you leave the house this morning, expect wrecks everywhere — the freezing rain and freezing bridges everyone's been talking about finally hit last night. If we were TV news, we'd have one of those flashy "Winter Storm" graphics and some super-serious music — but we're not, so:
>> The ice cometh, man: Basically, here's the situation: It's cold and people are crashing into each other all over the city. Road crews have been sanding bridges and overpasses since last night, and they're still working at it; even so, you'll want to be careful. A bright spot: We're not iced in. Another: No fatalities here, though unfortunately, 54 people have died in the storm nationwide. [Chronicle/KPRC]
>> Ice warning: Though temperatures are supposed to get back above freezing — just barely, though — later this morning, an ice storm warning has been extended to noon for Southeast Texas. Freezing rain is still being reported in some areas around Houston, but most of it isn't sticking. [KHOU]
>> Keeping track: If you're looking for information on closures, delays and disruptions from the weather, here's a quick rundown of where you can go:
- Air travel: Check the Flight Delay section of the Houston Airport System's website, fly2houston.com, or call 281.233.3000; for more specific information, call your airline or check its website.
- Roads: Look at Houston TranStar, www.houstontranstar.org, or TxDOT, www.txdot.gov. TxDOT also operates a 24-hour switchboard at 713.802.5000 for information on road conditions (for state road conditions, call 800.452.9292). To report icy roads or other problems in the city of Houston, call 311.
- Metro: Metro will be posting updated information on its website, www.ridemetro.org, and riders may also call the MetroLine at 713.635.4000 for information.
- Schools: To find out whether your school or university is closed for part or all of the day, check its website or call the school or school district's main information number. HISD's weather hotline is 713.267.1704.
- Utilities: To report power outages in Houston, call 713.207.2222; for gas leaks or broken gas lines, call 713.659.2111. For other problems in the city, call 311.
Some other weather-related news, including school and transit closures:
- School closures for Wednesday [KPRC]
- HOV lanes and other Metro closures [KTRK]
- HISD schools closed today due to weather [KTRK]
- Prospective jurors are not to report for jury duty [KTRK]
- Some residents in Montgomery Co. flooded out of their homes [KTRK]
- Winter storms close I-10, strand motorists in West Texas [Chronicle]
>> Today's weather: It's 32 right now, and though parts of the Houston area — mostly north of I-10 — are having freezing rain and sleet, chances are it'll all change to regular (though cold) rain by mid-morning. Don't expect it to be warm today, though: The temperature should only reach 33 by noon, and in the mid-afternoon we'll see our day's high, 34. A persistent north wind will keep wind chills low, and tonight, we could see more freezing rain and sleet as the temperature drops back near freezing. Long-term, things will get a little warmer, but don't expect to see the sun again until early next week.
Wondering what else is going on this morning? Check is out after the jump:
>> Blood shortage: An unexpected consequence of the winter weather across the U.S.: Houston hospitals are short on blood, especially type O — so Methodist Hospital has set up a blood drive in its lobby, though the Blood Center said it's only experiencing minor shortages so far. [KTRK]
>> Waiting on a verdict: Tyrone Williams, the man convicted for a second time for his role in the 2003 smuggling attempt that killed 19 illegal immigrants, is still waiting to learn his fate: Yesterday, his jury resumed deliberations after a five-day break. He could be sentenced to death, though his attorneys wonder why he's the only defendant in the case who faces execution. [KTRK]
>> Stiff competition: Pearland Republican Mike O'Day is now a state representative — he won a runoff election yesterday to fill the seat Glenda Dawson, a dead state representative, won in November. Though O'Day declared victory last night, he probably won't be sworn in for a week or so, pending verification of the election results. [Chronicle]
- In Liberty County, officials issued a voluntary evacuation yesterday afternoon for low-lying areas of the Trinity River basin, which could flood from recent heavy rains [KHOU]
- Coast Guard searchers found a missing hunter's boat in Trinity Bay yesterday; there's still no sign of the hunter, Matt Hoover, who disappeared in heavy fog Monday [Chronicle]
- Exxon Mobil Corp. is appealing an order to pay $2.5 billion in compensation connected with the 1989 Valdez tanker spill, saying it's already done enough to make up for the incident [Chronicle]
- Hometown restaurant chain Landry's has made an offer to buy Smith & Wollensky, the upscale steakhouse chain, for about $64 million [Houston Business Journal]
- The westbound Katy Freeway will be closed this weekend between Washington Avenue and Campbell Road so traffic can be moved onto new pavement; when the lanes reopen, drivers will be able to use entrance and exit ramps that have been off-limits since July [KHOU]
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