The cold weather is almost here. Are you prepared?

It’s time to dig up those big winter coats and turn that heater on! The National Weather Service expects a hard freeze next Monday and Tuesday nights as an Arctic front moves through our area on Sunday. We don’t expect icy streets, but we’re prepping just in case.

Wait, how cold is it going to be?

Cooooooold. We’re expecting a hard freeze with temperatures topping out at about 24 degrees fahrenheit. Residents should expect long durations of these subfreezing temps, and should begin cold weather preparations before the front arrives on Sunday. The sooner, the better!

So how do I get ready?

Remember the 4 P’s: People, pets, plants, and pipes! 

1. Take care of your people: make a family communication plan, keep an emergency kit handy, and if you absolutely need to go out, dress in layers and wear hats, gloves, and an appropriate coat. 
2. Think of your pets: Bring pets inside and move other animals or livestock to sheltered areas, and keep adequate food and water available for all your furry friends.
3. Cover those plants: know which plants need to be protected and which can withstand the cold. Bring potted plants inside or store them in the garage near an interior wall to provide extra warmth and protection from the wind.
4. Wrap those pipes: Disconnect and drain your irrigation system, wrap all your outside water pipes and don’t drip your faucets — it’s not necessary.

Uh, what do I do if my pipes freeze?

1. Turn off the main water to your home.
2. Open all interior faucets.
3. Wait for the temperature outside to rise above freezing.
4. Keep a close eye out for leaks as frozen pipes often expand, crack and leak.

And what if my pipes burst?

1. Locate and shut off water at the main valve.
2. If main valve cannot be located, call 311 or 281-275-2900 and the city’s utility staff will come and turn off water at the meter.
3. Call your plumber!

How is the City preparing?

A bunch of ways! 

1. Dump trucks are prepped with chat rock to treat icy streets, if necessary.
2. City infrastructure such as water plants, irrigation systems and other facilities have been winterized.
3. Generators have been checked and topped off with fuel.
4. Emergency planners are coordinating efforts with regional and state agencies including the National Weather Service. 

Any other things I need to know?

1. Restrooms and drinking fountains at Sugar Land parks across the City will be closed to minimize potential damage and protect our park systems. You can find an exact list of closures here.
2. If you have them, it’s a good idea to put your spigot covers on for some extra pipe protection.
3. In addition to turning irrigation system off, residents will need to drain irrigation pipes, specifically backflow devices. Here’s how to do that!
4. If you have a pool be sure to drain your water pipes, filter, heater, and other above-ground equipment.
5. Please pay attention to authoritative sources of information like the National Weather Service and the resources linked below.

📍 Sugar Land Emergency Alerts https://bit.ly/31lDuZl

📍 Flood Risk Alerts https://bit.ly/3dGtQ7a

📍 Real-time Ponding Monitoring (ISWMM) https://bit.ly/2XNRCv2

📍 Real-time Traffic Website https://bit.ly/3t6zaYC

📍 Centerpoint Outage Tracker https://bit.ly/3jjpJk8

📍 Weather Flood Scale https://bit.ly/3sOrprV

📍 ERCOT’s Grid Conditions Dashboards: https://bit.ly/3GoWLdO

📍 NWS Houston/Galveston https://bit.ly/2WtVSQ1

📍 Hourly Forecasts (Click Your Location) https://bit.ly/36zYej4

For more preparedness tips, visit www.sugarlandtx.gov/extremecold