It’s been another rough week in Central Texas. Tuesday’s freezing rain closed all the roads, schools, and businesses. An inch of ice accumulated on power lines, power went down, and no power to pump water means boil notices or no water at all, and the propane companies can’t get to any homes to fill tanks. So we stayed home Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday. Cell towers stopped working. My son’s university lost power, and they are not allowed candles in their dorms. Students don’t keep a week’s worth of snacks in their rooms, nor piles of blankets. And with no way to travel, they were stuck.
Today makes day three with no power for over 150,000 Austinites, now tossing everything in their fridges today, due to spoilage. They still have no power. Each day passes, and they wait. It was still below freezing this morning. You can’t boil water if your stove is electric. You can’t nuke it in the microwave. Those of us with generators fare better, but that only goes so far.
All day yesterday, as temps inched above freezing, the sounds of huge oak and cottonwood branches falling filled the greater city area. Every couple of minutes, footlong icicles, sheets of ice on roofs, and tree limbs would crash to the ground. Limbs landed on cars and fences, blocking driveways. Everyone within an hour’s radius lost trees. I wouldn’t be surprised if the entire Austin area lost half its trees. Everywhere you look, 8 and 10 foot limbs litter the yards and roads. They just weren’t made to support so much ice for three days.
Honestly, I don’t know why people keep moving here. My suburb town alone has grown 30% in 10 years. 30%. We have nowhere to put them. Hopefully, this ice storm scared them off. This is three challenging winters in a row. Of course, we’ll be in sundresses and sandals by Sunday. Nothing makes sense anymore.
I Don't Get It 
You really have had to endure some harsh winter conditions in Texas these past few years. I hope everything is up and running soon. How is your son managing? The photo of the frozen flag is a great image.
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Thanks. It’s so weird. 50 years here and nothing ever this weird. He got his power back in a couple hours, but my mom is on day three, so it’s CRAZY.
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Fingers crossed your mom’s power is restored soon.
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Thank you! It’s day 5.
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I live in Leander. I lost some tree branches but we kept electricity this storm. Live Oaks just don’t take ice well.
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Brother, you said it. We had no water in Snowpocalypse, but we’re near LPD, so I think we get that grid and have everything right now, thank God. We still have ICE in the front yard. Do y’all? I wish only the dang cedar trees would have died. 😉
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Yipes, that sounds dreadful. Can’t even whip up a batch of migas tacos to soothe your nerves. I have about 20 hot drink recipes in my head, everything from Hot Toddies to Irish Coffees and mulled wine, and I’d happily send your way to help you stay warm.
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Fortunately I had cheese and eggs and tortillas! And some Fireball. Hot Toddies sound good!
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I’m sorry you had to go through this horrible ice storm havoc, Kerbey. We had below-zero temperatures to deal with for the last two days up here, and I’m quite thankful our power stayed on to allow us to fight the deep freeze. The thought of Austin losing all those trees … so awful.
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Below zero isn’t fun. I’m glad you can stay warm. My mom just got her power today on day 6. Suddenly the clouds disappeared and the sun came out, and people were jogging in shorts along Ladybird Lake. The world can change in a blink.
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Weather sure is a changeable and significantfactor in our lives, Kerbey.
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