PREPARATIONS BEING FINALIZED AS WINTER STORM WARNING ISSUED FOR AREA

  

As Washington County braces for the arrival of harsh cold and wintry conditions this weekend, and with a winter storm warning issued for the region, officials are making their final preparations.

County Judge John Durrenberger has signed a declaration of local state of disaster in relation to the storm.  Governor Greg Abbott has also issued a state of disaster for 134 counties in order to free up resources that may be necessary to respond to the emergency. 

Local schools have announced they will be closed on Monday.  Brenham and Burton ISDs, along with Blinn College, will not have classes on Monday. 

Officials from the county, the City of Brenham and the community are regularly monitoring weather updates and assessing potential impacts. 

Washington County Road and Bridge is placing icing rock material on all county-maintained bridge structures to limit the potential for ice to form.  Crews are on standby, should additional material be needed or if ice accumulation causes trees or tree limbs to fall.   

Utility crews are staffing additional crews and staging resources, and city departments have extra crews staged.  First responders and dispatch are preparing for increased call volume. 

Details on warming centers or other community resources will be shared if they are necessary.

Residents are urged to avoid unnecessary travel during icy conditions.  They should make sure their devices are charged and that they have emergency supplies ready.  Additionally, they are encouraged to check on their neighbors, keep their pets indoors and protect exposed pipes. 

Anyone who observes hazardous roadway conditions is asked to report them to Washington County Dispatch at 979-277-7373.

A Winter Storm Warning has been issued for Washington and surrounding counties.  Washington County’s warning is effective from 6 a.m. tomorrow (Saturday) to 6 p.m. Sunday. 

The National Weather Service is predicting freezing rain and sleet, along with ice accumulation of a tenth of an inch or greater, making travel extremely hazardous.  That will coincide with prolonged sub-freezing temperatures tomorrow evening into Monday, including wind chills dropping to as low as 5 degrees below 0.