Houston Mayor John Whitmire held a news conference Monday evening to provide the latest updates on the winter storm headed towards Houston and southeast Texas overnight.
Whitmire said snow and precipitation are expected to begin falling around 10 p.m. Monday. METRO Houston will close at 9 p.m. Monday, and the mayor is encouraging people to prepare to be indoors and off the roads before the snow begins.
“It’s no time to let up,” Mayor Whitmire said. “I ask you to lower your activities, stay at home. Look out for our most vulnerable.”
The mayor solidified statements that he made in a similar news conference Sunday night, when he said he wanted to warn Houstonians about the severity of this week’s weather and inform people across the city how they can help.
“I’ve been convinced that we’re about to experience a very serious and dangerous weather episode,” Mayor Whitmire said.
WATCH THE FULL PRESS CONFERENCE HERE:
Whitmire was joined by the other emergency officials, who advised people to cover and protect their pipes, call 3-1-1 in the event of an emergency and try to stay off of Houston’s roads.
Mayor Whitmire also urged Houstonians to cover their pipes if it’s possible, rather than allowing them to drip.
“We ask you to wrap your pipes,” Mayor Whitmire responded. “We all know that if everyone dripped their pipes at the same time, we’d have a pressure problem.”
After the press conference, KPRC 2′s Mario Diaz asked Mayor Whitmire if his stance on covering pipes and conserving water rather than doing the “drip technique” had changed.
“Of course, I do live in Houston, and I know a lot of people drip their pipes,” Mayor Whitmire replied. “That’s not our first option, but, you know, we’re monitoring it very carefully. We have sufficient water pressure. We’re actually watching the unincorporated area of Harris County, so we’re in good shape with water pressure.”
MARIO ON HIS CONVERSATION WITH WHITMIRE:
Houston Fire Chief Thomas Muñoz also spoke Monday evening, emphasizing the importance of staying off the roads, the dangers of fires caused by space heaters and the risks for carbon monoxide poisoning during cold weather events.
Police Chief J. Noe Diaz encouraged Houstonians to alert authorities if they see people outside who look like they need help during the winter storm. Larry Satterwhite, Houston’s director of public safety and homeland security, followed Police Chief Diaz and discussed the importance of helping Houston’s homeless population during these challenges.
Houston Independent School District, as well as other districts across the Houston area, will be closed for the early part of the week.
