Or what would you tell someone who just moved to Houston?

Preparing now for potential power outages ahead of the next storm can reduce the risk of being stranded without food, water, or power for days.

For those in an apartment wondering what they can do to prepare for an inevitable power outage during the upcoming hurricane season, there are options for you so you aren’t left in the dark.

As a cold front moves across the area, numerous power outages have been reported, leaving thousands of residents without electricity.

A Red Flag Warning is in effect in Greater Houston until 9 p.m. Saturday due to high wildfire risk conditions such as strong winds and low humidity.

Experts believe the Texas power grid has improved its resilience since the February 2021 winter storm, but uncertainties remain, especially at the neighborhood level.

As severe thunderstorms move across the area, numerous power outages have been reported, leaving thousands of residents without electricity.

“We’re continuing to monitor the line of storms and threat of severe weather expected in the Greater Houston area overnight on Christmas Eve," CenterPoint Energy Meteorology Manager Matt Lanza said in a statement.

After widespread of criticism over power outages during Hurricane Beryl, CenterPoint Energy is working to restore it’s image.

CenterPoint Energy is being investigated by the state and also answering to the Texas Public Utility Commission (PUC) for its response to the historic number of power outages in the Houston area from Hurricane Beryl.

Naturally, with the growing power demand, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that ERCOT will reach another peak. According to ERCOT’s records, its grid has reached peak demand hours consecutively each year. In August 2023, the record peaked at 85,508 MW, surpassing its peak demand from July 2022, which was at 80,148 MW.

CenterPoint Energy is expected to restore power to the area on Monday when KPRC 2's Rilwan Balogun was set to meet with a restaurant owner, however, neighboring business owners revealed the entire plaza has been without electricity.

University of Houston VP Ramana Krishnamoorti and CEO Jason Wells indicate that the costs incurred will eventually be passed to customers, either through a future rate increase or a state bailout.

As promised after Hurricane Beryl's historic number of power outages in the Houston area, CenterPoint debuts its new online tool for reporting and tracking power outages.

“CenterPoint intends to increase their rates to recoup the cost of recovering from Hurricane Beryl, passing the cost on to the customer,” Senator Carol Alvarado said in a social media post. “That dog won’t hunt.”

Centerpoint’s CEO Jason Wells’ testimony comes a week after he met with the Texas Public Utility Committee (PUC) where he apologized to Houstonians. Today, we can expect Wells to double-down on initial action plans to increase resiliency.

After the energy giant faced scrutiny for getting rid of its online outage tracker, CenterPoint Energy says it'll be unveiling a new, online and cloud-based outage tracker as it works to improve communication with customers.

The PUC is getting ready to launch an online public survey for residents and businesses.

Heavy rain and slippery roads have led to power outages affecting thousands, with a flash flood watch in effect through tonight.

As Houston residents recover from the damage and power outages caused by Hurricane Beryl, the Texas Restaurant Association is working to help area restauranteurs with the TX Restaurant Relief Fund.

“It’s been painful to watch the elderly population in Houston suffer without electricity during these devastating storms,” said Megan.

Those were the words one concerned daughter shared with KPRC 2′s Deven Clarke after her 86-year-old father had to endure at least a week without power following Hurricane Beryl.

KPRC 2's newsroom has been inundated with calls and emails from viewers reporting the generators for their homes did not work during Hurricane Beryl. We went looking for answers.

As conversations over accountability with local, and state leadership as well as with CenterPoint Energy continue, new satellite images are giving a sobering look at the massive power outages, caused by Beryl.

On Monday, for the second time in a week, CenterPoint put up its Vice President of Regulatory Policy, Brad Tutunjian, for interviews.

Entergy Texas says it has restored power to 92% of customers who lost power due to Hurricane Beryl.

As many around Houston endure day six without power, CenterPoint Energy has released an additional update of their projected results for the upcoming weekend.

As the fifth day without power concludes for many Houstonians, CenterPoint Energy has released an additional update of their projected results for the upcoming weekend.

As Houston enters day five without power due to Hurricane Beryl, local hospitals report a significant increase in carbon monoxide-related emergency room visits. Many residents are using generators to cope with the heat and power essential appliances, but improper use is leading to dangerous CO exposure. “Generators can be lifesaving during an emergency, but because of the carbon monoxide, they can be deadly,” warns Carrie Bakunas, medical director at Memorial Hermann TMC. Remember to place generators at least 20 feet away from your home to avoid this invisible threat.

As Houston enters its fifth day without power following Hurricane Beryl, CenterPoint Energy updates on restoration efforts. With over a million homes still in the dark, crews are working 16-hour shifts to rebuild damaged infrastructure. "We know we still have a lot of work to do," says CenterPoint’s Jason Ryan.

Many Houston residents have noticed out-of-town linemen just waiting at staging areas, with no work orders from CenterPoint Energy. We went and got answers for you.

“We’re building significant momentum in our restoration efforts, which is a testament to our crews’ hard work and dedication to restoring power as safely and quickly as possible,” Lynnae Wilson, Senior Vice President, Electric Business said in a press statement.

As power is restored to homes and businesses across our area many of you say you still don’t have internet. AT&T and Comcast Xfinity customer service are difficult to reach and when you do get a human on the phone, they don’t have any answers. Investigative reporter Amy Davis is answering your questions about what’s causing internet outages and what you can do about them.

Four steps should get you to the estimated restoration time, if there's one for where you live.

“If you’re a criminal out there, let me send a message on behalf of everyone that can hear my voice: Don’t think about it,” Houston Mayor John Whitmire said.

With mounting frustrations against CenterPoint Energy over how the utility giant has handled another severe weather crisis, a new, interactive restoration map hopes to alleviate some of the tensions Houston residents have while they anxiously (and persistently) ask themselves: “When am I getting my power back?”

In a recent news conference, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick shared crucial updates on Hurricane Beryl relief efforts in Houston. The NRG Center will soon open to house up to 250 hospital patients unable to return home due to power outages, helping to free up space in local hospitals. Additionally, 25 more ambulances will be deployed to respond to emergency calls more quickly.

The company said it had been preparing for and closely monitoring the expected impacts of Hurricane Beryl; however, the storm veered off the originally expected course and more heavily impacted the company’s customers, systems and infrastructure than previously anticipated. That resulted in outages to more than 2.26 million customers at its peak.

Welp friends, I can assure you that the worst part of Beryl is OVER. Now, it’s time for the next step... clean up efforts.

Hurricane Beryl's landfall on the Texas coast has resulted in widespread power outages, with 331 active outages affecting 39,861 customers as of early Monday.

Following Hurricane Beryl’s aftermath across Southeast Texas, approximately 217,000 Entergy Texas customers are without power

Some power outages have been reported as heavy rain has fallen in the Houston area.

If you or someone you know is in need of resources to recoup unexpected expenses from the recent storms in the Houston area, this post might have the information you're looking for. #FEMA #DisasterRecoveryRelief #HoustonStrong #CommunitySupport

Spring ISD has closed two campuses, Carl Wunsche Sr. High School and Winship Elementary School, due to power outages.

No lights, no air conditioner, no nothing. If you were one of the 900,000 people who lost electricity for several days this month you might expect your next bill to be slightly lower than normal. One man in the Heights called us when he noticed his account showed he was using electricity on days when that was impossible. Investigative reporter Amy Davis explains you how to check your own account.

A powerful storm swept through Houston, causing damage, power outages, and even a tragic loss of life. Our thoughts are with the affected communities during this difficult time. Let's come together to support and assist those in need. #HoustonStrong #StormRecovery

The jump in outages on CenterPoint's tracker went from a few hundred to over 85K in a matter of minutes.

POWER UPDATE: Can you believe some Houston area residents are still without electricity? Here's what CenterPoint has to say

CenterPoint Energy provides the latest updates on ongoing power outages and a brief closure of Highway 290 in Houston.

All lanes across a portion of US Highway 290 will be closed in both directions on Saturday, May 25, at 7 a.m. and 8 a.m.

The math is good if you're looking at percentages for power restored in the last week. Not so much for people enduring a full week without electricity. And for some, the situation is becoming unhealthy, even dangerous.

Mary K. Bennett-Hayes has a lot on her plate. Her mom is in at intensive care unit after a “touch with pneumonia,” she’s working on donating one of her kidneys to her daughter, also checking in with her dad at the Leo Daniel Towers, all while trying to get power back to her northwest Houston home.

Day 5 of storm recovery was getting rough for some people still without power, which means no air conditioning as temps hit above 90 for the fourth day in a row, with the weather promising to feel even more like an oven as we move toward the holiday weekend.

The race to get the power back in Houston is getting a much needed assist from electrical linemen and support workers from outside of Houston.

In this article, we explore the reasons behind the variation in power availability among neighbors during outages.

CenterPoint Energy has released a power restoration timeline for Houston, providing estimated dates for returning service to approximately 80% of impacted residents by Sunday night.

With a growing number of people and pets seeking refuge, the organization has opened multiple shelters across Harris, Liberty, Polk, and San Jacinto Counties.

Some power outages have been reported as heavy rain has fallen in the Houston area.

Here’s your guide to determining which food items to keep or toss after you lose power:

Some power outages have been reported as heavy rain has fallen in the Houston area.

At least one person was said to have died at the scene and traffic was diverted in the area due to downed power lines.

Thousands of power outages have been reported by CenterPoint Energy as heavy storms move through the Houston area.

Some power outages have been reported as heavy rain has fallen in the Houston area.

Some power outages have been reported as heavy rain has fallen in the Houston area.

Some power outages have been reported as heavy rain has fallen in the Houston area.

Power outages have been reported as storms move through the Houston area.

Many Houstonians have lost power during the arctic blast that is hitting the state.

Power outages have been reported as storms move through the Houston area.

Some people have lost power in the Houston area on Sunday due to the windy conditions.

Power outages have been reported as storms move through the Houston area.

Power outages have been reported as storms move through the Houston area Sunday.

Some Harris County residents have been without power since Wednesday night when severe storms raced through the region.

Power outages are being reported in and around the Houston area as a strong line of storms moves through.

Storms moving into the Houston area have made their presence known in the form of power outages.

More than 24 hours after powerful storms knocked out power for over 271,000 CenterPoint customers in the Houston area Thursday, thousands are still in the dark with no air conditioning Friday night.

Overnight storms have knocked out power for 37,100 people in the Houston-area Sunday.

People across the Houston area are dealing with severe weather Friday morning, causing thousands of residents to be without power.

People across the Houston area are dealing with severe weather Friday morning, causing thousands of residents to be without power.

All power poles are back up after a car crash resulted in widespread power outages in northwest Harris County Tuesday, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.

People who live at the Cabo San Lucas apartments complex near the Gulf Freeway say broken mailboxes are nothing compared to them having to use flashlights to get around their moldy homes.

Homeowners in the Stone Gate Community want to know what is going on with the power lines in their neighborhood.

People across the Houston area are dealing with heavy rain, causing thousands of residents to be without power.

More than 145,000 residents affected by power outages in the Houston area, CenterPoint Energy says

Thousands of residents across the Houston area are experiencing power outages as temperatures remained in the 100s Sunday night.

As of 4:23 a.m. Wednesday, 48,576 CenterPoint customers are without power, according to CenterPoint’s Outage Map.

The winter storm that blacked out much of Texas in February 2021 was brutal, but some neighborhoods throughout the greater Harris County area were fare worse off than others when it came to power restoration.

Residents in and around Texas City reported widespread outages Friday on one of the coldest nights our area has had all year.

Multiple power outages were reported throughout the Houston area due to severe thunderstorms on Tuesday.

CenterPoint is reporting a total of 49,065 are without power Wednesday due to thunderstorms across the Houston area.

CenterPoint Energy is stepping up to help support the people of Louisiana that have lost power due to what is now Tropical Storm Ida.

Hundreds of thousands of customers are without power as Hurricane Nicholas rolls through the Houston area.

For those who rely on machines to live, losing electricity can be an emergency situation. That registry lets local government and electrical providers know if there is a critical power need at a home. Senator Kolkhorst explains why that just wouldn’t work. “We have to make these changes and I just want everyone listening to know - it starts with a reliable grid,” Senator Kolkhorst said. There are more than 75 bills related to electricity filed and up for discussion… including one from Senator Kolkhorst related to electric rate charges.

HOUSTON – The nonprofit “Kids’ Meals” has been fighting hunger in Houston since 2016 providing free, healthy meals to preschool-aged children who live in extreme poverty. Beth Harp, executive director with Kids’ Meals, Inc., explained how the community can help them restock to aid those in dire need. Kids' Meals, Inc. (Kids' Meals, Inc.)Kids’ Meals lost all meat, cheese, milk, juice, and much of its bread and need help to resume delivery of 6,400 meals on Monday. We have been desperately trying to get the word out and raise funds in order to get new food supplies. You can donate here: https://www.giveffect.com/checkout/4136 Posted by Kids' Meals, Inc. on Thursday, February 18, 2021To donate or volunteer to Kids’ Meals, click here.

KATY, Texas – The Buc-ee’s in Katy was a popular site Wednesday night with people from across southeast Texas looking for gas. We’re just trying to scavenge around to see who has food.”This week’s storm has also created a shortage of gas. Patrick De Haan with Gas Buddy, a crowd-sharing app that helps people find the cheapest gas, said right now fuel tankers are only making 10% of their normal deliveries. Plus, the storm knocked 20% of the nation’s refineries offline, including nearly a dozen in Texas. Ad“This is an impact that is going to be the worst in the South, Texas across the region,” said DeHaan.

Keep in mind, Centerpoint does not create or generate electricity, all they do is take the electricity and pass it on to customers. That was when Centerpoint started moving around electricity for certain customers. So some customers will see their power back on during the middle of the night,” he added. Mercado said Centerpoint was making good headway getting power back on to customers, but the company hit a new roadblock early Tuesday morning. Mercado said as power plants that are owned by third parties come online, they have to ramp up slowly before being at full power.

8:50 a.m. -- Nearly all CenterPoint Energy Customers with power, utilities company saysAt the peak of the power outage emergency, approximately 1.4 million total CenterPoint Energy customers were impacted. 1:27 a.m. - CenterPoint Energy reports less than 200,000 customers without powerAs of early Thursday morning, CenterPoint Energy is now reporting 163,138 customers without power. 10:27 p.m. -- Number of CenterPoint customers without power drops below 1 millionAs of this post, CenterPoint is reporting nearly 675,000 customers without power. #houwx #hounews 2/10 — CenterPoint Energy (@CNPalerts) February 15, 2021As CenterPoint Energy made preparations to follow @ERCOT_ISO's directive to reduce load, we were anticipating outages of 15 minutes to more than an hour. As a result, immediately following ERCOT’s directive to curtail delivery of power to customers, CenterPoint Energy started controlled outages in its service territory.

HOUSTON – Multiple Houston-area school districts will be closed Friday due to the ongoing brownouts in the aftermath of Hurricane Laura. RELATED: Some Houston-area residents to experience periodic power outages due to Hurricane LauraEntergy announced the outages to its Texas customers Thursday after its transmission system suffered extensive damage from Hurricane Laura. These are the closures so far:

HOUSTON – Texans, along with Houston-area residents, experienced power outages due to Hurricane Laura’s impact. According to Entergy, the power has since been restored for most Houston-area residents. Entergy announced the outages to its Texas customers Thursday after its transmission system suffered extensive damage from the hurricane. The current transmission line issue that has caused our power outages has been located and is in the process of repairs. Here were some suggested ways Entergy customers could reduce their electricity usage:Raise the central air conditioner thermostat to 78 degrees.

HOUSTON – Power outages are a big concern for many residents when severe weather strikes, especially if you have a medical condition. According to the Texas Office of Public Utility Counsel, most utility companies keep a list of critical care and chronic condition consumers. Being on this list does not guarantee your power will be restored immediately, but emergency services workers can access this list to see who may need immediate attention. Many outage situations involve a large number of homes and people, it may take an extended amount of time for utility or emergency services workers to get to your area. If losing power means a life or death situation for you, it’s best to evacuate.

Hurricane season is upon us. And really, as is the case with any major storm, winds and heavy rainfall have the power to create some pretty massive power outages. Are you, or would you, consider yourself stocked up at home, in the event of an emergency? Take the quiz below to find out. All of the checklist items are listed on ready.gov as what you’ll need in your basic disaster supplies kit, as well as some additional emergency supplies that the website recommended.