ATX PULSE 1/21/25 ($): Snow Falls in ATX Overnight // Residents Urged to Stay Home // Austin Airport Remains Open // APD Chief Reviews First Weekend of 6th Street Street Reopening // 2.6M Tesla Vehicles Probed over Summon Feature // UT Men's Basketball Host #22 Missouri Tonight

TODAY’S WEATHER

H: 40° / L: 23°. Snow and sleet as storm arrives. Latest forecast from Fox 7 Austin’s Leslie London here.

TOP NEWS

“Snow or ice? Freezing temperatures, winter weather to hit Central Texas Tuesday a.m.,” Austin American-Statesman’s Keri Heath and Ella McCarthy — “Austinites prepared Monday for expected icy conditions Tuesday with temperatures predicted to drop to frigid levels.

Travis, Williamson, Hays and Bastrop counties, along with much of the area east of the Interstate 35 corridor, will be under a winter storm warning through 6 p.m. Tuesday, while western Hill Country counties are under a winter storm advisory through that time, according to the National Weather Service.

Meteorologists expect less than 1 inch of snow accumulation throughout much of the region Tuesday morning, though some areas east of Austin could see up to 2 inches. Areas south of Austin could have up to one-tenth of an inch of ice accumulation.

In preparation for the freezing rain, all Central Texas school districts — including the Austin district — and the University of Texas, Austin Community College and Texas State University announced they would be closed Tuesday. Huston-Tillotson University moved classes online.

There’s a good chance of snow when people wake up Tuesday morning, and ice is likely, said Eric Platt, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in New Braunfels.

“Be prepared for there to be slippery or slick road conditions,” Platt said.

If it warms up enough during the day Tuesday, it’s possible for some of that accumulated snow and ice to melt, but snow or ice that sticks around Tuesday will refreeze Wednesday night, when temperatures are expected to plunge into the 20s or teens, Platt said.

“Some of those outlying areas will probably get down to around 17 degrees,” Platt said.

To prepare for the precipitation, the Texas Department of Transportation treated roads in advance, according to the office.

People who need a warm place Tuesday can visit the central branch of the Austin Public Library, 710 W. Cesar Chavez St., starting at 8 a.m. Other library branches will open on a normal schedule.” AAS ($)

“Austin-Travis County leaders say to "stay home" with snow & sleet expected overnight,” CBS Austin’s Bettie Cross — “The Winter Storm Warning for Central Texas took effect at 6 p.m. Monday. EMS and fire crews are already dealing with an uptick in emergency calls. Austin-Travis County EMS responded to 11 cold-related incidents on Sunday. The Austin Fire Department responded to one structure fire overnight that was determined to be potentially weather-related.

The Austin-Travis County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) activated Monday at 7:00 a.m. in response to anticipated winter weather.

“According to the National Weather Service we could see a half inch to an inch and a half of snow and sleet that could make travel difficult, hazardous, and at times dangerous,” said Austin Mayor Kirk Watson at a press conference on Monday.

Austin and Travis County are already pretreating roads with a brine solution that lowers the freezing point for any precipitation.

“Once you start getting the freezing rain and the ice and snow it activates with that magnesium and salt content in that treatment and effectively will lower the freezing point from the normal 32 degrees down into the single digits or lower teens,” said Richard Mendoza, Director of Transportation and Public Works at the City of Austin. “Black ice typically formulates overnight when precipitation melts and then re-freezes. So, to the degree we go out there and monitor those closely we can reapply after that initial treatment and it will be effective against black ice.”

The City of Austin has trucks pretreating 271 miles of high-priority roads. That is an estimated 20% to 25% of city roadways.

“Absolutely stay home if you can because you may be taking a route that isn’t one of the treated routes and there might be black ice in that way,” said Mayor Watson.

ERCOT has issued a weather watch through Thursday due to the extremely cold temperatures, higher electrical demand, and potential for lower reserves. ERCOT says the lights and heat will stay on during the second cold snap in January.

“Grid conditions are expected to be normal during this winter weather event and there is no current expectation of an energy emergency,” said Mayor Watson.

Travis County Judge Andy Brown says it’s important to prepare for time outside in the cold.

“It’s best to stay indoors, but if you have to be outside, dress in warm layers and wear hats, scarves, and gloves,” said Judge Brown. “Please remember to also check on seniors, those with medical needs, and neighbors.”” CBS Austin

“Central Texas gears up for potential snow as TxDOT preps roads,” KVUE’s Matt Fernandez — “TxDOT crews have been preparing for the winter weather that could bring snow and sleet to Central Texas on Monday and Tuesday.

With temperatures dipping below freezing, TxDOT trucks have been all over Central Texas treating the roads, covering 11 counties, including Travis and Williamson counties. TxDOT has been using brine to pretreat the roads.

"It's a saltwater solution and it helps prevent ice from bonding to roadways," said Jeff Barker, spokesperson for TxDOT.

But TxDOT can't treat every road, so Barker said if you don't have to be on the roads don't. Tuesday morning in particular could be dangerous with ice forming.

Marci Mathews isn't taking any chances on Tuesday and will be staying off the roads.

"I am staying at home, working from home, so that’s nice. I am stocked up on water, the faucets are dripping, the cabinets are open, we got food," said Mathews.

Barker said TxDOT crews are ready to work around the clock.

"Crews will remain on standby 24/7, working 12-hour shifts to maintain the roadways and making them as passable as possible," he said.” KVUE

“Austin airport staff staying overnight to ensure operations during winter weather,” KVUE’s Daranesha Herron — “Austin's airport has seen flight delays and cancellations from nearly every airline as winter weather settles into Central Texas on Monday evening. 

It's a type of freezing cold visitors were not expecting. 

"No, not at all," said Avery Olsen, traveling back home to Florida after a girls' weekend.

Austinite Tjas Dudhade said he almost didn't make it home before the snow.

"We are glad we didn't miss our flight because I called Spirit and they said probably tomorrow the flights are going to be canceled," said Dudhade. 

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport spokesperson Kimmie Hey said not everyone was so lucky on Monday. They've seen delays and cancellations from almost every airline.

"We just recommend that our passengers check in directly with their airline via the app or email to make sure before heading over to the airport that their flight is still ready for takeoff," said Hey. 

Hey said since a winter storm in 2021, the airport has gotten some new deicing technology that will help them clear the runway pretty quickly, depending on how much snow and sleet we get. 

"We have not snowplows, but machinery that can go onto our trucks to make sure we can plow away snow if necessary," Hey said.

Critical department staff are on location for the next 48 hours to ensure the airport is open and running. 

The airport is on alert until Wednesday at 6 p.m.” AAS ($)

“Water main break reportedly caused by burst pipe in Central Austin,” KVUE’s Morgan McGrath — “A water main break is impacting some Central Austin residents early Tuesday morning.

Austin Water said it's repairing the break after a pipe burst on W. 43rd St. and Rosedale Avenue, not far from the city's Hyde Park neighborhood. 

The company said residents in that area could experience water outages as crews remain on scene. 

Call Austin Water's customer service number at 512-972-1000 to report leaks or learn more.“ KVUE 

“Body found outside St. David's hospital after fire,” CBS Austin’s Madelin Morales — “A deceased body was found outside of a St. David’s hospital in South Austin after a fire occurred.

At 12:22 p.m. Sunday, The Austin Fire Department responded to a call near 700 and 835 Ben White Boulevard Service Road Eastbound.

The incident started as a trash fire and once officials arrived, Austin Police Department was called to the scene.

There will be no briefing from APD and the investigation is ongoing.” CBS Austin

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

“How did the first weekend of allowing cars on 6th Street go?,” KXAN’s Brianna Hollis — “Over the weekend, the City tested out opening Sixth Street back up to cars. This is in place of closing the road down to vehicular traffic from Brazos to Red River Streets.

The goal of this program is the break up stagnant, late-night crowds that often become unruly – and sometimes violent – Police Chief Lisa Davis said.

“When we’re locking down these streets like this and inviting more chaos into this place, it is not tenable, it has to change,” Davis said as the City announced the move last week. In December, this pilot started opening Sixth Street up to cars on Thursday and Sunday nights. After that went on for a few weeks “without incident,” Davis said, city staff took the next step, testing out opening the street on Fridays and Saturdays.

Neches, Trinity and San Jacinto will remain closed between Fifth and Seventh Streets as part of this initiative.

According to police sources as well as downtown employees familiar with the operations, APD closed Sixth Street down to car traffic around midnight Saturday into Sunday. Various sources told KXAN this was due to safety reasons.

The street-opening plan allowed for the opportunity to make this decision if need be. As of Monday evening, we are not aware of the specific reasons APD believed the closure was necessary, but KXAN expects to hear more details later this week, as the department’s public information office staff had the MLK holiday off.

Two different downtown employees told KXAN people were pushing the new fences down. The fences serve to add a layer of protection between cars and pedestrians and extend the sidewalk.

Police are investigating a homicide that occurred around 3 a.m. Saturday, about 45 minutes after KXAN crews left Sixth Street. Investigators made an arrest Saturday, APD said. Further details about the circumstances were not available as of Monday evening.

Chief Davis said she plans to personally see how this initiative plays out.

“I’m going to be here until this becomes somewhat normal,” she told KXAN just before midnight Friday. “I think it’s important to see with my own eyes where the gaps are, where we’re missing something,” Davis said.

One of her initial takeaways was noticing the largest crowds continuing to gather near the corner of Sixth and Trinity.

“You can see people gathering the trees and around certain locations, and they’re the ones that are usually coming down here for the party atmosphere, they’re not going into the bars, so that’s an interesting element, to see how they’re behaving,” she said.

Davis, as well as Mayor Kirk Watson, said this new decision is something they will both monitor very closely, and they’ll adapt and reassess based on what happens.

Davis hopes the more limited walking space will allow officers to keep people moving along versus hanging out in one spot.

“We want to facilitate getting you to the bar you want to go to, but you have to keep moving,” she said.” KXAN

“Roads closed in and out of Lago Vista,” CBS Austin’s Tara Brolley — “All roads in and out of Lago Vista have been closed Tuesday morning as sleet creates dangerous driving conditions in the area.

Police officials announced the closure of FM 1431 and all bridges after officers reported sliding on ice-slicked roads. The closure extends along Lohman Ford Road from Dawn Drive to FM 1431.

"The icy conditions pose a significant risk for accidents," the Lago Vista Police Department said in a statement. At least one police officer became stuck at Lohman Ford and Paseo De Vaca while attempting to return home.

Officials are urging residents to stay home and avoid all non-essential travel as precipitation continues to accumulate and freeze on roadways.

Those who must travel are advised to reduce speed and allow extra time for their journey. There is no estimated time for when roads will reopen.” CBS Austin

BUSINESS NEWS

“2.6M Tesla vehicles under investigation due to Actually Smart Summon feature; here's why,” Austin American-Statesman’s Karoline Leonard — “Federal regulators have opened a probe into roughly 2.6 million Tesla vehicles after a remote summoning feature reportedly led to crashes.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced the probe on Tuesday, stating it received one complaint alleging a crash due to the Actually Smart Summon feature and is investigating reports of three additional crashes.

The “Actually Smart Summon” feature launched in September and enables drivers to remotely summon or move their vehicles to another location via a button on a mobile phone app. Tesla previously had a feature, called Smart Summon, that allowed drivers to move their cars into or out of a parking spot. According to the notice, the Office of Defects Investigation has received 12 complaints related to the Smart Summon feature. 

The four crashes, according to the notice about the investigation, relate to the Tesla vehicles failing to detect posts or parked vehicles, resulting in crashes when the Actually Smart Summon feature is on. 

The notice read that the office knows of several crash allegations — though Tesla has not reported any crashes through the Standing General Order requiring reporting of crashes on publicly accessible roads — involving Smart Summon and Actually Smart Summon in which drivers had little to no reaction time to avoid a crash with the available line of site or releasing the button to stop the vehicle’s movement. 

NHTSA is opening a preliminary evaluation into the Actually Smart Summon feature and will then decide whether to update the probe to an engineering analysis before seeking to require a recall. NHTSA will look into the vehicles’ operations and field performance, top speed attained with the Actually Smart Summon feature engaged and line of site requirements as well as stopping distance requirements. 

This probe covers 2016-2025 Model S and X vehicles, 2017-2025 Model 3 and 2020-2025 Model Y with the Full Self-Driving driver assistance system. 

Tesla did not respond to requests for comment.” AAS ($)

LOCAL SPORTS

TEXAS FOOTBALL: Golden: “Texas football is Arch Manning's team now — but success isn't automatic,” Austin American-Statesman’s Cedric Golden — ““This is who we are.”

Those are five of the most reckless words a fan base can say.

It screams of entitlement and a dangerous overlooking of what got your team here.

Longhorn Nation, don’t forget the journey. Head coach Steve Sarkisian built Texas football into a national championship contender and it didn’t happen overnight. Unlike a sturdily constructed house, important bricks fall from a college football program yearly — thanks to the NFL draft and the transfer portal — and replacing them is imperative for those striving for the national relevance that only come with consistency.

Sure, there is cause for excitement now that electric young quarterback Arch Manning is primed to lead this program into the 2025 season after a 13-3 finish and a second straight College Football Playoff semifinal. Manning will enter Year 3 in the Sarkisian culture build, but it will be his first as the face of the franchise. 

With Quinn Ewers now prepping for the NFL draft, the onus falls on the progeny of the SEC’s first family to eventually get the Horns over the national semifinal hump.

Sark has already shown he is capable of replacing stars. He's unleashed several well-developed backups, ready to take on added responsibility and expectations — but the challenge of this sport is having to consistently do it over and over again.

Board of Regents Chairman Kevin Eltife and athletic director Chris Del Conte understand this can’t happen without continuity atop the program. So they have quickly moved to make sure the man running it all is happy, meeting with their head coach and extending his deal to seven seasons through 2031 with a “small bump” in his annual salary included, a source close to the program told me. 

Sarkisian’s mentor Nick Saban made it an art form in producing massive NFL draft classes while keeping his team in the championship conversation year in and year out. Saban's former assistant Kirby Smart took those lessons and has followed suit in Georgia.

Sarkisian just lost a three-year starter at quarterback, four offensive linemen, including consensus All-America left tackle in Kelvin Banks, Jr., wideouts Matthew Golden and Isaiah Bond, tight end Gunnar Helm, All-America defensive tackle Alfred Collins, Thorpe Award winning cornerback Jahdae Barron and safety Andrew Mukuba, who was one of the most impactful transfers in program history.

The Horns could have as many as 10 players drafted, meaning the head coach will be charged with keeping this College Football Playoff train running as the ultra-high expectations haven’t changed one iota.

It starts with believing in the man calling the shots. Sarkisian started at 5-7 in 2021 but kept his head down and coached with unwavering commitment to his way of doing business. The trust grew from there, and the 25-5 run the Horns have enjoyed over these last two years is testament to a strong buy-in the coach earned over time.” AAS ($)

TEXAS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: “No. 7 Texas hammers No. 8 Maryland 89-51 in inaugural Coretta Scott King Classic,” KXAN’s Billy Gates — “In a top-10 clash honoring one of the nation’s most iconic civil rights leaders, No. 7 Texas rolled to victory Monday.

The Longhorns scored early and often — and then some more — in an 89-51 win over No. 8 Maryland in the inaugural Coretta Scott King Classic at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

Texas shot 54% from the field and sophomore Madison Booker had one of her best performances of her tenure with the Longhorns, scoring a game-high 28 points on 13 of 19 shooting. She had 13 points in the first quarter, outscoring the Terrapins by herself to push Texas to a 28-12 lead.

The Longhorns forced 27 turnovers to score 33 points and held the Terrapins to 17 made field goals. For comparison, Texas made 37 shots. Texas scored 54 points in the paint to Maryland’s 34 and the Longhorns had 20 assists while the Terrapins had nine.

Kyla Oldacre scored 15 points with six rebounds and Taylor Jones had 13 points with nine rebounds to lead the Longhorns down low. Shay Holle connected on a pair of 3-pointers and finished with 12 points. Rori Harmon had seven assists and Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda had eight points.

Texas held Maryland to six points in the second quarter. The Terrapins shot 3-for-11 in the frame and committed nine turnovers. Texas never trailed in the game, scoring on 63% of their possessions. The Terrapins had 41% of their possessions end in turnovers and were 13-for-24 on layups.

Kaylene Smikle was the lone Terrapin to score in double figures with 15 points. …

Texas (18-2, 4-1 SEC) gets back into Southeastern Conference play Thursday at home against No. 17 Tennessee. Maryland (16-2, 6-1 Big Ten) travel to Ohio State on Thursday.” KXAN

QUICK LINKS

~ Federal report shows city’s progress, shortfalls in addressing housing needs - Austin Monitor

~ Journal Profile: ABOR President Brandy Wuensch has lived the Austin experience - ABJ

~ Georgetown-based Metro Service Pros now providing home remodels across Austin area - Community Impact Austin

~ Tax preparation business opens in Pflugerville - Community Impact Austin

~ Round Rock ISD updates policy for parent notification of 'violent events' - Community Impact Austin

~ H-E-B adjusts store hours statewide in response to Texas winter weather - KVUE

~ Bastrop ISD closes Jan. 21, warming shelters open - Community Impact Austin

~ Investigation underway after pair of homes catch fire in southwest Austin - KVUE

~ Body found outside St. David's hospital after fire - KEYE

~ Central Texans urged to prepare as winter storm prompts emergency operations - KVUE

~ WilCo opens emergency operations center Jan. 20 - Community Impact Austin

AUSTIN CULTURE

~ LIVE MUSIC: “Top concerts in Austin this week: Release shows, a Daniel Johnston tribute and more“ AAS ($)

WHAT TO DO TONIGHT

~ TEXAS MEN’S BASKETBALL: #22 Missouri at Texas. Moody Center. 8pm tip off. Tix for resale here. Airs on SEC Network.

COOL JOB ALERT

~ Special Agent. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Located in Austin. Salary $97,300 - $125,544 a year. Info / apply here.