The U.S. National Weather Service Austin-San Antonio Texas is forecasting that a strong arctic front is expected to move into the Central Texas area--including Lockhart--on Thursday. In addition to cold temperatures, windy conditions could drop wind chill values to -10 to 10 degrees Friday morning!

To prepare for the upcoming weather conditions, here’s what you need to do:

• Don’t forget the three P’s: Pets, Pipes, and Plants.
  • Pets:
    • Bring pets inside a warm, dry place with access to food and water.
    • Keep livestock in an enclosed space with extra bedding, hay, and carefully placed heat lamps.
  • Pipes:
    • Insulate exposed pipes with insulation sleeves or heat tape.
    • Cover outdoor faucets.
    • Outdoor water systems should be drained and covered or allowed to drip slowly to help protect from damage.
  • Plants:
    • Bring sensitive plants inside.
    • Cover sensitive plants with frost blanket or cardboard, and extra mulch
• KEEP ANYTHING THAT CAN BURN AT LEAST THREE FEET FROM ANY HEAT SOURCE! That includes fireplaces, wood stoves, radiators, and space heaters.
  • Plug only ONE heat-producing appliance, like space heaters, into an electrical outlet at a time.
  • Space heaters must be placed on a solid, flat surface.
  • Do not leave any heat sources unattended.
    • Also, keep them out of reach of children and/or pets.
• Make sure you have a working smoke and carbon monoxide detector. Here’s a video of how to test them.
• Keep portable generators OUTSIDE, away from windows, and as far away from your home.
• Don’t run your car in the garage to keep warm.
• IF YOU HAVE TO TRAVEL:
  • Make sure you have at least half a tank of gas to keep fuel lines from freezing.
  • Slow down.
  • Don’t use cruise control.
  • Leave plenty of distance between you and another vehicle.
  • Stay up to date on weather conditions.
  • Make sure you have an emergency kit in your vehicle that contains a first aid kit, flashlight, water, snacks, cellphone charger, blankets, jumper cables, spare tire, flares, and a snow shovel and brush.
• Sign up for warncentraltexas.org for the latest weather and emergency notifications from your local public safety agencies. This service is FREE!