A map of Central Texas showing the freezing line. According to the National Weather Service: “Temps are below freezing in these areas per surface obs, so light icing potential will be possible with this activity. Exercise caution if travelling early this evening!”

In anticipation of what the National Weather Service is calling a “significant icing event” that will impact west-central Texas to the Tennessee and Lower Ohio Valleys, Austin schools and businesses spent Monday afternoon and evening making plans for Tuesday. Or rather, cancelling plans.

After first nixing all Monday extracurricular and after school events, Austin ISD went ahead and announced the closure of all schools and offices for Tuesday. Nodding at a continued not-great forecast, AISD announced via Twitter, “We will continue to monitor weather conditions and provide updates for Wednesday.”

The University of Texas followed suit this evening. Citing the threat of icy road conditions, UT will close all Austin facilities and cancel all classes and events on Tuesday. UT shuttle buses will not run.

Austin Community College shut down all campuses starting at 8pm Monday night and planned to remain closed to all in-person and remote closes for all of Tuesday.

Earlier today, the City announced it was activating cold weather shelters for the unhoused and anyone else needing a warm place to stay. While that’s standard procedure when the temperature drops below a certain threshold, the city’s cold weather response has continued to receive scrutiny since Winter Storm Uri. Cold weather shelters will remain open through at least Jan. 31. Find more information at the city’s Active Emergency Information Hub.

This article appears in January 27 • 2023.

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A graduate of the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas, Kimberley has written about film, books, and pop culture for The Austin Chronicle since 2000. She was named Editor of the Chronicle in 2016; she previously served as the paper’s Managing Editor, Screens Editor, Books Editor, and proofreader. Her work has been awarded by the Association of Alternative Newsmedia for excellence in arts criticism, team reporting, and special section (Best of Austin). The Austin Alliance for Women...