Houston schools, roads prepared for possibility of ice storm

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As a strong winter storm moves into Southeast Texas Thursday night, government agencies are preparing for all possibilities.

The City of Houston will activate their Emergency Operations Center on Thursday evening at 6 p.m. to begin monitoring the weather situation in the city until Friday evening, officials said.

The EOC is activated during emergency weather conditions and special events and oversees major emergency responses and resources in the area.

If you plan on flying out of Houston Friday morning, be prepared for anything.

"Travelers should call their airlines ahead of time to check for delays," said Darian Ward with the Houston Airport System.

Ward says travelers should also budget more time in their itineraries in case the weather takes a nasty turn. She said the airport system will be monitoring the roads to and from both Bush and Hobby airports.

Bush has 15 deicing trucks and Hobby has two deicing stations just in case they need them Friday morning, Ward said.

Meanwhile the Texas Department of Transportation is taking extra precautions to ensure the roads stay safe over the next two days of bitter cold.



Wednesday night, TxDOT crews sprayed magnesium chloride on bridges, overpasses, and major interchanges across six counties in the Houston area, including Waller, Brazoria, Harris, Montgomery, Fort Bend, and Galveston counties.

They also have a rock-sand mixture on hand to handle trouble spots. The magnesium chloride mix will prevent ice from accumulating on roadways. Ferry operators are also taking steps to make sure their services won't be hindered on Friday.



"We want folks to only be on the roadways if they have to," said TxDOT spokesman Danny Perez. He reminded drivers to heed all weather and traffic warnings and to use caution when traveling on Friday morning.

Houston TranStar will also be working in tandem with TxDOT to spot areas that need attention.

TxDOT has a fleet of trucks on standby to spread sand and deicing fluid, if needed.



"Don't be complacent when it comes to the road conditions. Be patient when driving. If you have to wait out the weather, just do it," Perez said.