Mayor Whitmire and OEM Provide Emergency Update as Arctic Blast Shuts Down Early Voting

Mayor and Emergency Officials Coordinate Response as Winter Storm Hits Houston

Mayor John Whitmire joined leaders from the Houston Office of Emergency Management (OEM) this morning at 9:00 a.m. for an emergency briefing regarding the severe winter storm currently impacting Southeast Texas. The session focused on the city’s immediate response to freezing precipitation and the "all hands on deck" approach taken by municipal departments to ensure public safety on this Sunday, January 25.

During the press conference, Mayor Whitmire emphasized that the primary threat over the next 72 hours is the accumulation of ice on roadways, particularly elevated structures and overpasses. He urged all Houstonians to remain off the streets until at least Monday morning to allow emergency crews to work unimpeded. The Mayor confirmed that while the Texas power grid remains stable, city crews have been dispatched to manage localized disruptions caused by falling branches and icing on utility lines.

A major political development today is the suspension of the special runoff election process for Congressional District 18. Harris County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth announced this morning that all early voting centers are closed today and will remain closed through Monday due to hazardous travel conditions. The runoff election seeks to fill the seat left vacant following the passing of former Mayor Sylvester Turner in early 2025. Election officials are currently monitoring weather patterns to decide if polls can safely reopen for the final day of early voting on Tuesday.

Other government sessions and political events noted for today include:

• Emergency Briefing: Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo provided a supplementary update on county-wide preparedness, noting that the regional Emergency Operations Center is operating at an elevated readiness level to coordinate with the city.
• Candidate Forum: A virtual candidate forum for the State Senate District 11 race featuring Cameron Rollwitz is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., moving to an online-only format to accommodate the weather emergency.
• Warming Center Activation: The Mayor’s Office confirmed that all designated city warming centers are now open and operating under a no-refusal policy for those in need of shelter.
• Municipal Service Adjustments: The City Secretary’s office noted that residential waste collection and non-essential municipal court sessions scheduled for Monday have been officially suspended.

Mayor Whitmire concluded today's briefing by praising the coordination between city, county, and state officials. He noted that non-essential city employees would be directed to work from home on Monday to further minimize road traffic during the coldest period of the storm.