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Frequently Asked Questions: February 2021 Winter Storm

Updated: Feb. 13, 2021

City officials and staff has received several inquiries regarding the upcoming winter storm. To address these concerns, staff compiled this list of frequently asked questions in relation to this topic:

Hearing that hardware stores like Home Depot and Lowe’s are out of plumbing supplies. Is that true?

Yes. As of today, Feb. 13, Missouri City Lowe’s and Home Depot are out of plumping insulation supplies. Residents may use old towels and plastic bags as insulation substitutes and secure it with duct tape.

Gasoline was a problem during Hurricane Ike in Missouri City. The former Mayor had to get that store opened. Are you anticipating any issues with trucks getting in town for gasoline?

As of now, gas stations are expecting trucks and are not anticipating any issues. But we will closely monitor this and address it accordingly if needed.

Does food stores like HEB, Kroger, Walmart will have enough food and supplies coming in?

Similar to gasoline, as of now stores does not have supply shortages. But we will closely monitor this issue as well as the severe weather approaches.

Are schools closed?

Fort Bend ISD and Houston ISD campuses and facilities will be closed on Monday, Feb. 15 and Tuesday, Feb. 16.

Are COVID-19 vaccination sites open?

All COVID-19 vaccination and testing sites are closed on Feb. 15 and Feb. 16

Will the Animal Shelter be open next week?

Yes. The fur animals are important, so the shelter will be open regular hours.

Is trash service cancelled due to inclement weather?

As of today, Feb. 13, the Municipal Solid Waste provider WCA Waste Corp. has not issued any cancellations for services. For additional updates, please call their customer service at 281.403.5800.

For more information about Missouri City, please watch the City website: www.missouricitytx.gov, like us on Facebook—fb/MissouriCityTX, follow us on Twitter and Instagram—@MissouriCityTX, and watch Missouri City Television (Ch. 16 on Comcast and Ch. 99 on AT&T U-verse).

Winter Storm Watch: Watch Latest Updates From Today’s News Conference

UPDATE 6 P.M. Feb. 13:

In case you missed the 3 p.m. news conference on Facebook, see details below.

Mayor Robin J. Elackatt, Mayor Pro Tem and District C Councilmember Anthony Maroulis, District B Councilmember Jeffrey L. Boney, CEO/City Manager Odis Jones, Police Chief Mike Berezin and Fire Department Division Chief of Operations Michael Hafer participated in a City news conference at 3 p.m. today. Watch the full discussion, here 👉  https://youtu.be/wyFuv1e6mIQ. 

UPDATE 12:30 P.M. Feb. 13:

Join Mayor Robin J. Elackatt and CEO/City Manager Odis Jones at 3 p.m. today (Feb. 13) to discuss the potential severe weather impact on Missouri City and for an update on the City’s preparations here 👉 facebook.com/MissouriCityTX . 

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UPDATE 10:50 A.M. Feb. 13:

METRO will temporarily suspend operations of transit services Monday, Feb. 15 through Tuesday, Feb. 16, due to freezing weather. METRO HOV/HOT lanes and the METRO RideStore will be closed. All METROLift trips scheduled for those dates will be cancelled.

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2.14.21 Winter Storm Watch

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for the region including Missouri City from 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 14 to 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 15. Temperature is to drop below freezing from Sunday night through Tuesday and winter precipitation including snow, freezing rain and/or sleet is possible.

Now is the time to prepare and protect the “4 Ps” – people, pets, plants, pipes. Residents are also encouraged to plan for possible power outages including charging all devices ahead of time, replenishing flashlight batteries and securing extra blankets. See tips below:

“We are experiencing severe weather that is the first of its kind in about 30 years,” said Mayor Robin J. Elackatt. “The safety of our citizens and staff continues to be a top priority as we monitor this emergency while we are still working to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. I encourage citizens to stay alert and avoid travel, if possible, in these dangerous conditions.”

City staff is closely watching this winter storm and is ensuring that proper preparations are in place. The Emergency Operation Center (EOC) will also activate remotely on Sunday, Feb. 14 and all non-emergency City offices will be closed on Monday, Feb. 15. This includes:

  • City Hall Front Lobby, 1522 Texas Pkwy. 
  • Inspections & Permits, 1522 Texas Pkwy. 
  • Municipal Court, 3845 Cartwright Rd. 
  • Recreation & Tennis Center, 2701 Cypress Point Dr. 

However, the Feb. 15 Special and Regular City Council meetings are still on schedule. Citizens and stakeholders may watch meeting live on MCTV on the City Website via this link: http://bit.ly/2LaZigz.

Hazardous travel conditions are expected on Monday including icy bridges; residents are advised to be extra cautious if traveling. Crews are monitoring all roadway conditions, and if there are areas of concern in your community, please call 281.403.8700.

“Staff is proactively preparing bridges/roadways within the City and are partnering with State and County officials to ensure roads that are managed by them are treated as well,” said City Manager Odis Jones. “As we continue to closely monitor this winter storm, City officials and staff will continue to keep residents updated through our official channels.”

As of Friday, Feb. 12 the following cancellations/closures are reported:

  • Sweetheart Cinema scheduled for today, Feb. 12 was cancelled. 
  • Fort Bend ISD campuses and facilities will be closed on Monday, Feb. 15 (Presidents Day) and Tuesday, Feb. 16 (inclement weather); asynchronous learning will still occur on Feb. 16. 
  • Houston ISD will transition to virtual learning on Monday, Feb. 15 and Tuesday, Feb. 16. 

Citizens are encouraged to follow the City’s official websites and social media outlets to receive timely, accurate information. All weather updates including road conditions, event cancellations, office closures, solid waste service and more will be shared on these official communication outlets.

The two main platforms used by City staff to share real-time information are the MCTX Emergency Management website, www.MissouriCityReady.com and the MCTX Twitter account, Twitter.com/MissouriCityEM.

For more information about Missouri City, please watch the City website: www.missouricitytx.gov, like us on Facebook—fb/MissouriCityTX, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat—@MissouriCityTX and Nextdoor, watch Missouri City Television (Ch. 16 on Comcast and Ch. 99 on AT&T U-verse) or download the MCTX Mobile app (available for free in Google Play and the Apple app store).

MCTX COVID-19 News Conference/Vaccine

COVID-19 Update: The City held it’s first COVID briefing of the year. Fort Bend County has now crossed Gov. Abbott’s COVID-19 hospitalization threshold. Therefore, most businesses and restaurants must roll back to 50 percent occupancy. Other businesses, such as bars, must CLOSE. Executive Order GA-28 is still in effect, prohibiting all gatherings of more than 10 people. The City plans to conduct these briefings every three weeks.

Watch latest update on vaccine and other news below.

UPDATES: Tropical Storm Warning for Fort Bend County Now Cancelled; Hurricane Laura Closing in to Texas Louisiana Border

UPDATE Aug. 26 10:30 p.m.:

Tropical Storm Warning for Fort Bend County is now cancelled.

UPDATES Aug. 25 3 p.m.:

Hurricane Laura is expected to make landfall as a major hurricane (category 3) late Wednesday (Aug. 26) and early Thursday (Aug. 27). As of 10 a.m. today, a Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Missouri City. Residents encouraged to stay prepared and follow the official emergency communication outlets for the latest updates.

Fort Bend is designated as a “Pass Through” county for evacuations. Thus, coastal communities that are part of today’s voluntary evacuations, could be passing through State Highway 6 and there could be increased traffic. In addition, to support with any evacuations, all tolls in the area are waived until Friday, Aug. 28.

Fort Bend Independent School District is closing their facilities and cancelling online classes for Wednesday and Thursday.

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Southeast Texas is preparing for consecutive storms in the coming days. Tropical Storm Marco is projected to cross the region between Tuesday (Aug. 25) night and Wednesday (Aug. 26) morning. The current track shows Marco decreasing to a Tropical Depression by the time it reaches the area.

Tropical Storm Laura is expected to become a hurricane when it makes landfall over the Texas/Louisiana border between Wednesday (Aug. 26) night and Thursday (Aug. 27) morning.

Missouri City is on the edge of both current cones for Marco and Laura, and the trajectory is subject to change. Marco is expected to bring rain to the area. However, Laura is expected to bring rain and strong winds with possible flash flooding.

To be properly prepared for inclement weather, residents should:

  • Have food, water and medicine for each member of the house for minimum of three days
  • Remember to include essential COVID-19 supplies like masks, hand sanitizers etc.
  • Know any possible evacuation plans
  • Keep important documents nearby
  • Follow the City’s official emergency management outlets: www.missouricityready.com and www.twitter.com/MissouriCityEM

City staff will closely monitor updates from the National Weather Service and the National Hurricane Center, and will also monitor roadway conditions throughout the City. If you experience high water or flooding, please call 281.403.8700.

Residents are discouraged to drive through high water areas, and remember: Turn Around, Don’t Drown.

2020 Hurricane Season Is Under Way ǀ For Emergency Updates & Alerts, Follow Official City Outlets: www.MissouriCityReady.com; MissouriCityEM on Twitter

The 2020 Hurricane Season is officially under way today, Monday June 1, and runs through Monday, Nov. 30. And with tropical storms, heavy rains and high water levels already on the national and regional weather radars, Missouri City residents are urged to plan ahead to ensure they are prepared in the event a disturbance impacts our area.

“As we saw with Hurricane Harvey, planning and preparing before a storm strikes is essential for every resident, business and organization in the City,” said Mayor Yolanda Ford. “Citizens are encouraged to sign up for official City alerts and advisories on our emergency management communications outlets and to stock up their household emergency supply kits to ensure their families can endure several days without basic necessities if necessary.”

MCTX officials recommend that residents store the following items in their emergency supply kits:

  • A three-day supply of non-perishable food, a manual can opener and one gallon of bottled water per person per day 
  • Coolers for food and ice storage 
  • Flashlights, a battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries 
  • Important documents and records, photo IDs, proof of residence, information to process insurance claims and cash
  • Phone chargers and a power generator

Officials also recommend that residents follow the City’s official communications outlets for emergency updates and advisories. The channels include:

  • www.MissouriCityReady.com: The site serves as a primary source of public information during any disaster affecting the City. The website offers tips and strategies for preparing homes, businesses and families for emergencies, links to websites of other emergency management agencies, weather, traffic and other emergency alerts and information on how to take care of special needs or pets during disasters. (Missouri City has communities in both Fort Bend and Harris Counties; residents who have a Houston address can also monitor: www.readyharris.org for updates.)
  • www.MissouriCityTX.gov: On the home page, residents can view important notifications via the red emergency alert tabs at the top of the site, access missouricityready.com via the green “Emergency Preparedness” tab on the page, and view City news releases in the “Stay Informed” section of the page.
  • MCTX Twitter accounts—Twitter.com/MissouriCityEM and Twitter.com/MissouriCityTX
  • WQMN—1690 AM: The City’s radio station that broadcasts weather, road construction and emergency bulletins 
  • MCTV: Ch. 16 on Comcast; Ch. 99 on AT&T U-verse
  • MCTX Facebook account—fb/MissouriCityTX
  • MCTX Nextdoor account—City of Missouri City

EM Twitter Screenshot

Other helpful information for residents to remember includes:

  • Fort Bend County is designated by the State as a pass-through county for evacuees who live along the Gulf Coast. In the event of an emergency, MCTX residents should monitor official City outlets for advisories on whether to evacuate or to shelter in place. 
  • The City’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC), located at Public Safety Headquarters on Cartwright Road, is equipped to coordinate the response and recovery efforts for any local emergency situation, including hurricanes.

“As this hurricane season begins, residents can rest assured that their City officials are ready to manage any crisis through the EOC,” Mayor Ford said. “Over the past year, City staff has been participating in emergency management training sessions so that we’re able to respond to every kind of disaster, including the COVID-19 crisis we are currently managing. Additionally, staff will participate in a virtual hurricane preparedness training workshop later this month and will continue to partner with the Fort Bend County and Harris County Offices of Emergency Management and other local and statewide agencies to coordinate response efforts for this season’s inclement weather.”

2020 Hurricane Preparedness Week is May 3 to 9 | Get Prepared | Season Begins June 1

While Missouri City stays home during this pandemic, City officials encourage residents to prepare ahead to weather any storms during the 2020 Hurricane Season. As such, City Council Members proclaimed the week of May 3 as “Hurricane Preparedness Week” at their Monday, May 4 Regular Meeting.

While Fort Bend is designated by the State as a pass-through county for evacuees who live along the Gulf Coast, residents are still encouraged to prepare themselves and stay aware of the potential for severe weather that can accompany tropical systems.

“Our Emergency Operations Center is currently active, responding to COVID-19, but we are also prepared for any severe weather incidents including the upcoming Hurricane Season” said Interim City Manager Bill Atkinson. “Staff is also planning for several training activities with all teams and outreach initiatives for the community in preparation for the season.”

2020 Hurricane Preparedness Tips

Image Courtesy of National Weather Service

To emphasize the importance of preparing before a storm hits, the National Weather Service has designated Sunday, May 3 to Saturday, May 9 as “2020 National Hurricane Preparedness Week”. During this week, MCTX emergency officials encourage residents to:

  • Determine Your Risk: Based on your location, find out what types of wind and water hazards could happen in your area and make a plan now on how to handle them.
  • Develop an Evacuation Plan: Identify safe locations that are not prone to wind/flood threats that you can shelter in, if there is an evacuation order issued. Remember to account for your pets too, as most local shelters do not permit them. Make sure to put these locations and the plan in writing as well.
  • Assemble Disaster Supplies: Have enough non-perishable food, water and medicine to last each person in your family a minimum of three days. Also, remember to include extra cash, battery-powered radios, flashlights, batteries, maps, cell phones, chargers and other important documents.
  • Get an Insurance Checkup: Ensure that you have proper insurance coverage for your home, cars and boats. Standard homeowners insurance doesn’t cover flooding; check with your insurance company/agent or the National Flood Insurance Program at www.floodsmart.gov now if you think coverage is needed. Flood insurance requires a 30-day waiting period.
  • Strengthen Your Home: Make sure to trim trees that are too close to homes ahead of a storm. And, remember to secure loose objects that are outside, move vehicles to a safe location without blocking the streets and board up windows/doors including garage doors with proper plywood, steel or aluminum panels once there is a storm approaching.
  • Help Your Neighbor: Check on your neighbors and share the importance of preparing ahead of time, collecting supplies before the storm, assisting with evacuation if needed and checking-in after the storm passes.
  • Complete a Written Plan: Take the time now to write down your hurricane plan and share it with your family. Know where you will ride out the storm and get your supplies now. Don’t forget to keep all your important documents together for quick access and have photo documentation of all valuables.

In addition, during any disaster, communication between the City and residents is key. Citizens are encouraged to follow the City’s official websites and social media outlets to receive timely, accurate information during any emergency. The two main platforms used by City staff to share real-time information are the MCTX Emergency Management website, www.MissouriCityReady.com and the MCTX Twitter account, Twitter.com/MissouriCityEM. Residents may sign-up to receive alerts via both of these outlets.

EOC officials also stress the importance of keeping a list of informational resources for reference. Recommendations for City residents include:

  • Police and Fire Departments: 911 or 281.403.8700 
  • CenterPoint Energy: 713.207.2222 
  • American Red Cross – Fort Bend County Branch: 281.342.9480, Greater Houston Branch: 713.526.8300 
  • Ready Harris (www.readyharris.org); 713.881.3100; the Harris County Office of Emergency Management’s official website. 
  • Enable Fort Bend (www.enablefortbend.com); 281.238.3514; the agency assists individuals with functional and medical needs during an emergency or disaster. 
  • MCTV: Comcast Ch. 16; AT&T U-verse Ch. 99 
  • WQMN – 1690 AM: Emergency advisory radio station 
  • MCTX Mobile App: Download it in the Apple App store or on Google Play

For more information about Missouri City, please watch the City website: www.missouricitytx.gov, like us on Facebook—fb/MissouriCityTX, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat—@MissouriCityTX and Nextdoor, watch Missouri City Television (Ch. 16 on Comcast and Ch. 99 on AT&T U-verse) or download the MCTX Mobile app (available for free in Google Play and the Apple app store.)