The city of Dallas is preparing for inclement weather forecasted to hit North Texas.
The Dallas-Fort Worth area could see three to six inches of snow beginning Wednesday night, according to the National Weather Service.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas issued a weather watch until Friday. ERCOT officials say grid conditions are expected to be normal during the watch.
Dallas officials held a briefing on Tuesday to go over inclement weather preparation.
Kevin Oden, director of Emergency Management and Crisis Response, said the emergency operations center has monitored the forecast and is anticipating any impacts this weekend. They will increase staffing beginning Thursday at 5 a.m. and provide daily briefings.
"I want to remind everyone that the forecast can change," he said. "The system we're monitoring has shifted, including from yesterday to today, and it may change again in the next 24 hours. Our posture right now is to continue monitoring and adapting our response actions accordingly."
Here's what residents will need to know.
Transportation
Ghassan Khankarli, Dallas Transportation director, said the city started treating roadways and bridges on Monday and has crews ready to come in on Wednesday.
The city also has technicians on standby in case of power outages or traffic signal malfunctions.
"These will be prioritized based on the location and the access to critical facilities," he said. "Part of the prioritization will be also if there is any knockdowns on the traffic signals, that those will be treated first before we handle the other items."
Emergency shelter
Dallas’ Office of Homeless Solutions activated a shelter at Fair Park’s Grand Place Building at 3701 Grand Ave. throughout the week of Jan. 6 for all days that meet the activation trigger.
An Office of Homeless Solutions Temporary Weather event occurs when the weather is set below 36 degrees in wet weather or 32 degrees in dry weather for three hours or longer, between 4 p.m. and 8 a.m.
Intake at the Fair Park shelter is from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, until the inclement weather is over.
Christine Crossley, Office of Homeless Solutions director, said pets are allowed at the emergency shelter.
Trash services
Clifton Gillespie, director of Dallas Sanitation, said crews will work on Thursday and Friday as conditions allow.
Garbage and recycling collection should occur as scheduled unless otherwise announced by the city, he said. However, due to potential weather and resource constraints, there may be delays or postponements.
Water utilities
Water Utilities director Sarah Standifer advised residents to check their automatic sprinklers and turn them off.
Residents should also note where their private shut off valve is located to prevent flooding in case pipes freeze.
Cotton Bowl Classic
The Cotton Bowl Classic game between the Texas Longhorns and the Ohio State Buckeyes is scheduled for Friday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
Oden said they are closely monitoring conditions into the city, especially as Dallas will host fans and teams for the game.
"Our priority is ensuring safe travel for teams and their fans visiting Dallas and the Metroplex, allowing them to enjoy their time here safely," he said.
He added that the city will work with regional partners to ensure minimal impacts for fans traveling to the game.
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