Axios Austin

Roads and trees are beginning to thaw, but this week's winter storm again pushed the city to the brink.

The big picture: Unlike the 2021 edition, temperatures in the Austin metro hovered near freezing and residential outages were localized, rather than part of bigger problems with the state's grid.

Yes, but: As many as 28% of Austin Energy customers — or more than 155,910 homes — were still without power as of 6am this morning as ice coated power lines and downed tree limbs.

• Austin fire officials responded to more than 76 reports of wires arcing since 3am Wednesday.
• I-35 was shut down in both directions Wednesday afternoon between Wells Branch and Grand Avenue Parkway due to downed power lines, per CBS Austin.
• Roughly half the flights — 347 in all — to or from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport were canceled yesterday, according to FlightAware data.
• Austin ISD and the University of Texas are closed today for a third consecutive day.

What they're saying: "Restoration efforts have been slow due to consistently freezing temperatures and accumulating ice," Austin Energy general manager Jackie Sargent told city officials last night.

Zoom out: At least seven people in Texas have died and more than 391,000 customers lack power statewide, most along a swath from San Antonio northeast to Paris.

• The combination of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and Arctic air spilling south from Canada resulted in a long-duration ice storm for millions of people across at least eight states, Axios' Andrew Freedman reports.

Why it matters: This week's storm, which rolled in late Monday, was the latest test of the state's power grid and local utilities.

• During 2021's winter storm, widespread grid outages left millions of Texans without power and Austin went under a citywide water boil notice.
• Officials attributed nearly 250 deaths across Texas to the freeze, though the actual number was likely higher.

What's next: The sound of chainsaws will be ubiquitous in Austin neighborhoods for days to come as residents clear downed tree branches.

Suppose your iced-over tree were preventing you from exiting your house for safer terrain.

That was the problem Wendy Ogle was facing midday Wednesday at her Travis Heights house.

• Having gone without power for three hours, she had to clear her driveway of a live oak limb, laden with ice, that was blocking her exit.

What she did: Grabbed a broom and beat the hell out of the tree.

• Ice flaked off and — slowly but surely — the branch started rising, inch by inch.

Context: Ogle has lived in Austin since 1990, but grew up in Rochester, N.Y., so she knows a thing or two about managing winter conditions.

• Inside her home, she tells Axios, were pots of water she had boiled and a thermos full of pork stew.

What they're saying: "This is why we need underground utilities," Ogle told Axios, between whacks. "Above-ground is ugly and — look here — this is why I'm beating my tree."

🚔 A sheriff's deputy was taken to the hospital after he was hit by an 18-wheeler in southeastern Travis County. He is expected to survive, officials say. (KXAN)

🛒 H-E-B topped Amazon as best grocery retailer in the U.S. in the sixth annual Dunnhumby Retailer Preference Index. (Chain Store Age)

💧 Federal environmental regulators are investigating claims that Texas is not doing enough to safeguard its water and air quality. (Houston Chronicle 🔒)

🍔 DoorDash, the food delivery service, suspended its operations in Austin on Wednesday over dangerous road conditions. (Fox7 Austin)

💭 Our thought bubble: Thanks to this CBS Austin graphic, we now know that half an inch of ice on a 30-foot-wide tree is equivalent to 274 full-grown corgis — or 712 of Nicole's cat, Tex.

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News flash: It's been pretty dang cold.

The big picture: Ice toppled trees onto roads and homes across Central Texas on Wednesday.

• We snapped photos around town — showing a very frozen Austin.

The bottom line: We hope this newsletter finds you and your loved ones safe and warm.

More photos