Austin braces for icy blast as officials urge staying home and utilities prep

A fast-moving winter storm is forecast to bring freezing temperatures and up to a quarter-inch of ice to Central Texas, prompting a Travis County disaster declaration and urging residents to stay off roads this weekend. H-E-B stores will close Saturday evening; UT‑Austin will close and cancel events; CapMetro will halt service as the front arrives. Austin Energy says crews are fully staffed and ready, with ERCOT noting no expectation of large-scale outages, though local concerns persist. The National Weather Service warns the forecast is evolving, with freezing temps through Monday and potential ice glaze, so residents should monitor updates and prepare for possible disruptions.