State resources on standby ahead of winter weather, possible flooding

SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) -Gov. Greg Abbott has rostered state resources ahead of significant winter weather and possible flash flooding that’s expected to affect parts of Texas late Wednesday into early Thursday.

West Texas  could receive heavy snowfall and a wintry mix of precipitation, while central and eastern portions of the state will see severe storms with the possibility of  flash flooding and river flooding.

“As winter weather and heavy rain make their way across our state, I urge Texans to be cautious of changing weather conditions and take proactive measures to protect themselves and their loved ones,” said Governor Abbott. “The State of Texas has been working closely with local officials to prepare for these storms, and we will continue to provide the resources needed to keep our communities safe.”

At the direction of the Governor, the Texas Division of Emergency Management has rostered the following state resources to support both winter and severe weather response operations:

• Texas A&M Forest Service: Saw Crews and Incident Management Teams
• Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (Texas A&M Task Force One and Two): 4 boat squads; 1 Type III Urban Search And Rescue package
• Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: Boats and Teams to support Water Rescue Operations as well as 4 wheel drive vehicles and personnel to support winter weather response operations for stranded motorists.
• Texas Department of State Health Services: Emergency Medical Task Force severe weather packages
• Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT): High Profile Vehicles and winter weather preparation/response equipment and crews
• Texas Department of Public Safety – Texas Highway Patrol: Helicopters with hoist capability
• Texas Public Utility Commission: Utility Outage monitoring and reporting.

Additionally, TxDOT has begun treating highways to prevent ice from forming on roads.