KERRVILLE – In the Hill Country, a winter blast has coated roads and sidewalks in ice and snow. Law enforcement officials are pleading to residents to stay home until it melts.
“The temperatures aren’t going to get above freezing all day today and all day tomorrow,” said William B. Thomas, the emergency management coordinator for Kerr County and the City of Ingram. “So it’s probably going to be Saturday before we see any significant clearing of roadways.”
There are slushy, snowy and slippery roads throughout Kerrville and Kerr County.
The Kerr County Sheriff’s Office and the Office of Emergency Management issued an alert Thursday morning, stating in part, “travel not advised unless medical emergency.”
Just got this #emergencyalert
— Leigh Waldman (@LeighWaldman) February 3, 2022
It’s simple y’all, don’t drive if you don’t have to pic.twitter.com/t9ce9ud9Eq
“The road conditions, you know, people need to stay at home, shelter in place until this is over. That way emergency crews aren’t having to come out and rescue them,” Thomas said.
A gas station KSAT visited the day before looked quite different on Thursday, with no cars and people taking law enforcement seriously and staying off the roads unless absolutely necessary.
Serious accumulation here in Kerrville and the precipitation isn’t letting up. The Kerr County Sheriff’s Office says all roads in the county are risky, the same goes for roads in the city of Kerrville as well. @ksatnews @ksatweather pic.twitter.com/NQ8wbSQMai
— Leigh Waldman (@LeighWaldman) February 3, 2022
Down the road, a warming shelter opened at the First United Methodist Church.
“Last year with (Winter Storm) Uri and all of that, we ended up being a makeshift shelter. And so this year, all of the county officials got together, and we have a plan,” said David Payne, senior pastor at the church.
That plan included a safe, warm place to hold up to 500 people.
Neighboring churches donated food supplies. Volunteers are making hot meals, and they’re handing out shower supplies should anyone need them.
As it stands, the shelter is open from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m.
If there are widespread power outages in Kerrville, they’re prepared with cots to turn the gym into an overnight shelter.
“Which we’re willing to do, but we’re hoping that’s not necessary, that electricity stays on and everybody can stay warm at home,” Payne said.
If people can’t drive there, Payne and Thomas say to call the fire department or sheriff’s office, and they’ll get you there safely.
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