Winter storm causes power outages, alters city services in Dallas-Fort Worth

Kaley Johnson
·2 min read

Winter storm Uri caused power outages, created dangerous road conditions and altered city services on Sunday in Fort Worth.

Two to three inches of snow had fallen on the city as of 8 p.m. Sunday, according to a city of Fort Worth press release. Another two inches was possible overnight.

As of Sunday night, at least 3,501 people in the Fort Worth area, 9,062 people in Arlington and 1,690 people in Dallas were without power, according to the Oncor outage map. Across the Dallas-Fort Worth region, an estimated 17,637 people were without power.

If you lose power, the National Weather Service advises people to close blinds and curtains to contain the heat. Place towels, blankets or rags underneath doors to keep hot air from escaping though gaps, and try to eat and drink regularly. Closing all doors to extra rooms can also help avoid wasting heat.

Those who do not need to travel should stay off the roads, which continue to be sanded by city staff. The city had sanded 373 locations as of Sunday night to help with road conditions. Nine car crashes were reported throughout the day Sunday.

A Fort Worth Police Department patrol vehicle makes its way down Magnolia Avenue on Sunday evening, February 14, 2021. Winter Storm Uri brought significant snow to North Texas which is expected to continue into Monday.
A Fort Worth Police Department patrol vehicle makes its way down Magnolia Avenue on Sunday evening, February 14, 2021. Winter Storm Uri brought significant snow to North Texas which is expected to continue into Monday.

DART suspended its light rail services from Sunday night through Wednesday because of severe weather, the transit agency said Sunday. Trinity Metro modified its services as well — bus routes and ACCESS paratransit service will have a delayed start Monday and begin at 10 a.m., Trinity Metro announced Sunday evening. TEXRail will operate on a modified schedule with 60-minute frequency, and Trinity Railway Express will operate on a Saturday schedule on Monday.

The frigid temperatures could cause water mains to freeze and potentially burst. If a water main is broken, residents can report the location by calling 817-392-4477 so it can be repaired as soon as possible. Keeping extra water on hand is recommended in case of a frozen or broken plumbing line.

The city will not collect trash or recycling on Monday due to the weather. Drop-off stations will also be closed.

Public preparedness messaging has been distributed via Code Red (FortWorthTexasAlerts.gov) and social media. An updated list of all closures and service impacts can be found at https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/closures.

City officials asked residents to conserve energy during Winter Storm Uri to reduce the chance of overwhelming the electric grid.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) advised Texans to limit power usage, especially Sunday night. Some tips to limit power include:

  • Set home thermostats no higher than 68 degrees.

  • Close all blinds and curtains.

  • Unplug all unused items.

  • Limit use of large appliances (washing machines, dishwashers, etc.) during peak hours (morning and evening).