Kerr County leaders preparing for upcoming arctic front establishing a central ‘warming center’ for residents seeking safe place

Kerr County, Texas, and City of Kerrville Emergency Management Leaders are working with First United Methodist Church in Kerrville to offer a central location for those who need warmth during the upcoming arctic cold front. The church, located at 321 Thompson Drive, will open its gymnasium to anyone seeking warmth from 8 a.m. until dark on Thursday and Friday, February 3 – 4.

The warming center is prepared to receive up to 500 people, and individuals are asked to bring their own clothes, food, medicines, etc… because supplies are limited. County officials also announced that the public restrooms at Carver Park and Singing Winds Park will be closed during the storm and won’t reopen until next week. All water features will be turned off during the next few days at Louise Hays Park, the dog park and outdoor water fountains located along the Kerrville River Trail.

The Ingram Independent School District announced Wednesday that the district will be providing two warming centers at the elementary school cafeteria and the high school gymnasium, which will be open beginning at midnight on Wednesday. The centers are open to anyone in the community who needs shelter during the winter storm.

According to Kerr County Emergency Management Coordinator Dub Thomas there is a potential for temperatures to remain below the freezing point for 48 hours between Thursday and Friday, but the storm is not expected to have the same impact as Winter Storm Uri in 2021. The storm is expected to cast temperatures in the single digits on Thursday morning and closer to zero on Friday morning, with the potential of producing wintry precipitation on Thursday.

According to a spokesperson from the Texas Department of Transportation, TxDot has been pre-treating roads and will be working alternate shifts 24/7 throughout the storm. Individuals are encouraged not to go out if they don’t have to.

All weather updates will be posted on the Kerr County Facebook page: www.facebook.com/kerrcountytexas.