Freeze Warning issued for most of Central Texas

A Freeze Warning has been issued for most of Central Texas from midnight until 9 AM on November 13, 2022.

The counties under the warning are Llano, Burnet, Williamson, Gillespie, Blanco, Hays, Travis, Bastrop, Lee, and Caldwell. 

The National Weather Service issued the warning saying clear skies, cold air, and light allows will allow for significant cooling across the area.

Lows are expected to range from the upper 20s to the low 30s.

NWS says frost and freeze conditions can kill sensitive crops and other vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing. 

Officials remind people to take steps to protect tender plants from the cold and cover them.

To prevent freezing and possible bursting of outdoor water pipes, the pipes should be wrapped, drained, or allowed to drip slowly. 

Those that have in-ground sprinkler systems should drain them and cover above-ground pipes to protect them from freezing.

Tips on heater safety

Experts say it's normal to smell a bit of burning dust at first, but if there's smoke, call 911.

Greg Yamin with A+ Air Conditioning and Home Solutions says gas furnaces should be checked for leaks. "Natural gas would leak, if it were to leak, would be leaking at fittings... or it would be leaking at a valve," he said.

If your home doesn't run on gas, you don't have to test it.

However, Yamin says, "if you do have an all-electric home, and you do have a heat pump, you are still getting your unit checked out for proper operations, so when it's cold, it still does heat your house."

"Check your filters first, make sure all your equipment's been serviced recently, and you've got good, clean filters in there," Torres said.

It's important to have both smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

Firefighters also say it's important to keep heating equipment away from anything that can burn.

Track your local forecast for the Austin area quickly with the free FOX 7 WAPP. The design gives you radar, hourly, and 7-day weather information just by scrolling. Our weather alerts will warn you early and help you stay safe during storms.