>>>
>>> GOOD
>>> GOOD MORNING AND THANKS FOR WAKING UP WITH US.
WE ARE FOLLOWING BREAKING NEWS
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
IN TEXAS ARE WITHOUT POWER
RIG+@HT NOW.
RIG+@HT NOW. AS THE STATE IMPLEMENTS ROLLING
OUTAGES TO RELIEF STRESS ON THE
POWER GRID.
POWER GRID. I EXPERIENCED AT LEAST ONE AND
GREG,+@ MY HUSBAND TOLD ME ABOU
+@
+@ THE
+@ THE SECOND ONE.
WE WILL TALK+@ ABOUT THAT IN A
MINUTE.
MINUTE.
MINUTE. THIS IS HAPPENING BECAUSE THE
DANGEROUSLY LOW TEMPERATURES.
THAT'S DIFFICULT FOR SOMEONE
WHEN YOUR POWER HAS BEEN OUT.
>>> THE POWER WITH TH+@E
TEMPERATURES IN THE SINGLE
DIGITS+@, WELL BELO+@W ZERO WIT
THE WIND CHILLS AND TRAVEL
CONDITIONS WILL BE HAZARDOUS.
SNOW IS ENDING.
WE WILL SEA YOU RADAR IN A
+@
WE WILL SEA YOU RADAR IN A LITTLE BIT.
LITTLE BIT. IT HAS BEEN HEAVY TO THE EAST
AND IS MOVING.
SO THE ROAD CONDITIONS, +@SNOW
COVERED WITH THE BLOWING AND
DRIFTING SNOW, AND WE +@WILL HA
THE LA+@YER OF ICE UNDER THE SN
COVER AS WELL.
+@
COVER AS WELL. SO KEEP THAT IN M+@IND.
SO WHAT TO DO IN THE
SITUATIONS, AVOID TRAVEL P.M.
IF POSSIBLE, TAKE IT SLOW+@, AN
USE EXTREME CAUTION.
MORE ON THE ROAD CONDITIONS.
LET'S GO OVER TO TASHARA.
>>> THANK YOU.
LET ME TELL YOU.
IF YOU DON'T HAV+@E TO BE OUT,
REALLY CAN'T STRESS IT +@ENOUGH
THIS IS THE SITUATION OUT OFF
35E AT LOOP 1+@2.
I TALKED TO TXDOT.
WE CAME ON THE AIR.
75% OF THEIR CAMERAS ARE DOWN
ACROSS THE DALLAS ME+@TROPLEX.
THE LIGH+@TS WITHIN THE OUT.
I WATCHED THE LIGHTS GO OUT AND
I SAW FOLKS TAPPING THE BRAKES
MORE SO TRYING TO TRAVEL ON+@ T
TREACHEROUS ROLLED CONDITIONS
+@
+@ AS
+@ AS WE
+@ AS WE HAVE BEEN CALLING IT.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO OUT,
DON'T GET OUT.
LOOK AT HOW DARK IT IS+@ ON 35.
THIS IS AT LOOP 12 SOUTH.
THIS IS IN DALLAS.
TAKE IT EASY IF YOU HAVE TO
HEAD INTO WORK THIS MORNING.
MARK, OUT TO YOU.
>>> THANK YOU.
I WANT TO GET BACK+@ TO THE
+@
+@ BREAKING NEWS.
BREAKING NEWS. WE TALKED ABOUT AT THE TOP OF
THE NEWSCAST.
THE NEWSCAST. THE STATE'S POWER GRID OPERATOR
HAS DECLARED THE HIGHEST LEVEL
OF EMERGENCY.
OF EMERGENCY. AND THEY ARE +@TURNING OFF
ELECTRICITY TO HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF HOMES ACROSS THE
STATE.
STATE.
STATE. WE
STATE. WE HAVE HEARD FROM MANY OF YOU
ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT HAVE
EXPERIENCEED +@THAT.
EXPERIENCEED +@THAT. I KNO+@W KARA MENTIONED THAT.
AND CLEO GREEN E JOINS US
BECAUSE THE STATE WANTS US TO
CONSERVE ENERGY, TOO.
TO I+@S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PE+@O
ARE TRYING TO STAY WARM.
>> Reporter: IT'S SO COLD.
PEOPLE ARE WAVING WITH UP POWER
AND THEIR HOMES ARE EXTREMELY
COLD RIGHT NOW.
THIS MORNING, ENCORE REPORTING
MORE THAN 836,000 +@CUSTOMERS D
NOT HAVE POWER RIGHT NOW.
AND THIS IS BECAUSE OF THE
ROTATING POWER OUTAGES.
SO ERCOT, WE HAVE BEEN TALKING
ABOUT THIS.
ABOUT THIS. ERCOT +@SAYS THEY NEED TO
CONSERVATIVE REALLY THE
ELECTRIC GRID.
ELECTRIC GRID. THEY CONTROL THE ELECTRIC GRID
IN TEXAS.
IN TEXAS.
IN TEXAS. SO THEY CONTACT THE ONCOR AND
SAID THEY NEED TO START W+@ITH
THE POWER OUTAGES.
BUT A LOT +@OF PEOPLE ARE SAYIN
MY POWER HAS BEEN OUT SINCE
ABOUT 1:30 THIS MORNING.
THE THERMOSTAT SAYS 50 DEGREES
RIGHT NOW.
RIGHT NOW. IT IS VERY COLD RIGHT NOW IN
THEIR HOMES.
THEIR HOMES. AND ERCOT SAYS IT COULD LAST
THROUGHOUT THE SEVERE WINTER
EVENT.
EVENT.
EVENT. THAT NUMBER 8 36,000 CUSTOMERS
WITHOUT POWER THIS MORNING.
+@
+@ AND
+@ AND THIS IS ACROSS NORTH TEXAS.
DALLAS, MCKINNEY, GARLAND,
CEDAR HILL, OAK CLIFF,
ARLINGTON, FORT WORTH.
IT IS ACROSS NORTH TEXAS RIGHT
NOW.+@
NOW.+@
NOW.+@ AND+@ THIS COULD LAST THROUGHOU
+@THE NEXT NOW DAYS HERE.
THE ROTATING POWER OUTAGES TO
TRY TO CONSERVE POWER.
SOME PEOPLE ARE WAKING UP
WITHOUT POWER THIS MORNING, AND
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SAY+@ING I
LOOKING OUT MY WINDOW AND
SEEING A COMPLETELY PITCH-BLACK
STREET.
STREET.
STREET. AND TASHARA SHOWING US THE
HIGHWAY AS WELL.
>> Reporter: YEAH, GOOD
MORNING, CLEO.
MORNING, CLEO. I HEARD A VIEWER WHO SAID THEY
LOST THEIR POWER AND THEIR
FATHER IS ON OXYGEN AND TRYING
TO FIGURE OUT WHO TO A CALL.
WE GAVE THEM THE NUMBER AND I
INSTRUCTED HER TO REACH OUT TO
A FIRE DEPARTMENT.
LET'S LOOK AT WHAT IT LOOKS
+@ LIKE THIS MORNING.
THE PHOTOGRAPHER SHOT THIS
VIDEO ON HIS WAY INTO WORK.
YOU CAN SEE PARTS OF DOWNTOWN,
ALL OF THAT POWER IS OUT.
NO LIGHTS IT IS KIND OF A OR AY
SIGHT.
SIGHT.
SIGHT. BECAUSE OF THIS SHALL IT'S
IMPORTANT WE CONSERVE ENERGY.
HOPEFULLY WE GET THROUGH THIS
AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
THIS IS WHAT EXPERTS SAY HOW TO
DO THAT.
DO THAT.
DO THAT. TURN YOUR TERM STAT TO 68 BUT
KEEP IT ABOVE 55.
KEEP BLIND CLOSED AND PUT
TOWELS DOWN BY THE DOOR SO COLD
DOESN'T COME THROUGH THERE.
TRY TO AVOID LARGE APPLIANCES
LIKE A WASHER OR DRIER DURING
PEAK DEMAND TIMES IN THE
MORNING AND EVENING.
AND THESE TEMPERATURES ARE BONE
CHILLING.
CHILLING.
CHILLING. HERE ARE WAYS TO STAY WARM
SAFELY.
SAFELY.
SAFELY. IF YOU HAVE SPACE HEATER, DO
NOT LEAVE IT ON WHILE SLEEPING.
NEVER USE AN OVEN OR TOB TOP TO
HEAT THE HOMES.
AND IF YOU USE A FIREPLACE,
MAKE SURE IT IS CLEANED, AND
YOUR +@SMOCK AL+@ARM IS WORKING
SAME WITH A CARBON MONOXIDE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE
EX+@PERIENCING THIS.
EX+@PERIENCING THIS. +@IF +@YOU ARE, LET+@ US KNOW.
USE THE HASHTAG I AM UP.
YOU HAVE QUESTIONS FOR
OFFICIALS, LET US KNOW.
CHRIS, I KNOW IT'S NOT JUST
IMPACTING PEOPLE AT HOME BUT
THE DRIVE. +@
WHAT ARE YOU SEEIN+@G?
>> Reporter: YEAH, A LITTLE
MORE THAN AN HOUR AGO, WE
DRIVING INTO DEEP ELLUM AND AS
WE HIT THE AREA, THE LIGHTS
WENT OUT.
WENT OUT.
WENT OUT. THAT WAS MORE THAN AN HOUR AGO.
YOU CAN SEE THEY ARE S+@TILL OU
RIGHT NOW.
RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE KIND OF BEEN DRIVING
AROUND THE AREA, SOME STREETS
IMMEDIATE+@LY TO THE NORTH AND
SOUTH WHERE WE ARE STILL HAVE
POWER.
POWER.
POWER. BUT RIGHT NOW SHALL NOW SHALL
AS WE HAVE BEEN DRIVING
THROUGH, YOU CAN SEE THE FRESH
SNOW BUT NO LIGHTS.
WE HAVE S+@EEN A FEW DRIVERS OU
AND ABOUT.
AND ABOUT. NOT MANY.
NOT MANY.
NOT MANY. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU
ARE BEING CAREFUL OUT ON THE
+@ ROADS.
ROADS.
ROADS. EARLIER TODAY, WE WERE DRIVING
THROUGH PLANO, AND A SIMILAR
SITUATION.
SITUATION. WE SAW THE LIGHTS WERE OUT AND
THEY POP+@PED BACK ON.
WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THE OUTAGES
WOULD LAST 15 TO 45 MINUTES,
BUT WE ARE GOING ON MORE THAN
AN HOUR HERE IN DEEP ELLUM.
NOW, WE DID S+@EE ONE DRIVER TH
MORNING, HE WAS OUT AND ABOUT.
IT LOOKED LIKE HE WAS STRANDED.
IF YOU HAVE TO GET ON THE
ROADS, MAKE SURE THE VEHICLE
MAINTENANCE IS UP-TO-DATE, YOUR
LEVELS, YOUR ANTIFREEZE AND
WIPER FLUID IS ALL TOPPED OFF.
ALSO, PLAN IN CASE YOU HAVE A
BREAKDOWN WITH FOOD, WATER, AND
A BLANKET TO KEEP WARM.
THE UNFORTUNATE THING HAPPENS
TO YOU.
TO YOU.
TO YOU. BUT HOPEFULLY
BUT HOPEFULLY HOPEFULLY, YOU DON'T RUN INTO
ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
WE HAVE BEEN TAKING IT SLOW
HERE.
HERE.
HERE. STILL, THE LIGHTS ARE OUT.
OFF IN THE DISTANCE, DOWNTOWN
LIGHTS ARE ON.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE
WILL BE MONITORING THROUGHOUT
THE MORNING.
THE MORNING. IT IS SOMETHING THEY SAID WILL
LAST ERCOT SAID IT WOULD LAST
THROUGHOUT THE MORNING AND EVEN
LONGER AS THIS WINTER STORM
PLAGUES THE AREA.
SOMETHING WE ARE NOT USED TO
KARA.
KARA.
KARA. >>
KARA. >> THANKS FOR PERSPECTIVE.
APPRECIATE IT.
APPRECIATE IT. >>> I DROVE 15 MILES AN HOUR
INTO WORK.
INTO WORK. FOR THE VERY LATEST ON THE
OUTAGES AND TO CHECK THE ONCOR
MAP CHECK TO WFAA.
COM OR DOWNLOAD THE NEWS APP
AND UPLOAD +@PIX SO WE CAN SEE
WHAT IS HAPPENING IN YOUR AREA.
>>> LET'S GET OVER TO GREG
TALKING ABOUT THE COLD
TEMPERATURES.
TEMPERATURES. THAT'S WHAT WE ARE LEFT TO DEAL
WITH.
WITH.
WITH. >>
WITH. >> THE SNOW IS TAPERING OFF.
EAT WE WILL GET BACK TO THAT IN
SECOND.
SECOND.
SECOND. 6
SECOND. 6 IN DENTON.
MEANOUS 13 ISMINUS 13 IS+@ WHAT
IT FEELS LIKE.
6 TO MCKINNEY ALONG WITH
GREENVILLE HERE EARLY ON.
SO YES, IT IS COLD.
WHEN YOU FACTOR IN THE WINDS,
MINUS 13 IN DENTON, MINUS 15 IN
FORT WORTH WITH AND MINUS 16 UP
TOWARDS SHERMAN AND
GAINESVILLE.
GAINESVILLE. SO WE DO HAVE THAT WIND CHILL
WARNING IN EF+@FECT, SOMETHING
THAT WE HAVE NEVER HAD ISSUED
ACROSS NORTH TEXAS.
THAT JUST TELLS YOU HOW COLD IT
IS.
IS.
IS. AND
IS. AND IF THE POWER STAYS ON, KEEL
TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT.
WE WILL KEEP THE WIND CHILLS
BELOW ZERO FOR THE REST OF
TODAY.
TODAY.
TODAY. IT
TODAY. IT WILL REMAIN COLD. +@
THE SNOW IS TAPERING OFF+@ AS W
LOOK.
LOOK.
LOOK. IT+@ IS CLEARED THE METROPLEX.
SO IT WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON
TO THE EAST AS WE GO THROUGH
THE REST OF THE DAY.
EAST TEXAS, WE WILL HAVE
BLOWI+@NG+@ AND DRIFTING SNOW A
+@
BLOWI+@NG+@ AND DRIFTING SNOW A HEAVIER +@SNOW BANDS, BUT IT HA
TAPERED OFF.
TAPERED OFF. SO WE WILL HAVE MOSTLY CLOUDY
SKIES, BUT THE COLD
TEMPERATURES ARE NOT GETTING
OUT OF THE MIDDLE TEENS +@FOR T
HIGHS A LITTLE BIT LATER ON
TODAY.
TODAY.
TODAY. SO
TODAY. SO WE WILL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT
FOR YOU COMING UP, AND WE WILL
LET YOU KNOW WHEN THE NEXT
WINTRY WEATHER SYSTEM WILL MOVE
IN.
IN.
IN. THAT'S IN THE MIDWEEK TIME
FRAME.
FRAME.
FRAME. NOW LET'S GE+@T BACK TO TASHARA
CHECKING ON ROADS.
+@
CHECKING ON ROADS. >>> THE ROADS ARE NOT GOOD THIS
MORNING.
MORNING.
MORNING. YOU GUYS KNEW THIS WAS COMING.
OVER IN FORT WORTH, THE GOOD
NEWS IS I HAVEN'T SEEN A LOT OF
FOLKS ON THE ROADWAYS.
COMPLETELY CLEAR BY WAY OF
ACCIDENTS OVER IN FORT WORTH,
MID CITIES, GRAND PRAIRIE AND
ARLINGTON.
ARLINGTON. NO PROBLEMS OTHER THAN THE
SNOW.
SNOW.
SNOW. I
SNOW. I S+@EE ONE SMALL TRIANGLE THAT
POPPED UP IN DALLAS.
I WILL TRY TO CHECK ON THAT IN
A BIT.
A BIT.
A BIT. ONE OF THE THINGS LEARNED FROM
TXDOT IS 7+@5% OF THE CAMERAS
THAT WE USE TO TRACK THE
INCIDENTS THOSE CAMERAS ARE
DOWN.
DOWN.
DOWN. +@
DOWN. AND
DOWN. AND IT IS DUE TO THE ROTATING
OUTAGES THAT WE HAVE LEARNED
ABOUT FROM ERCO TO T. I HAD
THIS CAMERA UP AND IT'S ONE OF
THE FEW THAT'S WORKING IN
DALLAS AREA.
DALLAS AREA. I STARTED TO SEE FOLKS TAPPING
THEIR BRAKES CONSISTENTLY AND
TAPPING THE BRAKES BECAUSE THEY
ARE GOING WELL BELOW THE SPEED
LIMB BESPEED LIMIT WITH+@ THE
CONDITIONS ON THE ROADWAYS.
IF YOU CAN STAY AT HOME, IF YOU
ARE NOT AN ESSENTIAL WORKER,
STAY OFF THE+@ ROADWAY.
NOT SURE HOW LONG THE ROTATING
OUTAGES WILL LAST.
BUT 25% OF THOSE CAMERAS ARE
ACTIVE RIGHT NOW.
KARA, OVER TO TO YOU.
>> MAKING THE SITUATION TH+@AT
MUCH MORE CONCERNING.
THANKS. +@
THANKS. +@ >>> WE HAVE OUR SNOW ADDITION
OF REASONS TO SMILE.
SO WE ARE GIVING YOU THE BEST
PARTS, LIKE THIS ONE HERE.
THE WINTER WEATHER ACROSS
TEXAS.
TEXAS.
TEXAS. SPEAKING OF REASONS TO SMILE,
HOPEFULLY THE SNOW IS GIVING
YOU PLENTY OF THOSE.
FOR THE MOST PART, YOU CAN STAY
AT +@HOME, END US SEND US PIX
AND VIDEOS.