Wylie is preparing for a period of winter weather as a Winter Storm Warning is set to begin Friday evening, Jan. 23, and continue through Sunday afternoon, Jan. 25, according to city officials. An Extreme Cold Watch is also in effect from Saturday, Jan. 24, through Monday, Jan. 26.

City officials urged residents to prepare for below-freezing temperatures and the potential impacts of ice, snowfall, power outages and downed trees. Preparations are underway across multiple departments, with city staff and Wylie Independent School District representatives meeting Thursday to review response plans and possible scenarios.

Wylie Public Works has two sanding trucks ready to focus on major intersections to assist emergency responders. The Texas Department of Transportation has pre-treated major roadways, and city crews are prepared with chainsaws and water keys to respond to storm-related issues.

City Manager Brent Parker encouraged city employees to continue providing services to residents despite the challenges posed by winter weather.

Residents are advised to stay off roads during icy or hazardous conditions and to take steps to protect people, pets, plants and pipes. City officials recommend bringing pets indoors during extreme cold, turning off automatic sprinklers, protecting outdoor pipes with covers, dripping indoor faucets and opening cabinet doors to allow warm air to circulate. Residents are also encouraged to bring plants indoors or cover them with cloth fabric, fully charge electronic devices and medical equipment, and check on vulnerable or elderly neighbors and family members.

Power outages should be reported directly to utility providers. Anyone in distress is urged to call 9-1-1 immediately.

In advance of the anticipated weather, Mayor Matthew Porter signed a Declaration of Local Disaster on Friday, following a declaration issued earlier by the governor. The local declaration is a precautionary measure that allows the city to take necessary actions to protect the public and to seek reimbursement for qualifying expenditures if needed.

The winter weather may also affect city facilities. Smith Public Library is scheduled to be open regular hours on Friday but will be closed Saturday, Jan. 24, with all programming and scheduled events canceled. The Wylie Recreation Center and Community Park Center will also operate on regular hours Friday, but all classes, rentals and reservations are canceled for Saturday.

Residents are encouraged to stay informed by monitoring updates at WylieTexas.gov/Winter, following the city on Facebook and Instagram, and signing up for NIXLE alerts by texting 75098 to 888777. Non-emergency storm-related issues can be reported by calling 972-516-6054.

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From Staff Reports • [email protected]