City Urges Residents to Prepare for Freezing Conditions

CORPUS CHRISTI, TX – The National Weather Service forecasts a strong Arctic cold front will move into the Corpus Christi area Sunday, resulting in below-freezing temperatures Monday and Tuesday night with cold wind chill values across the region through Wednesday morning.

The City has measures to ensure proper and safe city services, such as public safety, roads, water and wastewater, homelessness, and animal care services. Residents are urged to take this time to protect people, property, and pets. 

AEP Texas/Electricity:

If you lose electricity to your home, please call AEP Texas at 1-866-223-8508 to report the outage.   

Call 1-877-373-4858 to report hazards or make general calls.

311 Call Center:

While most City offices will be closed Monday for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, the Corpus Christi Call Center will open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Monday due to the freeze and resume regular hours of 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. beginning Tuesday. Call 311 for City services or questions.

Police Department:

The Corpus Christi Police Department will provide transportation to warming centers or homeless shelters. Contact the police non-emergency number at 361-886-2600 to arrange transport.

Animal Care Services:

Pets must be brought indoors if the “feel like” temperature falls below 32° F per City ordinance.

Corpus Christi Animal Care Services will have Animal Care Officers on patrol and staff at the facility continuously, Friday through Wednesday, to respond to calls on pets without shelter.  

• Officers will educate owners about cold weather and proper care of their pets.
• If needed, ACS will take the appropriate action for pets under challenging circumstances where their well-being is jeopardized.
• During regular business hours, call the Customer Call Center at 311 to place a call for service for an officer to respond to a pet in need. After hours, call the police department’s non-emergency number at 361-886-2600.  

Parks & Recreation:

Preventive weatherization is being conducted on pipes and irrigation lines throughout the City’s parks system.

• The interactive Bayfront Park Fountain located at 1309 North Shoreline Boulevard will be closed temporarily beginning Sunday, January 14, to prepare for predicted extreme cold weather conditions.
• Park amenities like drinking fountains and the Cole Park and Dimmitt Pier fish washing stations will temporarily close beginning Sunday, January 14.
• The fountain and park amenities are scheduled to resume regular operations when freezing temperatures no longer exist.

 City Pools:

• Collier Pool will be closed Monday, January 15, and Tuesday, January 16, due to the extreme cold weather conditions. The pool will resume regular operation starting at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, January 17.
• The Corpus Christi Natatorium will offer lap swim on Monday, January 15, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and resume regular hours of operation, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., for the remainder of the week.  

Home Bound Meal Delivery

The Home Delivered Meal Program will be closed on Tuesday, January 16.  Today (Friday, January 12) seniors will receive shelf-stable meals for Monday and Tuesday (January 15 and 16). City staff will continue to conduct welfare checks during the closure period.

Solid Waste:  

• Garbage & Recycling: There will be No collection on Monday, January 15, 2023 
• The Alternate Collection Date for Monday customers will be before the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on Saturday, January 13, 2023 
• Brush & Bulky items: No collection Monday, January 15, 2023 
• J.C. Elliott Collection Center & Transfer Station: Closed Monday, January 15, 2023  
• Cefe Valenzuela Landfill: Open Monday, January 15, 2022, from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.  

Corpus Christi International Airport:

The Corpus Christi International Airport (CCIA) reminds travelers to monitor their flight status and prepare for possible delays. CCIA will post flight delays and cancellations on their website's flight information screen at www.flyccia.com. It is highly recommended to download the app for your respective airline to receive the most current and up-to-date flight status and to easily rebook a flight without coming to the airport.  

The City recommends these tips for protecting your property:

Fire Department:

The Corpus Christi Fire Department urges residents to be careful when heating their homes.

• Inspect all heating equipment before use.
• Make sure all space heaters are clean and dust-free.
• Choose UL-approved electric space heaters with automatic shut-off or tip-over safety features.
• Never run extension cords under rugs or carpets.
• If using extension cords, ensure they are the proper size and length.
• Follow the manufacturer's instructions on using alternate heating devices safely and take time to prepare and inspect the heating equipment before using it.
• Exercise extreme caution when using space heaters, kitchen stoves, firepits, or generators to warm homes.
• Never use charcoal grills or other fuel-burning devices indoors since they produce carbon monoxide and can cause structure fires.
• Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and replace batteries regularly.
• Keep a close eye on children and pets when using space heaters.
• Keep space heaters at least three feet away from furniture and other flammable items.
• Always turn heaters off when leaving home.

Corpus Christi Water:

CCW is taking necessary precautions to ensure water services are not impacted due to cold weather. With freezing conditions expected, Corpus Christi Water recommends the following tips to protect pipes, plants, and property.

Indoors:

• Wrap all exposed pipes outside or in unheated home areas, like your garage, with foam insulation, towels, or pool noodles.
• Remove the garden hose from outside faucets. Insulate outside faucets with a Styrofoam cover, rags, or paper.
• Open kitchen and bathroom cabinets to allow warmer air to circulate below the sinks.
• Dripping pipes is NOT recommended unless you cannot wrap your pipes sufficiently or have sufficient heat in your home to protect your plumbing system.
• If your home loses power, is not well-insulated, or heating becomes unavailable, allowing one internal faucet, the most significant distance from the main shut-off valve, to drip every few seconds during the coldest temperatures may protect your plumbing system.

Outdoors:

• Cover vents around the foundation of your home.
• Turn off irrigation systems. Water runoff from irrigation systems can travel onto the street and freeze, creating hazardous conditions for drivers.
• Insulate backflow devices.
• Cover and insulate all pool equipment and in-ground valve boxes.
• Know where the water cut-off valve is located and how to use it. Applying oil such as WD-40 to the cut-off valve before operating can prevent the valve from breaking.
• Mulch or cover outdoor plants with straw, blankets, or cardboard.
• To prevent heat loss from plant containers, push outdoor pots together and wrap the bases with a blanket.
• Don't worry if plant leaves wilt; they protect themselves against the cold by dehydrating themselves. Given time, most will perk back up.
• If you see damage from frost in your plants (black or purple flaccid leaves or stems), particularly on woody perennials, wait until the spring to prune so as not to shear off healthy tissue.
• Check for leaks twice a day. Walk around your home and listen for running water. If you find a leak, shut off the water until repairs can be made.

For additional information, click here: https://news.cctexas.com/file/rev?action=

Gas Service:

City gas customers who need assistance with lighting heater or furnace pilot lights can contact the City Call Center at 311.

Planning to be Away from Home:

• Turn the water off at the property owner's cut-off valve and insulate any exposed backflow prevention assemblies.
• Keep your home heated, even when traveling. Set the thermostat inside to a temperature warmer than 55ºF.
• Open kitchen and bathroom cabinets to allow warmer air to circulate below the sinks.
• Open doors to all rooms to ensure heat is moving throughout the entire house.
• Ask a friend or neighbor to check your house daily to ensure it's warm enough to prevent freezing.

Stay up to date; visit www.cctexas.com/weather for more information. You also can find updates on city social media channels, Facebook @citygov and X @cityofcc, or contact the Customer Call Center by dialing 311 or using the free mobile app.