Texas: 2026-27 El Niño preparation
In an emergency, or if life is at risk, call 911. Follow evacuation orders and instructions from local officials and the National Weather Service. They override this checklist.
Download the printable checklist (PDF)
Top 10 actions
- Backup heating and generators create poisoning risks during Texas outages
- Outage workarounds can cause fatal carbon-monoxide exposure
- Floods can develop quickly; identify floodplain exposure, flood-prone roads and the fastest route to higher ground before an emergency
- Tornado warnings require immediate protective shelter; flood-prone locations may require escape to higher ground
- Pre-loss evidence helps claims after Houston-area flooding or DFW wind damage
- Flood evacuation can separate family members from identity documents
- Flood displacement makes proof of address and coverage harder to retrieve
- Evacuation can interrupt treatment and school or childcare arrangements
- Floodwater can destroy papers and a lost bag can remove the only copy
- Texas flash-flood closures can leave children and parents apart
Official live tools and local help
- Enable Wireless Emergency Alerts on compatible phones and keep them on
- For Harris County register for ReadyHarris alerts and save the Houston TranStar road-closure link listed on readyharris.org
- Austin area (Bastrop, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Fayette, Hays, Lee, Llano, Travis, Williamson counties): sign up for WarnCentralTexas alerts
- Prepare a battery-powered or hand-crank NOAA Weather Radio
- Charge compatible power banks and pack existing phone cables
- Save 2-1-1 Texas for food and housing and local assistance referrals
- Bookmark the Red Cross live shelter and disaster-services locator
- For Oncor territory save the outage-reporting line and account details
- For Austin Energy customers save the outage-reporting line
- Learn the difference between a Flood Watch (be prepared) and a Flood or Flash Flood Warning (take action now), and agree what each household member does for each
- Learn the difference between a Tornado Watch (be prepared) and a Tornado Warning (take shelter now), and agree where each household member goes for each
- Lee County: use Lee County Emergency Management's page for local emergency information
- Oncor customers: set up MyOncor alerts for outages
- Never touch a fallen power line or anyone touching one. Stay well away, call 911 if anyone is hurt or there is fire or sparking, then report the line to your electricity company
Water and food
- Flooding and storm outages can interrupt safe tap water
- Texas flooding can close roads and refrigeration may fail
- Canned food remains usable during storm power failures
- CDC: food that may have had contact with floodwater or storm water may be unsafe to eat, and unsafe food can make you sick even if it looks and smells normal
- Outages can spoil food without visible signs
Power, heat and light
- Winter storm outages leave stairs and evacuation routes dark
- Cold snaps and wet evacuation clothing increase exposure during outages
- Backup heating and generators create poisoning risks during Texas outages
- Outage workarounds can cause fatal carbon-monoxide exposure
- Cold snaps can expose faulty heating or blocked ventilation
- CPSC: know the symptoms (headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, sleepiness, confusion); if you suspect CO poisoning get outside to fresh air, then call 911
- City of Austin: fuel-burning heat sources make deadly carbon monoxide and heaters can start fires
Flood and storm protection
- Floods can develop quickly; identify floodplain exposure, flood-prone roads and the fastest route to higher ground before an emergency
- NWS: use sandbags 'if you have sufficient time' and 'filling sandbags can take more time than you may think'; Texas DSHS: when flood threat is high, evacuate early
- An existing drainage system can fail during repeated rain or outages
- Heavy rainfall can back sewage into affected drains
- Tornado warnings require immediate protective shelter; flood-prone locations may require escape to higher ground
- NWS: over half of flood drownings happen when a vehicle is driven into flood water; 6 in of fast water can knock over an adult, 12 in can carry away most cars, 2 ft can carry away SUVs and trucks
- FEMA provides official flood maps through its Flood Map Service Center; Texas Department of Insurance warns that floods can happen outside floodplains
- Ready.gov: a full tank helps in an evacuation or power outage; six inches of water can cause a vehicle to lose control or possibly stall
- H-GAC: knowing your evacuation zone helps ensure a safe and timely evacuation. Other Texas counties publish their own zones, so ask your county emergency management office
Home preparation
- Repeated winter rain and storm winds can worsen existing roof leaks
- Loose gutters can worsen Texas storm damage
- Dead limbs and loose furniture become hazards in severe thunderstorms
- Pre-loss evidence helps claims after Houston-area flooding or DFW wind damage
- Flood and storm damage can cause utility leaks and electrical hazards
- Flood-damaged wiring and live power lines can cause fatal electric shocks
- TDI: a frozen pipe can burst and flood the home when it thaws
- Ready.gov basic kit list; you may have minutes to leave
Documents
- Flood evacuation can separate family members from identity documents
- Flood displacement makes proof of address and coverage harder to retrieve
- Evacuation can interrupt treatment and school or childcare arrangements
- Floodwater can destroy papers and a lost bag can remove the only copy
Children
- CDC: unsafe tap water after flooding or no refrigeration makes formula preparation risky; if bottled water is unavailable, follow the CDC page to make water safe
- Storm evacuation or road closures can interrupt infant care
- Flood evacuation and cold-weather shelter stays disrupt routines
- Texas flash-flood closures can leave children and parents apart
- Flood or tornado experiences can cause lasting child distress; CDC lists the SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline 1-800-985-5990 (call or text) for immediate support
Older, disabled and medical needs
- Medical or mobility needs complicate flood evacuation; registration does not guarantee assistance
- Storm outages threaten device users; designation does not guarantee uninterrupted power
- Oxygen equipment and other powered devices may be unusable during outages
- Texas flooding can block pharmacies and power failures interrupt refrigeration
- Older or disabled relatives may need help when flooded roads disrupt care
- Ready.gov: winter storms put older adults, children, sick people and pets at greater risk
Pets
- Flood evacuation and tornado shelter moves can lead to escaped pets
- Storm displacement interrupts supplies and household water is allocated to people
- Records support boarding and reunification after Texas flood evacuation
- Household pets may be housed separately from people at disaster shelters
- City of Austin winter guidance
Alerts and communication
- Flash-flood and tornado warnings may arrive while the household sleeps
- Local evacuation and flood instructions supplement NWS warnings
- Travis-area flash floods need local instructions as well as weather alerts
- Storm power or cell network failure can cut phone warnings
- Long storm outages can exhaust phones needed for alerts and family contact
- NWS: a Flood Watch means conditions are favorable for flooding, which is possible but not certain; a Flood Warning means flooding is imminent or occurring; a Flash Flood Warning means move immediately to high ground if you are in a flood-prone area
- NWS: a Tornado Watch means tornadoes are possible in and near the area, so review plans and check your safe room; a Tornado Warning means a tornado has been sighted or indicated by radar, so move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building and avoid windows; from a mobile home, vehicle or outdoors, move to the closest substantial shelter
- MyOncor alerts: text REG to 66267 to register; text OUT to 66267 to report an outage (Oncor page)
Money and insurance
- Homeowners/renters cover generally excludes flood. FloodSmart: cover starts 30 days after purchase (exceptions e.g. new, increased, extended or renewed mortgage). If NFIP authority lapses, FEMA would stop selling and renewing policies (existing policies and valid claims continue). A policy bought now starts about 30 days later, so do not wait.Key date: NFIP authority runs to Dec 11, 2026. If it lapses, FEMA stops selling and renewing policies but can still pay valid claims. source
- Coverage and deductibles vary by policy; standard homeowners policies do not cover flood damage
- Flooding or storm outages can disrupt card payments and ATM access
- Flood and wind claims need timely evidence and policy-specific handling
Local help
- Flood displacement or cold-weather outages can leave households needing support
- Flood evacuation or winter outages may make home unsafe
- DFW-area storm outages need the electricity delivery utility
- Central Texas winter storms and flood damage can interrupt electricity
- Lee County Emergency Management provides local emergency contacts and links to WarnCentralTexas, flooded-road closures, state highway conditions and STEAR
- CDC: never touch a fallen power line; report it to the power company