News Summary
Severe thunderstorms have impacted the Houston area, resulting in significant power outages affecting over 180,000 residents. Crews are actively working to restore power as forecasts warn of more severe weather on the way. With wind gusts up to 50 mph and heavy rainfall expected, local authorities are urging caution and providing safety guidelines to residents.
Houston Hit by Severe Thunderstorms, Leaving Over 180,000 Without Power
Severe thunderstorms struck the Houston area early Saturday morning, resulting in significant electrical service disruptions. By 9 a.m., reports indicated that more than 180,000 residents were without power due to the adverse weather conditions.
At the peak of the storms, approximately 169,000 customers of CenterPoint Energy experienced outages. Additionally, Entergy reported around 20,670 outages as of 5:30 a.m. local time, bringing the cumulative total to roughly 178,000 residents affected.
The storms moved through southeastern Texas between 3-6 a.m. on Saturday, producing hazardous conditions, with wind gusts recorded between 40-50 mph and rainfall reaching up to 1.5 inches. Local emergency management officials coordinated with utility companies and first responders to ensure public safety in the wake of these storms.
Restoration Efforts Underway
In response to the prevailing outages, crews from CenterPoint Energy began immediate restoration efforts as the storms swept through the region. By 7:30 a.m., over 30,000 customers had their power restored. However, an additional 150,000 customers still remain without power as assessments and restoration operations continue throughout the day.
Both CenterPoint and Entergy have activated their emergency response teams and have pre-positioned 1,300 workers across 12 service centers to expedite restoration efforts ahead of forecasted severe weather.
Ongoing Weather Threats
Forecasts indicate a second wave of strong storms expected Saturday night between sunset and midnight. As a result, safety protocols have been activated in the region in response to the ongoing severe weather, with tornado warnings issued for multiple counties including Harris, Montgomery, and Waller.
Residents are advised to stay away from drown power lines and report any such hazards to utility providers. Furthermore, emergency officials have cautioned about the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning when using generators indoors, advocating for households to keep emergency supplies on hand.
Flood watches are currently in effect for several counties, anticipating rainfalls of 2-4 inches in some areas, with isolated spots potentially receiving 4-6 inches. The rainfall rates during the strongest storms could exceed 2-3 inches per hour, increasing the risk for flash flooding.
Schools and businesses in the affected areas have begun to announce closures or delays due to these dangerous weather conditions.
Severity of Storms
A level 2 out of 5 severe weather risk has been issued for southeastern Texas, encompassing the Houston and New Orleans areas. Officials expect strong storms to continue throughout the weekend, with further scattered storms predicted on Saturday and additional severe weather anticipated overnight into Sunday.
As communities respond to these weather challenges, residents are urged to stay informed about the weather and heed advisories from local authorities and emergency management officials. Weather conditions remain fluid, and updates regarding power restoration efforts and safety protocols will continue to be issued as necessary.
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Additional Resources
- Fox26 Houston
- Wikipedia: Houston
- Click2Houston
- Google Search: Houston severe thunderstorms
- The Sun
- Google Scholar: Houston weather outages
- Rolling Out
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Texas weather storms
- KHOU
- Google News: Houston outages
Author: STAFF HERE HOUSTON TX WRITER
The HOUSTON STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HEREHouston.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Houston, Harris County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Art Car Parade, and Chevron Houston Marathon. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Greater Houston Partnership and Houston Area Urban League, plus leading businesses in energy and healthcare that power the local economy such as ExxonMobil, Schlumberger, and Houston Methodist. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREAustinTX.com, HERECollegeStation.com, HEREDallas.com, and HERESanAntonio.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Texas's dynamic landscape.
