Jellies in and around Texas: are you ok? Please check in.

All good here. Thanks….

My sister’s in Houston and so far she has power. No telling how long it will last. She texted that “The power generators have stopped generating power.” Not sure what that means.

My son, his wife, and their daughter are in northern Texas. They reported that the power has been going off and on all day. It is, of course, outrageously cold outside. My son is a fuel truck driver, and we’re all praying he doesn’t have to drive tomorrow.

Minus two degrees here in Memphis, Texas—still have power but its colder indoors that I can handle.

I know someone in the Austin area who reports having no power, and being cold…

BIL near San Antonio…4°F and 4” of snow. No heat, huddled under blankets sharing body warmth.

At least you’re all able to keep in contact with your folks—right? That’s still working, I hope.

@Yellowdog, you’re in Texas? I thought it was the other Memphis. Do you guys even have woollen mittens to put on? Or are most people just not prepared for temperatures like that?

Do remember not to use your gas stove for heat.

Actually, yes—I am in Tennessee.. But I lived in Memphis, Texas in 2007–2009 when working for The Clarendon Enterprise newspaper. The northern part of Texas, with whom I am still in pretty good contact, say they are not suffering the power outages further south in places like Houston, where over one million are without power.

But no one, even in Memphis, Texas—is equipped to handle the snow and ice—salt, snow plows, etc etc or cold temperatures that are actually several degrees below zero.

Frozen wind turbines, which supply about 23% of Texas’ power, are to blame for the power shortages. Although this weather is rare and would not normally be a problem—a gas- and oil rich state like Texas should not have this problem. We are not ready to shut down our gas / oil / coal infrastructure until viable alternatives can be found—and oil should always be available for back-up in times like these.

Frozen turbines and dark winter days with long periods of overcast skies do not make the current green energy sources sufficient by themselves, but they should be used whenever possible,

My friend in Houston said her house had no power for 36 hours. Temp went down to 48F. Power is intermittent now.

I actually know where Memphis, Texas is. I’ve driven through it numerous times as a child.

The pipes in my son’s apartment burst. It’s flooded. Everything is ruined.

Sorry to hear that Jake.

I’ve lived in both Memphis Texas and Memphis, Tennessee. Texas is actually colder right now, about five degrees so. Nights here in Tennessee, just before dawn, are about one degree and in Texas are minus two. Even Pensacola, Florida, where I have also lived, is in the 30s. People aren’t used to this at all.

Oh, Jake, how awful. I’m sorry. Do they have someplace to go?

Yes, they’re at my daughter-in-law’s sister’s house.