Summary (tl;dr)

A severe winter storm, Winter Storm Fern, is causing widespread power outages across Texas, leaving tens of thousands of homes and businesses without electricity amid dangerously cold temperatures.

Essential Background

Texas has a history of vulnerability to severe winter weather events, notably the catastrophic Winter Storm Uri in 2021, which led to widespread power grid failures and numerous fatalities. This previous event highlighted the need for improved infrastructure and preparedness for extreme cold. As the current severe winter weather approached, Texas officials issued a disaster declaration for over 130 counties, emphasizing preparations to avoid a repeat of past crises.

The Full Story

Beginning Friday evening, January 23, 2026, and intensifying through Saturday, January 24, an arctic blast named Winter Storm Fern brought dangerously cold temperatures, snow, sleet, and freezing rain to large parts of Texas, particularly impacting North and Central Texas. This severe weather has triggered significant power outages, with utility company Oncor reporting more than 14,000 customers without electricity across its service area, including nearly 3,000 in Dallas, Collin, Denton, and Tarrant Counties alone as of Saturday. More broadly, over 74,000 homes and businesses statewide were without power as of January 25, with Bexar County having the highest number of affected customers. Residents are actively searching for "power outage map" and "power outages near me" as they grapple with the cold and seek information on restoration efforts, which utility crews are working "around the clock" to address.

Why It Matters

The widespread power outages during sub-freezing temperatures pose significant risks to public safety, including hypothermia and carbon monoxide poisoning from improper heating methods. The inability to heat homes and access essential services disrupts daily life and can lead to property damage from frozen pipes. The situation also raises concerns about the resilience of Texas's power grid, especially given the state's past experiences with winter storms. Continued outages can lead to significant economic disruption and highlight the critical importance of robust infrastructure and emergency preparedness for climate-related events.

Geographic Location

• North Texas, Texas, United States (widespread power outages due to winter storm)
• West Texas, Texas, United States (widespread power outages due to winter storm)
• Dallas-Fort Worth metro, Dallas County, Texas, United States (over 11,000 residents without power)
• Tarrant County, Texas, United States (nearly 4,500 Oncor customers without power)
• Collin County, Texas, United States (electricity interruptions for Oncor customers)
• Denton County, Texas, United States (electricity interruptions for Oncor customers)
• Bexar County, Texas, United States (most outages statewide with 17,986 customers without power)
• Jacksonville, Cherokee County, Texas, United States (high impact area for ice and power outages)
• Rusk, Cherokee County, Texas, United States (high impact area for ice and power outages)
• Paris, Lamar County, Texas, United States (high impact area for ice and power outages)