Much of the Oncor service territory is currently under winter weather warnings or advisories in anticipation of deteriorating weather conditions. Forecasters expect the storm to bring freezing rain, sleet, snow and strong winds across our service territory Tuesday afternoon thru Thursday morning.

Oncor is monitoring the weather forecasts and has personnel on stand-by to respond. Additional personnel will be deployed to areas where there is a potential for icing and additional weather impacts.

“This is a complicated forecast where the largest impacts will be in the Wichita Falls area, the Midland/Odessa area, and Red River Counties,” said Oncor Meteorologist Jennifer Myers. “As for the Metroplex, at this point the timing of the changeover from rain to freezing rain to snow and sleet will be something we watch closely.”

Now is the time to prepare your family for severe weather. First, write down any important numbers that you might need and ways you can report your outage.

You can report an outage to Oncor by downloading the MyOncor app, calling 888.313.4747, visiting Oncor’s mobile-friendly outage map at Oncor.com or by texting “OUT” to 66267. You can streamline the My Oncor Alerts text program registration process by registering prior to a storm. To register, text “REG” to 66267.

You can also create a storm safety kit. You can pick up all of these items at a local retail or hardware store. Here are the essential items to include:

1. Battery-operated or crank radio. Having a radio on hand will keep you informed of severe weather in the area. You might also consider newer models that feature a USB port to charge your electronics.

2. Flashlight. A flashlight reduces the fire hazard from candles. They also last longer and can provide you with a more efficient light source. Crank flashlights are a battery-free option.

3. Extra batteries. If your flashlight or radio uses batteries, make sure you have extra just in case. Additionally, you may want to buy an external battery source for your cell phone.

4. Bottled water. In the event of extended outages, have enough bottled water on hand for you and your family to stay hydrated.

5. First aid kit. Hopefully, you won’t have to use it, but make sure it’s with your storm safety kit, just in case.

Keep your storm safety kit in a centralized area of the home and make sure your family knows where it’s located.

Talk to your family about severe weather and create a family emergency plan. Make sure you talk to your children about important safety precautions, like staying away from downed power lines. They may look harmless, but they could be energized and should not be touched with your body or with any object.