UPDATES:
At 4:30 p.m., Kempner Water Supply Corp. announced their offices will be closed Tuesday due to inclement weather. The on-call phone will be answered for customers who need emergency assistance.
KWSC officials reminded customers to "take proper care of your pipes and meters to avoid potential freezing damage."
At 2 p.m., Lometa ISD confirmed that school would be closed on Tuesday, Jan. 31.
At 3 p.m., Lampasas ISD officials confirmed that all school campuses and district offices will be closed Tuesday due to inclement weather. All LISD school activities scheduled for Tuesday have been cancelled.
"Unless otherwise noted, LISD will resume a regular schedule on Wednesday, Feb. 1," officials said.
At 12:22 p.m. Monday, Lampasas City officials reported that restrooms would be closed due to freezing weather conditions.
"Due to the freezing weather, all public restrooms in our City Parks will be closed from [Monday] through [Wednesday]. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause," officials said.
At 4:36 p.m., city officials announced that Waste Connections would not be running residential or commercial routes for trash pickup on Tuesday.
Those with questions should contact the city offices at 512-556-6831.
Lampasas is under a winter storm warning until Wednesday morning, regional meteorologists said.
The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning and a hazardous weather outlook for Lampasas, Coryell, Bell and surrounding counties effective from 6 a.m. this morning until 6 a.m. Wednesday.
Meteorologists predict “mixed precipitation, primarily in the form of icy rain and/or sleet,” the warning read. “Total ice or sleet accumulations between one tenth and one half of an inch are possible.”
NWS Dallas/Ft Worth officials anticipate that travel could be affected as early as Monday afternoon and could continue through Tuesday night. Elevated surfaces such as bridges and overpasses will likely be the first to become icy, slick, and hazardous as temperatures hover around or below freezing, officials said.
NWS officials urged motorists to exercise caution.
“If you must travel, slow down and use extreme caution particularly when approaching bridges and overpasses. Keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency,” the warning read.
This winter storm warning occurs almost exactly a year from a winter storm that swept across Lampasas County on Feb. 1, 2022. That storm caused closures of area schools and municipal offices, including Lampasas ISD and Kempner City Hall on Feb. 3.
Two years prior, from Feb. 9 to Feb. 19 in 2021, Winter Storm Uri plunged the state into subfreezing temperatures for a ten-day period.
Wintry forecast
Meteorologists predict a 30 percent chance of rain or sleet on Monday with a high of 30 degrees Fahrenheit. Wind speeds of 15 miles per hour and gusts of up to 20 mph are possible. Tuesday, chances of freezing rain and sleet will increase to 80 percent, with a high of 33 degrees. Wind speeds are expected to remain at 10 to 15 mph, with 20 mph gusts possible. Wednesday is predicted to have a high of 35 degrees with a 90 percent chance of freezing rain, which is anticipated to become rain showers after noon.