February 1, 2023

WEDNESDAY 9 AM UPDATE: A sleet and freezing rain mix have made it to Tarrant and Denton Counties. In fact, A Winter Storm Warning is in effect for most of North Texas until 9 am Thursday.

Sleet will transition into freezing rain within the next few hours as coverage increases across the area. Our crews have been working hard on the streets all night and into the morning and will continue throughout the day, but Mother Nature is a powerful foe, even for our hardworking guys, so stay safe and please stay off the roads.

While it's still too early, this round of winter weather will likely have an impact on potential delays/closures tomorrow so stay tuned to your school's social media channels, websites, and emails for the latest on Thursday's status. Meanwhile, Town of Westlake staff will not be in the physical office today but are working remotely so if you need any assistance, please reach out by email or phone for anything you may need. If you have questions or need our help, please call our after-hours emergency number at 817-490-5729.

• Lower your thermostat to 68 degrees during the day and 58 degrees when you are away from home.
• Lower your water heater temperature to 120 degrees or set your temperature dial to normal or medium. Water heating accounts for as much as 25 percent of the energy consumed in your home. 
• Unplug electronic devices and turn off lights that are not in use. 
• Reduce your shower time and take baths only when necessary. Showering and bathing can account for 40 percent of your home's hot water use. 
• Operate your clothes washer, dryer, and dishwasher only when fully loaded. 
• Keep your fireplace damper closed unless a fire is burning. Leaving the damper open is like keeping a window wide open – warm air goes right up the chimney! 
• If you have a pool, do not use the pool heater. Instead, run your pool pump during the coldest part of the day to circulate the water and prevent freezing. 

• Stay home. Only go out if necessary. Even if you can drive well in bad weather, it’s better to avoid taking unnecessary risks by venturing out.
• Drive slowly. Always adjust your speed down to account for lower traction when driving on snow or ice.
• Accelerate and decelerate slowly. Apply the gas slowly to regain traction and avoid skids. Don’t try to get moving in a hurry and take time to slow down for a stoplight. Remember: It takes longer to slow down on icy roads.
• Increase your following distance to five to six seconds. This increased margin of safety will provide the longer distance needed if you have to stop.
• Know your brakes. Whether you have antilock brakes or not, keep the heel of your foot on the floor and use the ball of your foot to apply firm, steady pressure on the brake pedal.
• Don’t stop if you can avoid it. There’s a big difference in the amount of inertia it takes to start moving from a full stop versus how much it takes to get moving while still rolling. If you can slow down enough to keep rolling until a traffic light changes, do it.
• Don’t power up hills. Applying extra gas on snow-covered roads will just make your wheels spin. Try to get a little inertia going before you reach the hill and let that inertia carry you to the top. As you reach the crest of the hill, reduce your speed and proceed downhill slowly.
• Don’t stop going up a hill. There’s nothing worse than trying to get moving up a hill on an icy road. Get some inertia going on a flat roadway before you take on the hill.

Just save this link to your favorites to see all the various ways you can receive important Town information.

If you have any questions or need our assistance during these next few days of winter weather, please call our after-hours emergency number at 817-490-5729. And of course in an emergency, please call 911. Stay safe, Westlake!