HOUSTON (AP) — Bitter cold continued to grip parts of Texas as Houston-area officials urged people to stay off icy roads and a state electricity supplier said a new record was set for power use as people reached for the thermostat.
The cold front that brought snow to some regions of Texas had moved eastward by Wednesday but areas of the state were still plagued by slick roads. Authorities urged people in the Houston area to stay indoors.
Public safety officials directed the homeless to warming shelters and some schools that were closed Tuesday continued to be shuttered or have delayed openings a day later.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT, which manages the flow of electricity, says a record of more than 65,700 megawatts of power was consumed early Wednesday amid temperatures in the teens.