Governor Greg Abbott has directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) to activate state emergency response resources in anticipation of severe weather expected to affect parts of Texas starting today and continuing through the weekend.
“Texas stands ready to deploy all necessary resources to help local officials respond to potential severe weather across the state,” said Governor Abbott. “Texans are urged to remain weather-aware, regularly check road conditions, and heed the guidance of state and local officials to ensure the safety of themselves and their loved ones. The State of Texas will continue to closely monitor weather conditions to protect the well-being of communities across our state.”
The National Weather Service reports that multiple storm systems are forecasted to bring strong or severe thunderstorms over large areas beginning later today in North Texas. As the week continues, storm risks will move westward into regions such as the Panhandle, South Plains, Permian Basin, Big Country, and Concho Valley. Later in the week, threats are expected again in North, Northeast, and Central Texas. Conditions may persist into early next week with hazards including large hail, damaging winds, heavy rainfall leading to flash flooding, and possible tornadoes.
State agencies have been mobilized at Governor Abbott’s direction. Resources include swiftwater rescue boat squads and urban search and rescue teams from Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service; incident management teams from TDEM; personnel and high-profile vehicles from the Texas National Guard; helicopters for flood rescues; road monitoring by the Department of Transportation; saw crews from Texas A&M Forest Service for clearing roads; game wardens and helicopter teams from Parks and Wildlife; troopers and tactical units from Department of Public Safety; medical support packages from Department of State Health Services; disaster assessment agents from AgriLife Extension Service; power outage monitoring by Public Utility Commission; oversight on natural gas supply by Railroad Commission; and environmental monitoring by Commission on Environmental Quality.
The State Emergency Operations Center remains activated at Level III (Increased Readiness) supporting both severe weather responses and ongoing wildfire operations due to continued fire weather in some areas.
Residents are encouraged to prepare for severe weather by assembling emergency kits, making plans ahead of time, and following official guidance. Information about flood safety is available at TexasReady.gov. Road conditions can be checked at DriveTexas.org, while preparedness tips can be found at tdem.texas.gov/prepare.
Governor Abbott has led statewide services since his election in 2014 according to official records. His office operates primarily out of Austin’s State Insurance Building (source) and has contributed to job growth as well as economic opportunities throughout Texas (source). The office also focuses on education enhancement, individual liberties protection, parental empowerment in schooling decisions, southern border security (source), while exercising authority statewide (source). In 2024, Governor Abbott was recognized among TIME’s 100 Most Influential People (source).
