MEMPHIS, Tenn. —
The City of Memphis and Memphis Light Gas & Water stated on Friday that they are preparing roads for snow and ice.
As frozen precipitation have been forecasted, up to 16 trucks are reportedly being prepared to deploy as part of the city's de-icing operation. The City said that over 54,000 tons of salt and sand mixture are on hand for winter weather remediation.
Bitterly cold air will start to arrive this weekend, and it'll get even colder Monday as some snow showers arrive.
The City also said their "primary focus" during inclement weather response is to treat major city streets with inclines or declines as well as bridges and overpasses. The remaining major streets will be treated on an "as-needed basis," they said.
Hospitals, police and fire precincts are also to receive special consideration during the inclement weather, the city said.
Six snowplow attachments for a heavy equipment fleet are available to the city, they said. These are deployed when snow accumulations are predicted to be two inches or higher.
For those that need a place to stay warm through the inclement weather, The Hospitality Hub will open emergency warming centers for extended hours due to the upcoming freezing temperatures.
Here are the anticipated hours for Friday, Jan. 12 through Thursday, Jan. 18:
- Friday: 7 p.m. to 11 a.m.
- 24 hours a day starting 7 p.m. Saturday until Thursday.
Those who need a ride to the warming center via MATA can contact Hospitality Hub at 901-297-1680 during warming center hours.
MLGW also said they might issue "energy conservation alerts" as early as Tuesday, Jan. 16, where they ask all customers to reduce usage as much as possible during a certain time frame. Doing so can help reduce the likelihood of brownouts and blackouts, according to MLGW.
They said they hope to never have to issue these alerts, but the following is a list of energy reducing activities MLGW encourages during the time that these alerts could be sent out:
Not using dishwashers, washing machines or dryer machines and letting any clothes start air drying.
If possible, not using the electric range or electric over for cooking during the conservation alert
Setting thermostats to 68 degrees or lower to avoid unnecessary operation of the blower on furnaces or electric heat pumps
Turning off all electric space heaters
Turning off interior lights during the day and keeping on only enough light at night to feel safe. Holiday lights, porch lights and indoor lights also count in this regard.
Not using blow dryers, toasters or other high consumption appliances that use electric resistance as their heat source
Keeping the refrigerator and freezer on, but keeping the doors to these items closed as much as possible because each time these doors are opened, the inside warmed up a bit and energy is used to bring the temperature back down.
Turning off and unplugging everything that isn't in use
Turning off electric power strips to cut "vampire energy use"
MLGW said they thank the public in advance for helping avoid "more dramatic actions."
The weather was on the mild side in the Memphis area on Thursday, but that all changed overnight and is expected to so do through the weekend. High winds hit first, but snow and an arctic blast are expected with temperatures well below freezing.
Wind gusts are a major concern for those living in Midtown who saw trees fall during the February 2022 ice storm.
In August, MLGW announced plans to spend $227 million over the next five years on tree trimming. Their contracted crews were out in East Memphis on Wednesday. The utility said about 465 miles have been cleared to date. Still, many Memphians worry that work won't pay dividends in the days ahead.
MLGW released this statement on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024:
MLGW is prepared for severe weather expected this week including high winds, freezing temperatures, and possible snow. Crews are prepared to work around the clock if needed to deal with weather-related outages, including water main breaks (which can occur when temperatures drop).
MLGW prepares for cold weather by tracking the weather, having additional crews on standby, and ensuring equipment and vehicles are equipped with necessary tools. Tree trimming crews have cleared 465.4 miles to date to help reduce electric outages.