WACO, TEXAS — Winter weather is heading towards Central Texas beginning on Wednesday with temperatures dropping in the teens and low 20s.
The American Automobile Association is advising residents to begin preparing now by having an “emergency kit that has items for winter.
"If you're in an emergency, you're going to want those items that are going to keep you warm," says Daniel Armbruster Community Relations for AAA Texas.
A few items he advises you to purchase as a part of your emergency kit are gloves, hats, blankets, for all the passengers in your vehicle, a charged cell phone, an ice scraper, jumper cables, and traction aids.
TxDOT Waco District will begin winter weather operations Tuesday morning.
Public information officer Jake Smith said, “Pre-treatment [begins] tomorrow morning around 7 a.m., and they will be pre-treating throughout the day primarily focusing on structures and major roadways."
TxDOT will closely monitor the roads to see if their crews need to re-apply that treatment as we expect a substantial of rain in our area.
As far as car preparedness, winter weather can also be tough on car batteries. When temperatures dip below 32 degrees, car batteries lose 35 percent of their strength.
If your battery is more than three years old, "you are going to want to have a trusted mechanic check it out because certainly, you need a fully charged battery to turn your engine over when the temperatures get sub-freezing,” said Armbruster.
With a potential for a mix for freezing rain and sleet AAA said the best advice they have is simple: stay off the roads if you can.
TxDOT is also asking for drivers to please give their equipment 200 feet of space to do their work on the roads.
