Two people have died because of the cold front that brought freezing temperatures and up to a half-inch of snow to parts of the city this week.
Captain Christa Stedman of Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services said both people died of hypothermia Monday night.
EMS has responded to approximately 40 weather-related calls since Monday. About half were linked to road accidents and the other half to cold exposure.
Although road conditions will likely improve Tuesday, which could reduce crash-related calls, Stedman said EMS is concerned about another overnight freeze.
“I hope we’re not going to see a lot of refreezing and a lot more ice buildup on the roads, but you never know,” she said. “But whether it’s freezing or not, it’s still going to be very cold. So hypothermia is definitely going to be at the forefront of our concerns in the future.”
On Monday, EMS responded to six traffic accidents and 11 cold-related illness calls. Since midnight Tuesday, emergency medical services are reporting 16 calls for accidents and seven calls for cold-related illnesses.
The National Weather Service expects temperatures to reach a low of 20 degrees in Austin Wednesday morning – the city’s coldest weather so far this winter.
Austin opened night shelters for people experiencing homelessness during this cold snap, housing up to 550 people on Monday night alone. Churches and other nonprofits also opened their doors to protect people from the cold.
