Residents and visitors in Houston are urged to be on high alert as the city gears up for severe weather conditions expected on Monday. The Emergency Operations Center has unveiled parts of its strategy to ensure the safety of fans during the anticipated championship game.
The National Weather Service is set to issue a wind advisory from 6 a.m. on Monday to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, accompanied by a cold front expected to bring scattered storms and wind gusts reaching up to 40 mph, according to the City of Houston.
Collaborating with various agencies, including the National Weather Service, Houston Police Department, and Houston Fire Department, the Houston Office of Emergency Management is working tirelessly to safeguard individuals commuting to work and fans attending the championship game on Monday.
Chief George Buenik, from the Mayor’s Office of Public Safety and Homeland Security, expressed confidence in their severe weather plan for the event. Buenik emphasized coordination with the National Weather Service and CenterPoint Energy to closely monitor conditions in and around NRG Stadium.
One major concern highlighted by Buenik is the safety of fans engaged in tailgating activities for the championship game. While the larger tents are rated for winds over 100 mph, precautions are in place to relocate individuals if necessary.
“We have a big concern about people tailgating with the little pop-up tents. The big tent we have out there is rated for over 100 miles an hour; that’s going to be safe. But NRG and CFP both have a plan to move people indoors if needed and get them out of harm’s way,” Buenik explained.
Tailgating is scheduled to commence at 11 a.m., and Buenik assured the public that plans are in place to transition fans to shelter in case of severe weather.
“NRG is a large complex with a lot of different buildings. Part of the planning process is utilizing the existing buildings there and possibly opening the stadium up, maybe early if it’s needed to get people out of harm’s way,” Buenik added.
For real-time weather alerts, Houston residents are encouraged to visit alerthouston.org. Fans attending the championship game can receive updates by texting “CFPHouston” to 888777 for College Football Playoff alerts.
