The City of Sugar Land would like to ensure that all residents are taking the necessary steps to protect themselves from floods. Listed below you will find the latest on advisories and warnings, messages from the City, and links to helpful tips on how you can keep yourself and your family safe during a period of flooding.

Important Message about Streets and Storm Sewers Due to the potential of a high volume of rain in a short period of time, it is very important to keep debris clear from storm sewers and streets. Keeping storm sewers clear of debris helps prevent rising water in City streets. You can help by securing items on your property, such as trash and other debris.

Quick Tips

 If a flood is likely in your area, you should:

• Listen to the radio or television for information.
• Be aware that flash flooding can occur. If there is any possibility of a flash flood, move immediately to higher ground. Do not wait for instructions to move.
• Be aware of stream, drainage channels, canyons and other areas known to flood suddenly. Flash floods can occur in these areas with or without typical warnings such as rain clouds or heavy rain.

• Secure your home. If you have time, bring in outdoor furniture. Move essential items to an upper floor.
• Turn off utilities at the main switches or valves if instructed to do so. Disconnect electrical appliances. Do not touch electrical equipment if you are wet or standing in water.

• Do not walk through moving water. Six inches of moving water can make you fall. If you have to walk in water, walk where the water is not moving. Use a stick to check the firmness of the ground in front of you.
• Do not drive into flooded areas. If floodwaters rise around your car, abandon the car and move to higher ground if you can do so safely. You and the vehicle can be swept away quickly.
• Do not camp or park your vehicle along streams, rivers or creeks, particularly during threatening conditions.

Turn Around, Don't Drown

When there’s water running across a road, drivers should always turn around and choose a different route. These are the facts:

• Six inches of water can cause tires to lose traction and begin to slide.
• Twelve inches of water can float many cars. Two feet of rushing water will carry off pick-up trucks, SUVs and most other vehicles.
• Water across a road may hide a missing segment of roadbed or a missing bridge.
• In flash floods, waters rise so rapidly they may be far deeper by the time you are halfway across, trapping you in your vehicle.
• Flash floods are especially treacherous at night when it is very difficult to see how deep waters may be or how fast water is rising.
• Floodwater weakens roadbeds. Drivers should proceed cautiously after waters have receded, since the road may collapse under the weight of the vehicle.

National Weather Service - Turn Around, Don't Drown

Additional Resources 

Ready.gov

The City of Sugar Land would like to ensure that all residents are taking the necessary steps to protect themselves from extreme cold weather. Listed below you will find the latest on cold weather advisories and warnings, messages from the City, and links to helpful tips on how you can keep yourself and your family safe during a period of extreme cold.

City of Sugar Land

No advisories/warnings from the City at this time.

Cold Weather/Freeze Preparation

	Protecting Pipes from Freezing If the temperatures drop below freezing, the City of Sugar Land encourages residents to prepare their homes to avoid damage to water pipes, sprinkler systems, and swimming pools.
	Sprinkler System Breaker Protection - Demonstration Video A brief video that give you the basic steps to make sure that you protect your sprinkler system in the event of a freeze.
	How to drain your Sprinkler System Diagram A step by step diagram to show you how to drain yourt sprinkler system and protect it from damage in the event of a freeze.

• Portable Generator Safety
• Heating Equipment Safety
• Candle Safety

Basic Tips to Remember

• Make a plan and discuss with your family.

Family/Personal Safety

• If you must go outside, wear several layers of loose-fitting, lightweight, warm clothing rather than one layer of heavy clothing. The outer garments should be tightly woven and water repellent.
• Wear mittens, which are warmer than gloves.
• Wear a hat. A hat will prevent loss of body heat.
• Cover your mouth with a scarf to protect your lungs
• Walk carefully on snowy, icy, walkways.
• Drive only if it is absolutely necessary. If you must drive: travel in the day; don’t travel alone; keep others informed of your schedule; stay on main roads and avoid back road shortcuts.

Home Safety

• Fit exposed pipes with insulation sleeves or wrapping to slow heat transfer.
• Learn how to shut off water valves (in case a pipe bursts).
• Seal cracks and holes in outside walls and foundations near water pipes with caulking.
• Make sure your gutters are clear of leaves and debris.
• Maintain heating equipment and chimneys by having them cleaned and inspected every year.

Relevant Links

• National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office - Houston/Galveston, TX
• Winter Storms and Extreme Cold (ready.gov)

The City of Sugar Land would like to ensure that all residents are taking the necessary steps to protect themselves from tornadoes. Listed below you will find the latest advisories and warnings, messages from the City, and links to helpful tips on how you can keep yourself and your family safe during a tornado.

Things to Remember

Tornados may develop with little or no warning as a storm system moves into the area. Sugar Land does not have a siren warning system, so stay tuned to radio and television. Sophisticated weather radar may detect the presence of tornadic activity in a storm before a funnel develops. If a tornado warning is issued:

• “Go low, and get low” means go to the lowest level of the structure you’re in, crouch in a low position and cover your head to protect it.
• In your home, take cover in the center part of the house on the lowest floor in a small room, such as a closet or bathroom.
• Don’t waste time opening windows in buildings. This serves no purpose and exposes people to possible flying glass.
• If you are in a manufactured building, leave the structure even if it has a tie-down system. If there is no designated shelter in the mobile home park, take cover in a low protected area.
• If you’re caught in your car, leave it and seek shelter in a nearby substantial building (if one is available) or lie flat in a close ditch or ravine. Never try to outrun a tornado in your car.
• A tornado may cause downed power lines, broken gas lines, overturned vehicles and other hazards.

Lightning Storms

• If you see lightning, watch closely to determine if the storm is approaching.
• If you can hear thunder or see a bolt strike the ground, you are within 10 to 15 miles of a storm. This is a high danger zone and you should move to a safe location within a building.
• Avoid using equipment or phones because energy from lightning may follow electric or telephone wires.
• Television sets are particularly dangerous at this time.
• Turn off air conditioners. Power surges from lightning can overload the compressors.
• Avoid the bathtub, water faucets and sinks because metal pipes can conduct electricity. If you’re outdoors, observe the following safety rules:
• Try to get into a building or a vehicle.
• If no structure is available, get to an open space and squat as low to the ground as possible, covering your head.
• If you’re in an area with trees, find an area protected by low clumps of trees. Never stand underneath a single large tree in the open.
• Stay away from tall structures, such as trees, phone lines or power lines.
• Stay away from natural lightning rods, such as golf clubs, tractors, fishing rods, bicycles, metal bats or camping equipment.
• Avoid rivers, lakes or other bodies of water.
• If you feel your hair stand on end (an indication that lightning is about to strike), bend forward, putting your hands on your knees. Don’t lie flat on the ground.

If you’re in your car during a lightning storm, pull onto the shoulder and stay in the vehicle. Don’t touch any metal on the inside of your vehicle.

Relevant Links

• Ready.Gov