The City of Galveston will open a warming center at the McGuire Dent Recreation Center, 2222 28^th Street, on Thursday, December 22, beginning at 6 p.m. 

The McGuire Dent Recreation Center, which has a back-up generator, will serve as a warming center for those who do not have access to heat or in the event of a power outage. The fitness center will otherwise be closed as a gym and exercise classes canceled beginning Thursday afternoon. The warming center will remain open through Saturday at 12 p.m. as necessary. If utilizing the warming center, please bring light snacks for your household as we will not have food available. 

The National Weather Service is forecasting temperatures below freezing when an Arctic cold front arrives Thursday afternoon. These temperatures are expected to remain below freezing through midday Saturday. 

Additionally, an area of concern is water infrastructure and the freezing temperatures causing water line breaks. We urge our residents to take steps to ensure their water lines are insulated. The city recommends leaving your faucets on at a light drip to keep water moving in the waterline when temperatures are below 32 degrees. The faucets should be left at a drip if the house is occupied. If a property is vacant and the homeowner is unable to get to the house to turn off water, please call Municipal Utilities at 409-797-3630 to have a crew shut water off to the home.  

As always, remember to protect all the Ps: People, pets, pipes and plants! Please check on elderly neighbors and loved ones who may live alone. Also, please bring pets inside or be sure to secure a warm shelter for outdoor pets with ample food and water. Insulate any exposed pipes, leave your indoor cabinets open and drip your faucet. The City recommends moving potted plants inside and covering any outdoor plants. 

Although not forecast, in case of ice on roads, allow yourself more time and distance between other vehicles to brake and bring the car to a stop. In the event of a power outage, please contact the CenterPoint Energy outage center at www.centerpointenergy.com/outagetracker. Add the number to report a water leak or line break.