What was Winter Storm Enzo in Houston?
Winter Storm Enzo Houston refers to the historic winter storm that impacted the Greater Houston area from January 20 to 22, 2025, dropping approximately four inches of snow and bringing sub-freezing temperatures. Unlike Winter Storm Uri in 2021, which caused 7.8 million Houston-area power outages, Enzo affected only about 28,500 CenterPoint Energy customers at its peak. More than 99.9% of CenterPoint customers maintained normal electric service throughout the storm, thanks to aggressive pre-positioning of 3,000 frontline workers including 1,200 mutual aid personnel from Virginia, North Carolina, and Florida.
What Winter Storm Enzo Houston Looked Like: January 20-22, 2025
Houston was blanketed with layers of snow on the morning of January 21, 2025, pausing city services as residents and officials braced for icy roads, frozen and broken pipes, and the kind of widespread power outages that defined Winter Storm Uri four years earlier. The National Weather Service had upgraded the Winter Storm Watch to a Winter Storm Warning for Southeast Texas beginning at 6 p.m. Monday through 6 p.m. Tuesday. ERCOT had issued a Weather Watch warning of extreme cold, higher electrical demand, and the potential for lower reserves.
Yet by January 22, city officials announced minimal damage as a result of careful preparation and emergency services. Mayor John Whitmire credited the relatively smooth ride to coordination between the City of Houston, CenterPoint Energy, Entergy Texas, and the deep freeze-readiness investments made after the 2021 Uri disaster. For Houston residents who had lived through Uri, Winter Storm Enzo Houston was a remarkable turnaround story.
Key Players in the Winter Storm Enzo Houston Response
CenterPoint Energy serves 2.8 million electric customers across 12 Greater Houston-area counties. Its proactive pre-storm mobilization is widely credited with the low outage numbers during Enzo.
Entergy Texas serves Southeast Texas customers, including portions of the Houston metro east of the CenterPoint territory. Operates within the MISO grid rather than ERCOT.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas manages the state’s main power grid. Issued a Weather Watch from Monday to Wednesday but grid conditions remained normal throughout Enzo.
The NWS Houston/Galveston office issued the Winter Storm Warning that drove utility, city, and resident preparation. Detailed forecasting helped utilities position mutual aid in advance.
Approximately 1,200 mutual aid workers traveled from Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, and other states to support CenterPoint’s pre-positioned response.
The Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool, used by Texas Division of Emergency Management to collect self-reported storm damage data from residents and businesses.
Winter Storm Enzo Houston Power Outages: The Numbers
The single most important fact about Winter Storm Enzo Houston is the contrast with Winter Storm Uri. During Uri in 2021, Houston saw approximately 7.8 million power outages. During Enzo in 2025, only about 28,500 customers lost power across CenterPoint’s entire 12-county service area, and as of January 22, CenterPoint reported only 116 outages remaining affecting 1,604 customers.
Outage timeline
- Monday evening, January 20: Wintry precipitation begins. CenterPoint’s Emergency Operations Center activated. Three staging sites established across the service territory.
- Tuesday, January 21, 11 a.m.: About 18,700 customers restored since 12:01 a.m.; 2,800 customers currently out of power. 99.9% receiving normal service.
- Tuesday, January 21, 9 p.m.: Approximately 28,500 customers restored across CenterPoint’s 12-county service area since 12:01 a.m. Sub-freezing temperatures persist overnight.
- Wednesday, January 22: Only 116 outages remaining affecting 1,604 customers. CenterPoint begins releasing mutual aid workers back to their home states.
Entergy Texas response
Entergy Texas, which serves portions of Southeast Texas east of CenterPoint’s footprint, reported about 931 customers without power at noon on January 21. Hundreds of linemen had been on standby across Southeast Texas, having spent the week before Enzo insulating pipes and power plant equipment and trimming trees near power lines. The Public Utility Commission of Texas had unanimously approved the first step of Entergy’s $137 million plan to upgrade key infrastructure to reduce storm-related outages.
More than 99.9% of CenterPoint’s 2.8 million Greater Houston-area electric customers received normal electric service throughout Winter Storm Enzo, a sharp contrast to Winter Storm Uri’s 7.8 million Houston-area outages in 2021.
Winter Storm Enzo Houston vs. Winter Storm Uri: A Tale of Two Freezes
Understanding what changed between 2021 and 2025 is the most useful framing for Winter Storm Enzo Houston. The same city, similar weather conditions, dramatically different outcomes.
How Top Utilities Restored Service During Winter Storm Enzo Houston
The headline story of Winter Storm Enzo Houston isn’t really about damage. It’s about how the major utilities prepared in advance and prevented Uri-scale disaster from repeating. Here’s what each major player did.
CenterPoint Energy’s Storm Response
CenterPoint executed its cold weather readiness plan starting on January 19, before Enzo arrived. The company secured an additional 1,200 mutual aid workers, activated its Emergency Operations Center Monday evening, and stood up three staging sites with pre-positioned crews across its service territory. Approximately 3,000 CenterPoint frontline workers, contractors, and mutual aid personnel responded to scattered outages throughout the storm.
CenterPoint also launched a cloud-based Outage Tracker available in English and Spanish that allowed customers to see outages by county, city, and zip code. Customers were encouraged to enroll in Power Alert Service to receive outage details, estimated restoration times, and customer-specific restoration updates via phone call, text, or email.
Entergy Texas’s Storm Response
Entergy Texas, which operates within the MISO grid rather than ERCOT, deployed hundreds of linemen on standby across Southeast Texas. The week before Enzo, crews insulated pipes and power plant equipment, inspected substations and transmission lines, and completed annual right-of-way clearing to reduce tree-fall risk. Entergy’s customers were encouraged to sign up for outage and restoration notifications by text (REG to 36778), email, or phone. As of 4 p.m. Monday after the storm passed, fewer than 800 Entergy customers remained without power.
ERCOT’s Grid Management
ERCOT issued a Weather Watch from Monday to Wednesday due to extreme cold and the potential for lower reserves. Critically, unlike during Uri in 2021, ERCOT did not need to initiate rolling blackouts. Grid conditions remained normal throughout the storm thanks to post-Uri winterization rules now applied to power plants and transmission infrastructure.
Author’s Pro TipEnroll in outage alerts before the next storm. The single most important step Houston households can take after Winter Storm Enzo is signing up for CenterPoint’s Power Alert Service and Entergy’s text notifications (text REG to 36778) before the next winter event. As a customer, you’ll get customer-specific restoration estimates rather than relying on news reports or social media. Combined with the cloud-based outage trackers, this gives you real-time information that’s far more accurate than what was available during the 2021 Uri crisis. Don’t wait for the next storm warning to set this up.
— Editorial Team, UtilityAssistanceOnline
Recovering from Storm-Related Utility Bills?
Texas LIHEAP, Texas CEAP, and CenterPoint payment plans can help cover bills spiked by extreme weather. Find your local assistance options.
Winter Storm Enzo Houston Damage Assessment and Recovery
Houston received approximately four inches of snow on January 21-22, 2025, but city officials announced on January 22 that there was minimal damage as a result of careful preparation and emergency services. Mayor John Whitmire credited the relatively smooth outcome to coordinated planning between the City, CenterPoint, Entergy, and state-level agencies. CenterPoint released mutual aid workers back to Virginia, North Carolina, and Florida as recovery wound down on January 22.
Reporting damage to the state
Texas Governor Greg Abbott urged Texans impacted by Enzo’s freezing temperatures to document and report any property and agricultural damages to the Texas Division of Emergency Management’s online, self-reported damage assessment tool. Residents could also report storm damage to homes and businesses using the Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool, or iSTAT. As a homeowner whose pipes burst or whose roof was damaged, this is the official channel for getting state assistance coordinated.
Utility bills and aftermath
Even with limited outages, prolonged sub-freezing temperatures spiked heating costs across Houston. Households facing higher-than-normal bills can apply for the Texas Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program (CEAP), which delivers federal LIHEAP funds in Texas. Houston-area residents apply through Harris County Community Services Department or BakerRipley, depending on county and program availability. For broader context on assistance options, see our Texas weatherization assistance program guide and our companion guide to mastering utility bills.
Lessons Learned from Winter Storm Enzo Houston
The Enzo response sets a new benchmark for Houston-area winter storm preparedness. As a resident planning for future events, several specific lessons emerged.
Preparation matters more than damage control
CenterPoint’s pre-storm mobilization, beginning the weekend before Enzo’s Monday evening arrival, was the single most important factor in keeping outages low. Pre-positioning mutual aid workers, activating the Emergency Operations Center early, and standing up staging sites in advance dramatically reduced response time.
Post-Uri winterization rules worked
Power plant winterization requirements adopted after Uri produced their intended effect. ERCOT’s grid handled the extreme demand without forced rolling blackouts, which was the proximate cause of most Uri-era outages. For Houston households, the lesson is that policy changes at the state level can directly affect whether your power stays on in the next storm.
Customer-side preparation still matters
Even with excellent utility response, Houston households can do more to protect themselves. Insulating attics, sealing air leaks, dripping faucets during freezes, and disconnecting outdoor hoses remain essential. For deeper guidance, see our companion guide on 5 ways to make an old home energy efficient and our guide to weatherization.
Frequently Asked Questions About Winter Storm Enzo Houston
When did Winter Storm Enzo hit Houston?
Winter Storm Enzo impacted the Greater Houston area from the evening of Monday, January 20, 2025, through Wednesday, January 22, 2025. The National Weather Service issued a Winter Storm Warning beginning at 6 p.m. Monday through 6 p.m. Tuesday, with sub-freezing temperatures persisting overnight into Wednesday morning.
How many Houston customers lost power during Winter Storm Enzo?
Approximately 28,500 CenterPoint Energy customers across the 12-county Greater Houston service area experienced outages during Enzo. At any given moment, more than 99.9% of CenterPoint’s 2.8 million customers had normal electric service. By January 22, only 116 outages affecting 1,604 customers remained.
Why was Enzo less devastating than Winter Storm Uri?
Three main factors. First, CenterPoint and Entergy pre-positioned massive mutual aid forces and activated emergency operations centers before the storm arrived. Second, ERCOT did not need to initiate rolling blackouts because post-Uri winterization rules allowed power plants to operate through the freeze. Third, weather conditions, while severe, were less prolonged than Uri’s multi-day deep freeze in 2021.
How can I report damage from Winter Storm Enzo?
Texas Governor Greg Abbott urged residents to use the Texas Division of Emergency Management’s online self-reported damage assessment tool. Residents can also report damage to homes and businesses using the Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool (iSTAT). These reports help the state coordinate aid and qualify communities for federal disaster declarations.
How do I sign up for CenterPoint and Entergy outage alerts?
For CenterPoint, enroll in Power Alert Service through your online account at CenterPointEnergy.com/StormCenter to receive outage details and customer-specific restoration updates via phone, text, or email. For Entergy Texas, text REG (your account number) (ZIP code) to 36778, or sign up through myEntergy.com. Both services are free.
What utility assistance is available for Houston households after Enzo?
Texas LIHEAP (delivered as the Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program, or CEAP) provides bill payment help for income-qualified households. Houston-area residents apply through Harris County Community Services Department or BakerRipley. CenterPoint also offers payment arrangements and deferred payment plans for customers facing financial hardship after extreme weather events.
Get Storm Recovery & Utility Help in Houston
- Texas CEAP utility bill assistance
- CenterPoint payment arrangement options
- Free weatherization for income-qualified homes
- Free 2-minute eligibility check