Houston, which doesn't typically experience cold weather, has the most stringent guidelines for opening warming centers compared to other Texas cities.

The city only opens warming centers when temperatures dip to 24 degrees for at least two hours. Instead, the Mayor’s Office of Public Safety and Homeland has been coordinating with private facilities.

As frigid temperatures descend upon Houston, city officials and residents are taking precautions to protect themselves from the cold, including potential power outages and hypothermia.

Several shelters and warming centers are open in the Houston area Tuesday and Wednesday as a winter storm continues to bring freezing temperatures to Texas.

An arctic cold front has descended upon Southeast Texas, bringing unseasonably cold temperatures to the region. Residents in Houston are experiencing lows near freezing, with forecasts predicting temperatures to remain below average throughout the week.