Prepping in El Paso
In 2023, El Paso hit 100°F for 44 days in a row. Heat is the main hazard, but monsoon floods and hard freezes, like February 2011's, also catch the city off guard.
- Extreme heat
- Flash floods
- Hard freezes
Sign up today
The official El Paso alert and lookup tools. Each takes a few minutes and works even if you do nothing else on this page.
- El Paso Emergency Alert SystemSign up through El Paso Ready
The City of El Paso Office of Emergency Management's alerts by email, text and voice call.
- STEAR registryRegister with STEAR
If someone in your home would need help evacuating, register with the State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry online or by calling 2-1-1.
Links checked October 2026. Wireless Emergency Alerts reach most phones automatically; these add local detail.
What can go wrong in El Paso
- Extreme heat
- El Paso's record is 44 straight days at 100°F or above, set in 2023, when the city reached 100°F on 70 days.
- Monsoon flash floods
- Summer storms dump heavy rain on bare desert and mountains, flooding arroyos and streets within minutes.
- Hard freezes
- In February 2011, a deep freeze caused blackouts and burst pipes across the city.
- Dust storms
- High winds raise blowing dust that cuts visibility to near zero.
What that means for your plan
Have a plan to stay cool without power: a power station for fans, a cool room, and a list of cooling centers.
Keep two weeks of water. In a desert, water is the first thing you'd miss.
El Paso's power grid is not part of the ERCOT grid that failed across most of Texas in 2021, but freezes can still cause outages and burst pipes here.
Do these first, in this order
- Two weeks of water
The first priority in the desert.
Water storage and filters guide - Power station
Fans and medical devices through summer outages.
Power stations and generators guide - Alerts
City alerts plus a NOAA weather radio for flash floods.
Radios and communication guide - Warmth without power
For the rare but serious freezes.
Lighting and staying warm guide - First-aid kit
Heat illness and storm injuries.
First aid and medical guide - Go-bag
For floods and fires that force you out.
Go-bags and evacuation guide
Questions
Is El Paso on the Texas ERCOT power grid?
No. El Paso Electric is part of the western grid, which is why El Paso largely avoided the 2021 Texas blackouts. Freezes and heat can still cause local outages.
How do I get emergency alerts in El Paso?
Register for the City of El Paso's Emergency Alert System through El Paso Ready, and keep Wireless Emergency Alerts on in your phone.
How ready is your El Paso home?
The quiz weights every item for suburbs risks and shows your top gaps. About 3 minutes, no sign-up.