The declaration is to ensure resources are available to communities that need them.

Several Houston-area school districts will cancel classes and after school activities Monday ahead of Texas' winter freeze.

Officials are optimistic the power grid will hold, but freezing rain and arctic cold could cause localized electricity outages.

Only 2,000 of 2.9 million customers remain without power as of 5 p.m. Sunday.

As an Arctic blast barrels into Southeast Texas this weekend, Houston-area businesses and event organizers are announcing closures and cancellations due to the threat of freezing temperatures and potentially dangerous conditions.

H-E-B modified some store hours in Houston and across Texas Sunday morning as snow and freezing rain swept the state. Houston-area stores opened two hours later than normal Sunday, at 8 a.m., but will close at the regular time. Hours on Monday will remain normal.

Thousands of homes and businesses were without electricity Sunday morning in the Houston region, where residents awoke to cold, wet and in some cases icy conditions as a winter storm moved in.

Temperatures will continue to drop this evening, however.

As they continue to monitor the cold weather brought on by the winter storm, the Houston Airports system says they will deactivate their Emergency Operations Center.