WINTER STORM: Snow blankets San Antonio area as power outages spread across the city

Power outages are spreading in San Antonio, and people are urged to stay off icy roads for their own safety. Frigid temperatures are expected to persist for days.

SAN ANTONIO — As south-central Texas continues its multi-day stretch of sub-freezing temperatures, icy conditions and anticipated snowfall, the National Weather Service is warning motorists to be careful on the roads. State leaders are encouraging Texans to stay home and conserve electricity amid anticipated high power demand.

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for the entire state of Texas, including Bexar County, and lasting through noon Monday. Icy conditions, snowfall and potentially dangerous temperature drops are expected.

There is also a Wind Chill Warning in effect from 6 p.m. Sunday through noon Monday.

KENS 5 has you covered with the latest forecasts, details on local roadways and closings, and round-the-clock updates from our team of local meteorologists.

Download the KENS 5 app to stay up to date on the go, especially as the danger of power outages continues in our area.

Latest KENS 5 forecast

Here’s the latest KENS 5 forecast from our Weather Team:

Travel will be hazardous all the way through Wednesday morning.

Power outages are possible, especially in the Hill Country. San Antonio and the rest of Texas began experiencing rolling blackouts early Monday morning. 

We will experience the coldest temps since 1989 with a wind chill Monday morning as low as -10°.

Some areas will have sub-freezing temps for 100 hours. Don’t forget the old saying “pipes, pets and people.”

There is a .05” ice accumulation possible by this evening.

Also, we are expecting 1 to 3” of snow tonight and overnight isolated 4” to 5” totals.

This evening, travel will get worse with accumulating sleet and freezing rain. Ice total accumulation this afternoon and evening will be around 0.05”.

As the major system moves across the area, there should be widespread 1” to 3” snow accumulations and up to 4” to 5” in some areas.

Lows Monday will be around 13° with wind chills -10°.

The low Tuesday morning around 10° with some single digits, coldest morning we have seen since 1989.

There should be travel problems again Tuesday morning with a hard refreeze of melted snow.

There is another chance of freezing rain Wednesday morning with another chance of power outages and travel issues.

After around 100 hours of sub-freezing temps, we should climb above freezing finally Wednesday afternoon.

Monday: partly cloudy & cold. High 28°

Here’s the latest update from the latest National Weather Service:

A major winter storm continues to move through the region, and will continue to do so through Monday morning. Snow began moving into San Antonio at around 10 p.m. Sunday and continue falling in the Alamo City for some hours, making travel even more difficult in some areas and near-impossible in others. Blowing snow can also reduce visibility and snow may obscure ice underneath. The icy roads could persist into Tuesday. Travel is highly discouraged!

Scattered power outages have begun to occur, especially across the Hill Country and central Texas where ice still exists from earlier rounds of winter precipitation.

Bitterly cold air will spill into the region by Monday morning. The coldest temperatures since 1989 are forecast Monday and Tuesday mornings, with low temperatures in the single digits and teens. Exposed pipes could be damaged if not protected.

Strong winds will make it feel even colder, with wind chill values Monday morning ranging from 15 to 0 degrees! Without proper protection hypothermia could quickly set in.

Check frequently on those without heat. Protect plants and pipes. Provide warm shelter for pets.

Another disturbance will bring a chance for freezing rain Tuesday night into Wednesday, and a wintry mix Wednesday night. Additional ice accumulations are possible.

Temperatures near to below freezing will make some roadways, especially bridges and overpasses, slick to potentially impassable. Heavy snowfall hit the San Antonio area Sunday night, ushering in bitterly cold air for rest of the day. The National Weather Service is forecasting the coldest temperatures since 1989.

Live traffic updates

Check out the KENS 5 Live Traffic Update resource with hour-by-hour updates on icy conditions on the roads.

KENS 5 is tracking the latest traffic conditions as winter weather arrives in San Antonio and the Hill Country. TEXAS, USA – NWS issued a Winter Storm Warning early Saturday morning for Bexar, Bandera, Comal, Edwards, Kendall, Kerr, Real and Val Verde counties, and lasting all the way until noon on Monday.

Power outage map

Thousands are without power in the counties of Gillespie, Kerr and Kendall, according to an outage map from the Central Texas Electric Coop. See map below for current outages.

Updated closings list

Some districts have closed schools Monday and Tuesday. There also are other locations, including vaccine clinics, that have changed their plans due to the winter weather. Click here for a full list.

Coldest temperatures in three decades

Temperatures near to below freezing will make some roadways, especially bridges and overpasses, slick to potentially impassable. Sunday night and Monday morning look to have the next serious icy blast, with sleet and even snow expected. The National Weather Service is forecasting the coldest temperatures since 1989.

ERCOT declares level 3 Energy Emergency Alert in Texas

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas upgraded its Energy Emergency Alert to its third stage, as of 1:25 a.m. Monday, and urged customers to reduce the use of electricity. ERCOT said rotating outages are underway and that traffic lights and infrastructure across the state might be without power.

Amid the rotating outages, the National Weather Service offered tips on keeping warm without power.

Biden approves disaster declaration

President Joe Biden approved a disaster declaration for the entire state of Texas on Sunday, authorizing federal agencies to direct the response to the winter weather.

BCSO helps rescue tiger from cold

Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said that one of many calls his office got regarding animals being left outside was about a “crying tiger.” He said the jungle cat was in a poorly secured cage outside, and is now safely in the care of a wildlife rescue. He said he was not sure if this was the same tiger that animal control had been looking for last week, saying that this one appeared to be more mature.

SAFD responds to almost 200 calls

From 8 p.m. Saturday through 5:45 a.m. Sunday, the San Antonio Fire Department received 197 calls from residents asking for help due to the inclement weather. An overwhelming majority of the calls were for motor vehicle crashes.

Emergency declaration

In anticipation of the arctic blast, San Antonio-area leaders issued an emergency declaration urging residents to “take proper precautions” ahead of the worst of the storm. The move activates local emergency management operations should the need arise. At 11:30 a.m. Sunday, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said it is not safe for anyone to be on the highways. He pointed to a crash involving an officer who was critically struck overnight while tending to another crash. He said he anticipates the roadways will be shut down in the next few hours.

VIA service suspended

In addition, VIA Transit announced Saturday that bus service will be suspended from 6 p.m. Sunday through noon on Monday in anticipation of the most severe weather window for the city. VIA also will forgo fares for anyone using its service to travel to a local shelter before Sunday at 6 p.m.

Grocery store hours adjusted

H-E-B said it was temporarily adjusting store hours in San Antonio and across Texas as the winter weather clamps down. Find out more here.

Texas disaster declaration

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday issued a disaster declaration for all 254 Texas counties in response to winter weather across the state. He doubled down a day later, imploring Texans to stay off roads and conserving power wherever possible. On Saturday, the federal government obliged the declaration, authorizing FEMA to provide emergency resources where needed. 

Driving tips

The next few days are not a great time to be on the road if you don’t need to be. However, if you must drive, check out these tips from KENS 5 meteorologist Jeremy Baker on how to stay safe in icy conditions.

Safe home heating

The Bexar County Fire Marshal reminds people to use only safe means of heating; stoves, ovens, space heaters and others are considered potentially hazardous and should be avoided.

The Bexar County Office of Emergency Management shared some of the following safety tips:

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