The National Weather Service has announced a Freeze Warning that will be in effect from 3 a.m. to 8 a.m. on New Year’s Eve.
SAN ANTONIO — The mercury continues to drop as South Texas nears the start of 2026, with some communities near San Antonio bracing for potentially freezing conditions on Wednesday morning.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a Freeze Warning expected to go into effect at 3 a.m. for Atascosa, Frio , Karnes, Medina and Wilson counties, where morning lows could fall as low at 30 to 32 degrees. If you live in areas near Poteet, Hondo and Pleasanton, bundle up: You’re in line to experience some of your coldest temperatures since early December.
Weather officials say this marks the first widespread freeze of the season for our area.
Although Bexar County isn’t included in the warning, Wednesday morning will still bring temperatures in the mid-30s to kick off the final day of 2025. Our coldest recorded low of the season so far in the Alamo City was back on Dec. 9, when morning conditions had the mercury at 34 degrees.
After the frigid morning, San Antonio-area communities are expected to warm up into the mid-to-high-60s as the year comes to a close.
Here’s how cold it’s expected to get in cities included in the Freeze Warning and other nearby communities:
- Hondo: 31 degrees
- Castroville: 32
- Cotulla: 35
- Pleasanton: 31
- Poteet: 32
- Jourdanton: 32
- Kenedy: 33
- Stockdale: 32
- Seguin: 33
- Elmendorf: 33
- San Antonio: 35
- Hollywood Park: 34
- Converse: 34
- New Braunfels: 34
- Pipe Creek: 30
- Bandera: 30
- Medina: 34
- Kerrville: 30
- Boerne: 30
How to prepare for the cold
There are steps residents in the impacted counties can take Tuesday evening to avoid waking up to dead plants or busted pipes.
The key thing is to remember to “protect the four Ps.” That refers to pets, pipes, plants and people.
Here are some tips, courtesy of the NWS:
- Winterize your home. Insulate outdoor pipes (Whataburger cups, or other Styrofoam cups, are a great option), open up your indoor cabinets so they’re getting warmer air, and caulk your windows.
- Look out for vulnerable relatives or neighbors, especially the elderly. Prepare for possible power outages by getting an emergency kit together; make sure it includes a flashlight. Keep your phones charges for weather updates.
- Know the temperature thresholds of your outdoor plants, and cover them ahead of Wednesday morning if you have to.
- Bring your pets inside so they’re not susceptible to dangerous cold. Ensure their water doesn’t freeze up.
Looking ahead
While 2025 will end with some of the coldest conditions of the season, it won’t last long: The first few days of 2026 will see temperatures in the Alamo City region soaring to as high as 85 degrees Friday afternoon.
