Utility crews are working through the night to restore power to customers across the area.
SAN ANTONIO — The weather is doing its best this weekend to remind us that our spring-like Christmas season in San Antonio is but a distant memory at this point.
Frigid temperatures, along with frozen precipitation and ice accumulation on roads, are clamping down on South-Central Texas. Most of the San Antonio region remains under a Winter Storm Warning until noon Sunday, and various Alamo City attractions from the Alamo to the zoo are adjusting their operating hours or closing for the weekend outright.
Many local school districts have also announced closures for Monday, a precaution in case icy conditions linger.
Here are the latest updates from around the region as Texas shelters and local leaders share their latest plans. For the most up-to-date information on the storm, click here.
5:30 a.m.
CPS Energy power outages have dropped to just under 11,000 customers as of 5:30 a.m. Crews continue to work across the city to restore power for homes that have been out for hours.
4:40 a.m.
Many roadways are icy this morning, especially as you go northward from Bexar County. Be careful and assume that braking could be difficult in some stretches.
4:30 a.m.
Power outages have dropped to just under 16,000 customers in the latest update from CPS Energy. Click here to view the CPS Energy Outage Map.
3:45 a.m.
The number of CPS Energy customers without power has jumped to nearly 24,000 as crews work to restore electricity to affected areas while rounds of precipitation continue overnight. Click here to view the CPS Energy Outage Map.
2:40 a.m.
CPS Energy reports crews are working through the night to restore power to neighborhoods as trees knock down power lines.
2 a.m.
The number of CPS Energy customers without power has increase to more than 2,500 as crews work to restore electricity. Click here to view the CPS Energy Outage Map.
1:10 a.m.
Freezing rain and sleet continues to impact the San Antonio region overnight, with the area not expected to be clear of precipitation until 6 a.m. or so, according to the National Weather Service. KENS 5 Weather Chief Bill Taylor is encouraging drivers to limit their driving Sunday morning until things warm up, especially if you live in the Hill Country.
11:45 p.m.
CPS Energy reports that more than 1,200 customers are without power in the San Antonio area, the first substantial outage development of this weather event in Bexar County. Most of the impacted households are on the south side, in the area of Southeast Military Drive and Roosevent Avenue.
The utility in a post on X encourage customers to conserve energy through Tuesday, especially between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m.
9:15 p.m.
The City of San Antonio is closing many non-essential facilities and services through Monday, following in Bexar County’s footsteps. City-operated parks, libraries, community centers and senior centers will continue to operate at regular hours in order to provide warmth for those who need it.
8:30 p.m.
A multi-vehicle accident has shut down Interstate 10 East in both directions at Loop 1604, but officials said no one was in need of hospitalization. With freezing rain now coming down in San Antonio, residents are encouraged to limit their travel if possible and to be extra careful on highways if you do get behind the wheel.
8 p.m.
H-E-B is adjusting its hours for the winter storm. All San Antonio locations are set to close at 9 p.m. Saturday and will be open from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday, with additional updates possible.
7:30 p.m.
ERCOT, which operates Texas’ power grid, warned of “entities impersonating ERCOT” amid the weekend winter weather. It reminded Texans that it doesn’t share information on grid conditions over text messages.
“ERCOT communicates grid condition information through our official communication channels, including our website, Texas Advisory and Notification System (TXANS), Emergency Alerts, social media channels and the ERCOT mobile app,” the grid operator said.
News of the incoming winter storm this week conjured up concern for Texans in the wake of the deadly 2021 winter freeze, which was made worse by widespread power outages. Governor Greg Abbott on Friday, however, said he was confident ERCOT is stronger and more prepared than ever to handle this weekend’s storm.
7 p.m.
Cotulla ISD, Pearsall ISD and KIPP San Antonio are among the latest schools systems to announce they’ll be closed Monday. See the full list here.
6 p.m.
As temperatures drop into the 20s in the San Antonio area, some parts of Bexar County are seeing afternoon precipitation drying up into thin layers of ice, including in Stone Oak.
5 p.m.
City of San Antonio officials say they are extending its operating hours for the 311 phone line to 24 hours through Monday, in order to make it easier for residents to connect with resources like warming locations and transportation.
Six city-operated resiliency hubs with shelter, access to power and basic needs are in operation; Bexar County is operating five warming shelters of its own. See the map here.
4:45 p.m.
Bexar County officials say they’ll be closing non-essential facilities until Tuesday due to the weather. That includes county parks and BiblioTech locations.
Residents scheduled for jury duty Monday will be rescheduled, the county says, and “existing court hearing dockets will be rescheduled” as well.
4 p.m.
Northside, San Antonio, North East ISDs and other San Antonio-area districts begin to announce Monday closures, citing the potential for hazardous icy conditions. Click here for the full rundown of local school closings.
2:30 p.m.
An Ice Storm Warning is in effect until noon Sunday for parts of the Hill Country and region north of Bexar County, according to the National Weather Service. These areas can expect a quarter-inch of ice accumulation on roads, with some areas seeing up to a half-inch of ice. The NWS is warning residents in the impacted area to stay home if possible.
12:45 p.m.
Hours before the Winter Storm Warning was set to begin in San Antonio, a drive through the heart of the city showed residents weren’t taking chances with travel.
9:30 a.m.
City of San Antonio officials urged residents Saturday to prepare for freezing rain and icy conditions expected Saturday night into Sunday morning, outlining a multi-agency response aimed at keeping residents safe as a winter weather threat sweeps across Texas and into the Midwest and Southeast regions of the country.
Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones said the city has already treated roads, activated city departments and coordinated with utilities and transportation agencies ahead of the storm. She also encouraged residents to monitor updates at SA.gov/coldweather and repeatedly emphasized that limiting travel will be critical as freezing rain develops.
“If you don’t need to travel over the next 48 hours, please minimize that,” Jones said. “Not only to be able to ensure that our first responders can respond to issues in the community, but there’s going to be work ongoing as roads are treated.”
This is a developing story.