SAN ANTONIO – Although wintry precipitation is forecast to have come to a halt in the San Antonio area, freezing temperatures are still expected to create hazardous road conditions overnight into early Friday morning.
However, most power outages are expected to be resolved by midnight, according to CPS Energy GEO Rudy Garza.
More than 30,000 customers were without power as of early Thursday into the afternoon, mostly due to strong winds and freezing rain. As of around 5:30 p.m., just over 5,000 customers were still without power.
Garza said the remaining outages should be restored by midnight. If some customers are still without power by that time, he said they’ll be notified by CPS on when they can expect the repairs to be completed.
Garza reiterated during the city’s Thursday afternoon briefing that the outages are due to local issues and wintry precipitation, and not a power grid failure.
With hazardous road conditions still a primary concern, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said there are still three active road shutdowns in the city, which are listed below:
- Loop 410 eastbound at Highway 281 northbound flyover ramp
- Loop 1604 at Highway 281
- Highway 281 northbound at the San Antonio International Airport terminal
No other road closures are anticipated, as long as there is no more wintry precipitation, according to McManus.
Drivers are still urged to avoid all non-essential travel overnight into tomorrow morning, as road conditions will be icy and slick.
If you do need to travel, City Manager Erik Walsh urges drivers to proceed with extreme caution and to check the latest road closures here.
“Public safety is our utmost priority. If you can stay home, please do. If you must travel, please proceed with extreme caution,” City Manager Erik Walsh previously said. “The vast majority of our City team are the frontline workers who are working to respond to these weather conditions. Please keep the roadways clear for the safety of our crews. I encourage all major employers to consider the safety of the public and be flexible with their own employees as well.”
You can watch the city’s latest winter weather response update in the video player above.
If you can’t see road closure map below, click here.
Watch the full briefing from Thursday afternoon below:
Here’s what you need to know about today’s forecast:
HILL COUNTRY
- Significant ice accumulation developed.
- A 1/10 - 1/3″ of ice has occurred in spots.
- AVOID TRAVELING IF POSSIBLE -- untreated roads and bridges and overpasses are now dangerous.
SAN ANTONIO & SURROUNDING AREAS
- Up to a 1/4″ of ice has accumulated in spots, especially in northern Bexar County and along the northern I-35 corridor toward New Braunfels.
- Localized power outages occurred because of the ice on tree branches and powerlines.
- Even a small amount of ice can make travel dangerous. For that reason, travel the rest of Thursday is NOT encouraged, but if you must travel know that bridges and overpasses will become slick.
ICY ROADS FRIDAY
- Even though precipitation will have ended Thursday, temperatures will fall into the low 20s in San Antonio and into the teens in the Hill Country by Friday morning.
- Because there was significant rain Wednesday night, puddles may freeze Thursday night, creating black ice. This means travel will be hazardous through Friday morning -- especially on bridges and overpasses.
- We’ll see some sun Friday, allowing us to briefly get above freezing -- in the upper 30s.
- Road conditions should significantly improve by Friday afternoon.
BITTER WIND CHILL THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING
- A wind chill advisory is in place in South Central Texas from 9 p.m. Thursday through 9 a.m. Friday.
- Thursday night through Friday morning, temperatures will be in the teens and 20s with winds from the north at 15-25 mph, gusting up to 35 mph.
- As a result, wind chills will be dangerously cold.
- In the Hill Country, it’ll feel like it’s -5° to 5°.
- Elsewhere, including San Antonio, it’ll feel like its 5° to 15°.
FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SATURDAY
- We’ll see some sun Friday, allowing for temperatures to briefly go above freezing.
- This should be enough to melt any ice and dry up any areas of moisture.
- Another hard freeze is expected Saturday morning, with lows in the low 20s.
- Saturday will feature sunshine and a high well above freezing -- in the upper 40s.