This article has been updated.
Many of San Antonio’s road and business closures continued Tuesday, as sub-freezing temperatures continue to impact the city and the National Weather Service issued another winter storm warning for Tuesday evening.
A winter storm warning was set to begin at 6 p.m. Tuesday for the Austin-San Antonio area and will remain in effect from until 6 a.m. Thursday. Officials are warning local residents to remain off the roads with another overnight freeze expected Tuesday night through Wednesday morning.
Wind chills ranging from 5 above zero to 10 below zero were expected throughout the day Tuesday. Residents should continue to stay inside or seek warm shelter. However, widespread power outages continued, with CPS Energy showing more than 300,000 customers affected as of 11 a.m. Tuesday.
San Antonio got 3 to 6 inches of snow Sunday evening – the most San Antonio has seen in 36 years. The city received a record 13 inches in 1985, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. San Antonio’s last snowfall took place about three years ago in December 2017, with the city getting about 2.5 inches.
First responders and city and county officials warned residents to stay home and remain off the roads as much as possible Monday and Tuesday, following an onslaught of weather-related crashes Saturday and Sunday. Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said there were at least 14 accidents over the weekend, including a county emergency vehicle that flipped over at Borgfeld Drive and Recanto Road. Firefighters in the emergency vehicle were uninjured, he added.
“We’re just asking people, ‘Please, don’t chance it,’” Salazar said. “Although it’s beautiful … the fact of the matter is it’s dangerous and even downright deadly. It may take a while for first responders to get to you, and not to mention, although that’s not the intent, you’re putting those first responders at risk. So, please, we’re asking everybody just limit your travel to the [greatest] extent possible.”
City officials reminded residents Monday evening that as snow melts it will form ice, and they should remain off the roads. The region is expected to see another freezing event Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. Residents are being encouraged to report any service issues to the City help line at 311.
While the snow looks picturesque, it can be deceivingly dangerous when driving due to a thin layer of ice below the powder, Salazar said. Because San Antonio residents are not used to driving in weather conditions like snow, it’s best for folks to remain home and enjoy the snow safely, he said.
Salazar said one potentially weather-related death is being investigated. The sheriff’s office received a call early Monday about an elderly man who was found dead in front of his home, which may have been from falling on ice and suffering cold exposure, Salazar said.
“We’ll have to wait on more information from the medical examiner,” Salazar said. “We do know that he had preexisting medical conditions.”
COVID-19 vaccinations and updates
COVID-19 vaccination appointments scheduled through the City of San Antonio at the Alamodome for Tuesday have been rescheduled for the same appointment time Saturday due to the weather, the City said in a social media post.
“With icy conditions still in our area, we want to ensure the safety of the public,” the City said. “We understand that some may be a little concerned about the small delay for their second dose, but we are within CDC guidelines to ensure the vaccine will still work with no issues. Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines may be scheduled for administration up to 6 weeks (42 days) after the first dose.”
Both WellMed vaccination clinics in San Antonio will remain closed on Tuesday, WellMed announced in a separate statement. Patients currently scheduled to receive second-dose vaccinations will be contacted to reschedule their appointments later this week.
University Health outpatient clinics, ExpressMed urgent care centers, and its ambulatory surgery center will be closed Tuesday as well, UH spokeswoman Elizabeth Allen said. However, the Wonderland of the Americas mall vaccination site expects to be open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday.
“We urge people who have vaccine appointments tomorrow to take their time and drive carefully,” Allen said. “They will not be turned away if they arrive late.”
UH vaccination appointments set for Monday, Feb. 15, have been rescheduled for Saturday, Feb. 20, at the same time, she added.
The Metropolitan Health District’s COVID-19 data and dashboards will not be updated through Tuesday. Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff will not host a COVID-19 briefing Monday night or Tuesday night. Data reports and the briefings are expected to resume Wednesday evening.
Public transportation closures
The San Antonio Police Department reported that it responded to 1,178 calls for service for vehicle crashes between Friday and Monday. This could include duplicate calls for service. According to the report,13 SAPD vehicles were damaged.
SAPD is currently working with the Texas Department of Transportation to maintain key ramp closures. SAPD will continue ice plan operations through at least Wednesday afternoon, depending on weather forecast models and road conditions.
VIA Metropolitan Transit service has been suspended until further notice, officials said Monday.
At San Antonio International Airport, all of Tuesday’s outbound flights have been canceled. For questions regarding flight status, passengers should contact their airlines directly or visit www.flySanAntonio.com.
Highways and many roads were closed due to icy conditions, according to a press release from the City of San Antonio. For information on street closures, click here.
Store and business closures
Many H-E-B stores closed Monday, the grocer announced in a press release. As of Monday night, most planned to reopen at noon Tuesday, although hours could be adjusted according to local conditions at any time, according to the release.
“We continue to closely monitor the situation and will resume regular hours as soon as possible,” H-E-B stated in the release. “At H-E-B, our top priority is taking care of Texas. We remain deeply committed to the safety of our Partners and customers, and we are prepared to help our fellow Texans in any situation our company and communities might face.”
To check the status or hours of your nearest H-E-B, click here.
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas stopped production until further notice for the safety of its employees, said Toyota Texas spokeswoman Melissa Sparks.
“We expect to resume work when road and weather conditions are safer,” she said.
Bexar County facilities will also be closed Tuesday. Emergency and essential county workers are expected to report as usual to their assigned work locations. Tuesday’s scheduled Bexar County court proceedings are canceled. A magistrate will remain on duty.
School closures
A number of schools were closed Monday due to the weather, though some are holding classes remotely. Many had already scheduled closures for Presidents Day. Most have decided to also cancel classes Tuesday with a few also canceling classes through Wednesday.
| District | In-person learning | Remote learning |
| Alamo Heights | Closed Tuesday and Wednesday | No |
| East Central | Closed Tuesday | No |
| Edgewood | Closed Tuesday and Wednesday | No |
| Fort Sam Houston | Closed Tuesday and Wednesday | No |
| Harlandale | Closed Tuesday and Wednesday | No |
| Judson | Closed Tuesday and Wednesday | No |
| Lackland | Closed Tuesday and Wednesday | No |
| Medina Valley | Undecided | Undecided |
| North East | Closed Tuesday | No |
| Northside | Closed Tuesday | No |
| San Antonio | Closed Tuesday | No |
| Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City | Closed Tuesday | No |
| South San Antonio | Closed Tuesday | No |
| Southwest | Closed Tuesday | No |
| Southside | Closed Tuesday | No |
Several local colleges and universities also closed their campuses Tuesday. Those campuses include University of Texas at San Antonio, Our Lady of the Lake University, University of the Incarnate Word, Texas A&M University San Antonio, and Baptist University of the Americas.
San Antonio College and Trinity University have closed their campuses until Wednesday.
