A cold front is expected to move into San Antonio this weekend, bringing subfreezing temperatures and a chance for freezing rain and sleet that could make roads hazardous according to the National Weather Service.
While temperatures are expected to begin dropping alongside rain Friday evening into Saturday morning, NWS meteorologist Eric Platt said freezing rain could soon follow.
“As the cold air continues to move southward into the region, Saturday evening after sunset is when we think we could start to see some rain and freezing rain,” he said.
Platt said that the forecast currently calls for a mix of rain, freezing rain and sleet — with no snow on the forecast yet — mainly during the overnight period.
“Saturday night and even into Sunday morning, we’re going to be contending with anywhere from about a 40 to a 60% chance for freezing rain and there could be maybe even a little bit of a sleet mixture in there,” Platt said.” So that’s the time period that San Antonio has to really pay attention to.”
With many residents still remembering the February 2021 winter storm, Platt said this weekend’s cold front is not expected to be a repeat of that prolonged statewide emergency — but he cautioned that icing conditions, even if short-lived, can still cause crashes and dangerous travel.
“It’s going to be cold enough to where we’re going to have to worry about some icing on some bridges and overpasses, maybe even some of the secondary roads,” he said. “We’re looking at a low temperature of around the low 20s for Saturday night, and then for Sunday, we’ll stay at a low freezing pretty much through most of the morning.”
Temperatures are expected to rise above freezing Sunday afternoon, with highs in the upper 30s, reducing icing risk — though wind chills could drop into the single digits Sunday morning. Temperatures are expected to stay low throughout mid week but with lower chances for rain at the time of publication.
“I’m not saying there’s going to be another repeat of 2021, but we do have to keep an eye on this one,” Platt said.
Staying prepared, warming shelters
City guidance urges residents to prepare for freezing temperatures by protecting the “four P’s” — people, pets, property and pipes — and checking in on older adults and other vulnerable neighbors.
Residents who need a warm place to stay can find city-run resources, including libraries, community centers and senior centers open during regular hours, through the city’s cold weather page at SA.gov/ColdWeather.
While plans to open overnight resources centers have not yet been announced, a spokesperson for the city said a plan for the weekend would be released as they develop.
To check shelter availability or connect someone to outreach services, residents can call the Community Connections Hotline at 210-207-1799 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Are schools ready for cold weather?
San Antonio ISD says it has taken steps to avoid a repeat of the heating failures that disrupted schools during cold snaps in 2024 and 2025. District officials say SAISD has invested bond funding into HVAC upgrades, inspected boilers ahead of winter weather and implemented a preventive maintenance program aimed at keeping campuses safe and operational during sudden temperature drops.
CPS Energy, SAWS prepare for outages, freezing pipes
CPS Energy has crews on standby, according to public relations manager Dana Sotoodeh. “CPS Energy is monitoring the winter weather expected later this week. Facilities have been weatherized and crews are on standby,” she said in an email.
CPS Energy is concerned about downed power lines and falling tree branches, Sotoodeh added, and she urged residents to stay away from fallen power lines. In case of outages, it may take CPS Energy workers time to resolve issues.
SAWS urged residents to insulate above-ground pipes, but was not concerned about underground infrastructure, said SAWS Communications Director Anne Hayden.
“While weather will be cold, we don’t expect any major issues,” she said in an email.
The ground won’t freeze, Hayden said, so freezing in exposed pipes, sprinkler systems, faucets and unoccupied buildings is a bigger worry.
“Any building left exposed can have pipes freeze up. Normal insulation and water use in the house should be fine,” she said.
Is ERCOT ready for extreme cold weather?
Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to activate state emergency response resources ahead of potential winter weather expected to move across the state beginning Thursday.
In a statement, Abbott urged Texans to remain weather-aware and check road conditions before traveling. The state activation includes TxDOT crews pre-treating roadways, DPS troopers patrolling highways, and Texas National Guard high-profile vehicles that can assist stranded motorists, along with monitoring of infrastructure and utilities through agencies including the Public Utility Commission and the Railroad Commission.
Texas infrastructure should have enough power to meet demand, according to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT, which oversees much of the state’s grid.
“Based on expected weather conditions, ERCOT anticipates there will be sufficient generation to meet demand this winter,” read an ERCOT statement. “We are continuing to monitor the weather conditions throughout this week and keep Texans informed through our communications channels.”
ERCOT came under fire after Winter Storm Uri in 2021. Since then, ERCOT has taken steps to weatherize its infrastructure and build up contingency and backup power supplies, according to a statement from the organization.
ERCOT also has a notification system in English and Spanish that will tell Texans when demand for electricity is high and conservation might be necessary. It’s free to sign up.
