Breaking News: Severe Thunderstorm Weather Ravages South-Central Texas
A dangerous weather system is battering South-Central Texas, triggering a severe thunderstorm warning, weather tornado watch, and flash flood alerts across San Antonio, Austin, and surrounding regions. The National Weather Service (NWS) has escalated warnings as storms threaten to unleash large hail, damaging winds exceeding 60 mph, and isolated tornadoes through Tuesday morning .
1. Severe Thunderstorm Warning: Immediate Threats and Impact Zones
The NWS has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for multiple counties, including Bexar, Bandera, Kendall, and Comal, valid until 3:00 AM CDT. Key hazards include:
- Hail up to tennis ball size (2.5+ inches), capable of smashing windows and denting vehicles .
- Damaging straight-line winds (60–70 mph), posing risks of downed trees and power outages. Over 8,600 CPS Energy customers in San Antonio already face outages .
- Torrential rainfall (3–5 inches/hour), triggering life-threatening flash flooding in low-lying areas like Boerne, Comfort, and San Marcos .
Safety Tip: Avoid flooded roads—“Turn Around, Don’t Drown!” Most flood fatalities occur in vehicles .
2. Weather Tornado Watch: San Antonio and Texas Hill Country on High Alert
A weather tornado watch remains active until 1:00 AM CDT for Atascosa, Medina, Uvalde, and Zavala counties. While no tornadoes have been confirmed yet, rotating supercells near Edwards County and San Angelo could spawn isolated tornadoes as they advance southeast .
Critical Updates:
- San Antonio residents reported baseball-sized hail and blinding rain at 10:10 PM, overwhelming drainage systems .
- Flash Flood Warnings cover Guadalupe, Hays, and Travis counties until 3:00 AM, with roads like I-35 and low-water crossings becoming impassable .
Live Radar: Track storms via the NWS Austin/San Antonio Twitter .
3. Tornado Watch Texas: Statewide Risks and Preparedness
The tornado watch Texas advisory extends beyond South-Central Texas, affecting Lee, Burleson, and Brazos counties. A Level 3 of 5 severe risk spans the I-35 corridor, including Austin, with threats escalating overnight .
Key Counties Under Watch:
- Travis County (Austin): Expired tornado watch, but flash flood warnings persist until 1:00 AM. Avoid areas like Round Rock and Pflugerville .
- Bexar County (San Antonio): 3–5 inches of rainfall since 9:00 PM, submerging neighborhoods near Government Canyon State Park .
Emergency Resources:
- Report outages: Austin Energy or CPS Energy .
- Road closures: ATXFloods .
4. Tornado Warning Austin: Post-Storm Recovery and Ongoing Risks
Although the tornado warning Austin has expired, residual risks remain:
- Flash flooding in northwestern Caldwell and eastern Travis counties.
- Debris-clogged drains worsening urban flooding in downtown Austin .
Post-Storm Advisory:
- Monitor WARN Central Texas for emergency alerts.
- Avoid downed power lines and storm-damaged structures.
5. Safety Measures and Emergency Preparedness
During a Tornado Watch:
- Secure outdoor items like patio furniture to prevent wind projectiles.
- Charge devices and keep a battery-powered radio handy .
- Identify safe rooms—interior, windowless spaces on the lowest floor .
During a Severe Thunderstorm Warning:
- Stay indoors away from windows.
- Unplug electronics to avoid power surges .
Post-Storm Checklist:
- Document property damage for insurance claims.
- Avoid driving until roads are cleared.
Real-Time Updates and Community Response
- NWS Austin/San Antonio: Reports indicate training storms (repeated heavy rain over the same areas) in San Antonio, increasing flood risks .
- KSAT Weather Authority App: Download for live Doppler radar and customized alerts .
- Social Media: Follow #txwx on Twitter for crowd-sourced updates .
Power Outages:
- CPS Energy: 8,617 customers without power as of 12:05 AM .
- Bluebonnet Electric Co-op: Check their outage map for rural updates .
Long-Term Forecast: More Storms Ahead
Unstable air masses will keep 30–40% daily rain chances through Thursday, with severe thunderstorm risks lingering. A cooler, drier pattern is expected by Memorial Day weekend .
Conclusion: Stay Vigilant and Informed
With severe thunderstorm warnings and weather tornado watches active across San Antonio and Central Texas, preparedness is critical. Bookmark this page for updates and share safety resources with vulnerable neighbors.
Meta Description Recap: Protect yourself during the severe thunderstorm warning and weather tornado watch in San Antonio. Track tornado watch Texas alerts and tornado warning Austin impacts with our live guide.
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