Severe thunderstorms moving through the San Antonio area have triggered widespread power outages, with more than 65,000 customers still without electricity, according to utility outage reports. The outages are being caused directly by the storms – strong winds, lightning, and downed tree limbs damaging power lines and equipment – not by any grid malfunction or space-weather event.
Residents in and around San Antonio may notice flickering lights, darkened neighborhoods, non-functioning traffic signals, and closed gas stations or grocery stores in the hardest-hit pockets. Cell service can also degrade in areas where towers lose backup power, so connectivity may be spotty even if your home still has electricity.
What to keep in mind
If you are among those without power, a few practical steps make a difference:
Keep refrigerators and freezers closed. A closed fridge keeps food safe for roughly four hours; a full freezer holds temperature for about 48 hours. When in doubt after restoration, throw perishables out.
Use generators safely. Never run a generator, grill, or camp stove indoors or in a garage – carbon monoxide is odorless and deadly. Keep generators outside, at least 20 feet from windows and doors.
Report and track your outage. Let your utility know your home is out (don’t assume neighbors reported it), and check the utility’s outage map for estimated restoration times. With storm damage this widespread, repairs are prioritized by hazard severity and the number of customers restored per fix, so some pockets may wait longer than others.
Also treat any darkened traffic lights as four-way stops, and never touch or drive over a downed power line – assume every line is live and report it instead.
Outage and storm-impact figures in this alert come from utility outage reporting and National Weather Service (NWS/NOAA) severe weather statements for the San Antonio area.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long until my power is restored?
Restoration times vary by neighborhood – crews repair hazards like downed lines first, then fixes that restore the most customers. Check CPS Energy's outage map for an estimate specific to your address, and report your outage if you haven't already.
Is this outage connected to a geomagnetic storm or space weather?
No. These outages were caused directly by severe thunderstorms over San Antonio – wind, lightning, and falling limbs damaging local power equipment. There is no geomagnetic storm involvement in this event.
Is it safe to use my generator during the outage?
Yes, but only outdoors and at least 20 feet from doors, windows, and vents. Running a generator indoors or in a garage causes carbon monoxide poisoning, which is one of the leading causes of death after major outages.
Will my food still be safe when power comes back?
Food in a closed refrigerator stays safe about four hours, and a full freezer about 48 hours (24 if half-full). Discard any perishables that were above 40°F for more than two hours.
Keep tracking this: the Space Weather Command Center shows live storm levels, aurora visibility and active alerts in plain English, and the Event Database is a searchable log of every alert we’ve tracked – earthquakes, solar flares, CMEs and geomagnetic storms, free to search or download.
Source: WOAI
Sky & Solar Conditions at the Time
Moon: Full Moon (97% illuminated), in Pisces.
Notable planetary angles: Jupiter trine Saturn (119°), Mars square Saturn (88°), Sun conjunct Mercury (2°), Mercury sextile Mars (56°).
Concurrent space weather: planetary Kp index 2.3; strongest recent solar flare: nothing notable.
This is a factual snapshot, not a claim of cause and effect – researchers are divided on whether lunar, planetary or solar factors influence seismic or weather activity. It’s included so readers can track the pattern for themselves over time.
