This story was last updated at 12:15 a.m. on August 30, 2026. CPS Energy crews continued working through the night to restore power after severe storms knocked out power in the San Antonio area Friday night. As of 12:15 a.m. Sunday, 47,276 customers remained without power, down from 112,000 at the height of the storm. View real-time power outage information: CPS power outage map Frank, president and interim CEO of CPS Energy Almaraz warned that some customers could be without power for several days. “We have downed lines, broken poles and downed trees. Some of these outages are going to last several days,” Almaraz said. “So please start making plans now. Put your emergency plan into action and make plans to stay cool somewhere.” CPS Energy reported 653 active outages and about 250 calls for downed wires. The extended outages come as warm weather continues into the weekend. Overnight lows will only drop to the upper 70s before temperatures rise to around 98 degrees on Sunday, with heat index values as high as 101. At Taquería Chapala Jalisco on McCullough Avenue north of downtown, dozens of people without power gathered Saturday to cool off and charge their phones and other devices. One hostess said the restaurant had been packed all day with people seeking relief for their homes without power. North Side resident Cindy Rodriguez-Martinez said she was still shaken from Friday night’s storm. The power went out at his theater just before the second act of his sold-out play, “Yes, No!” The trip home was even more disturbing. “Then on the way home, that was the scariest thing that ever happened, because he was traveling all dressed in black,” Rodríguez-Martínez said. “As I drive, I pray about everything.” He said he encountered downed power lines, flooded streets and car accidents along the way. His daughter, Nicki Martinez, had planned to move into a new house Saturday night with the help of friends after her shifts. Since his mother still did not have electricity, the family now planned to leave a mattress so that Rodríguez Martínez and his grandson could stay with Martínez in the air conditioning. Other families tried to recover food before it spoiled. Yesenia Cortez, who was cooling off at the restaurant with her three young children, said she had already thrown out the contents of her refrigerator. She was also worried about what another extended outage on Monday could mean. “If they don’t have school, then I really don’t know what I’m going to do at work because I don’t have anyone to watch over them,” Cortez said. Nearby, Cleo Booker was carrying a small bag of ice back to her apartment, hoping to save meat from her refrigerator. Booker said he has lived in San Antonio since 2010 and had experienced brief power outages before, but never anything approaching multiple days. “That never happened,” Booker said. “When it rains a lot around here or there’s a strong wind, the light may go out, but it will come back on in about an hour.” 1 of 8 — IMG_2877.jpeg Storm damage at San Pedro Avenue and Cypress Street, where high winds tore off part of the exterior wall of a building during Friday night’s severe storms. Joey Palacios / TPR 2 of 8 — e14b3922-e311-4143-b8bc-c4f831725481.jpeg Storm damage ripped off sections of the roof of a Salvation Army facility in San Antonio. Courtesy: Salvation Army 3 of 8 — IMG_9669.jpeg Debris from the storm, including a fallen umbrella and fallen tree branches, is scattered across an outdoor area at Colegio San Antonio. Courtesy: San Antonio College 4 of 8 — iOS Image (8).jpg A large tree was blown down outside the San Antonio Zoo after severe storms hit the city Friday night. 5 of 8 — IMG_1303.jpg Overnight storms downed trees in parts of San Antonio, including this Monte Vista neighborhood, on August 28, 2026. Amy Kemter Galván / Courtesy Photo 6 of 8 — IMG_1301.jpg A summer storm caused power outages and downed trees in parts of San Antonio. August 28, 2026 Amy Kemter Galván / Photo courtesy 7 of 8 — IMG_1300.jpg Storms cause power outages and downed trees in parts of San Antonio —Aug. 29, 2026 Amy Kemter Galván / Photo courtesy 8 of 8 — IMG_1298.jpg A summer storm on the night of August 28, 2026 caused power outages and downed trees. Amy Kemter Galvan / Courtesy Photo In a preliminary storm report, the National Weather Service said widespread tree damage occurred in a corridor stretching from northeast Bexar County through downtown San Antonio to southwest Bexar County. Emergency managers also reported scattered damage to fences, power lines, utility poles and some roofs. On the west side, traffic lights were torn from their supports and residents worked Saturday morning to remove fallen trees from their homes. Damage was also reported north of the city center. San Antonio College canceled Saturday classes after the storm. See Bexar County road closures: BexarFlood.org. The Weather Service said the damage was consistent with straight-line winds. Measured wind speeds reached 50 to 65 mph, with pockets of wind around 75 mph estimated from radar and resulting damage. A maximum gust of 77 mph was recorded at San Antonio International Airport. The canopy of a Texaco gas station collapsed on vehicles during severe storms on the north side of San Antonio on Friday night, August 28, 2026. People whose medical equipment is affected by a power outage should call 911 in an emergency or 311 for non-emergency help. Residents can also submit non-emergency requests through the city’s online 311 portalor the 311SA mobile app. Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones said libraries and park centers were operating as cooling centers during their normal Saturday hours. Pets are allowed. Some library branches remained closed because they also lost power, including Bazán, Las Palmas and San Pedro. The city has also opened several resilience centers, which provide emergency resources such as power access, device charging, Wi-Fi and other basic needs. Residents without power who need refrigeration for medications can use a resiliency center or call the CPS Energy Customer Response Unit at 210-353-2783 for assistance. Six resilience centers will remain open overnight until 4pm on Sunday. Residents planning to stay overnight are asked to bring clothing, supplies and medications. Kennels will be available for pets in separate areas. The Normoyle Senior Center, Gilbert Garza Community Center, Miller’s Pond Community Center and Copernicus Community Center were open Saturday afternoon. The Southside Lions Senior Center and Northeast Senior Center opened their doors Saturday at 4 p.m. VIA Metropolitan Transit provides free transportation to cooling centers and overnight resiliency centers. Anyone needing transportation assistance can call 311 or 210-207-6000. City crews are clearing downed trees and debris from streets and other public rights-of-way so emergency vehicles and utility crews can reach affected neighborhoods. Storm debris can be taken to the city’s Brush Collection Center at 1800 Wurzbach Parkway. The center will be open Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and storm-related brush removal fees will be waived this weekend. The city is also asking people to report storm damage to homes, businesses and agricultural properties through the state’s iSTAT damage survey. Officials said the reports help assess the extent of damage, but do not replace an insurance claim or guarantee disaster assistance. Eleanor Fitzgerald / San Antonio ReportA San Antonio Public Works crew repairs a traffic signal Saturday following severe storms that caused widespread power outages and damage throughout the city. CPS Energy urges residents to take precautions during extended outages, including operating generators outdoors and away from doors and windows, treating all downed power lines as live, and keeping refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible. Annalisa Rodriguez said she was joining about 15 family members for a cookout after several family members lost power. “I have the meat in a cooler and I take it to my family,” Rodríguez said. “We have no choice because much of it thaws.” He said he had already thrown away dairy products and expected to lose more food if power was not restored soon. Joey Palacios, Jerry Clayton, Yvette Benavides and Dan Katz of Texas Public Radio, and Eleanor Fitzgerald of the San Antonio Report contributed to this report.
