San Antonio could be in for a loud Friday night, with forecasters zeroing in on a late-evening to pre-dawn window for showers and a few thunderstorms. The clearest threat period runs from about 10 p.m. Friday through roughly 4 a.m. Saturday, when a couple of storms may briefly turn strong or marginally severe, producing heavy downpours, gusty winds and pockets of small hail. The system is expected to weaken by Saturday morning, with sunnier, warmer weather returning for the rest of the weekend. If you have Friday night plans, it is a good idea to have an indoor backup and be ready for fast-changing conditions.
When To Watch
Local meteorologists are circling the 10 p.m. Friday to 4 a.m. Saturday stretch as the main window for showers and storms. According to KSAT, there is a chance that one or two overnight storms could reach strong or severe levels before the line loses steam. Once the system pushes through, forecasts call for the rest of the weekend to trend sunnier and warmer.
What Forecasters Are Watching
The National Weather Service, Austin/San Antonio has highlighted Friday into early Saturday as the period with the best rain chances and has been fine-tuning its outlook through Thursday evening. The Weather Prediction Center places parts of South Texas, including San Antonio, under a Slight Risk of excessive rainfall for the same time frame, pointing to backbuilding and training storms that could lead to brief urban flash flooding. That setup, with heavy overnight rain repeatedly passing over the same spots, raises flash-flood concerns in low-lying and poorly drained neighborhoods.
Severe Threat
The Storm Prediction Center Day 1 outlook on May 7 describes the risk across southern and central Texas as isolated and marginal. It also flags the Edwards Plateau and parts of the Lower Rio Grande Valley for a localized hail or gust threat where stronger updrafts form. In an update, the SPC trimmed some hail probabilities but noted that lingering instability and strong shear could still support brief, transient severe pulses. In practical terms, a widespread severe weather outbreak is not on the table, but an isolated damaging gust or bit of small hail remains on the menu in the strongest cells.
How To Prepare
Charge your phones before bedtime, secure loose outdoor items and move any late-night events indoors if thunderstorms look likely. Steer clear of driving through standing water and plan for a little extra travel time Saturday morning if roads are still wet. Keep weather alerts turned on and follow updates from the NWS and trusted local outlets as the line of storms approaches and moves through the area.
