Thousands of CPS Energy customers across San Antonio lost power on Friday as a fast-moving cold front swept through the region, bringing wind gusts strong enough to snap tree limbs and knock down power lines. A wind advisory remained in effect until 7 p.m., with forecasters warning that gusts up to 50 mph could make driving hazardous and leave scattered outages in their wake.
According to the MySA report by managing editor Candice Avila-Garcia, the CPS Energy outage map showed 19 outages affecting 3,387 customers at one point Friday, and later 17 outages impacting 1,591 customers. The utility had emailed customers the day before to say it was prepared for gusty winds, noting it was ready for isolated thunderstorms and sustained winds of up to 25 mph starting that night and continuing into the weekend. CPS Energy warned that winds could gust up to 50 mph and take down tree limbs and power lines, potentially affecting reliability, and said crews were on standby to respond safely if outages occurred.
Why Restoration Could Take Longer Than Usual
The utility had placed field crews on standby ahead of the cold front's arrival, according to that report. Customers can report an outage by texting OUT to 47854, and downed power lines can be reported by calling CPS Energy at 210-353-4357.
The National Weather Service office covering Austin and San Antonio issued the wind advisory effective from 4 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, warning of north winds at 25 to 30 mph with gusts reaching 50 mph. Forecasters cautioned that tree limbs could be blown down, driving could be difficult, and residents should secure loose objects ahead of the gusts.
A Dramatic Swing From Summer Heat to Fall Chill
The outages followed one of the sharper temperature swings San Antonio has seen all year. San Antonio averaged a high temperature of 91 degrees over the 10 days leading up to Friday, as reported by the San Antonio Express-News, before the cold front dropped local temperatures by more than 20 degrees in less than 24 hours. Earlier in the week, heat indexes had surpassed 100 degrees across the city.
Overnight low temperatures following the front were forecast to drop into the low 50s in San Antonio, marking the city's coldest air in more than five months, according to a report from Rolling Out. Low-lying valleys in the nearby Texas Hill Country were projected to drop into the upper 30s over the same weekend, the outlet noted.
Anyone Clearing Storm Debris Should Know the Rules
Residents dealing with fallen tree limbs near power lines should be aware that Texas law prohibits unauthorized persons and equipment from coming within six feet of high-voltage overhead lines, holding violators liable for any resulting damages. Per the Fredericksburg Electric Department, the law also requires property owners to give 48 hours' notice to the utility operator before conducting work near high-voltage lines.
How Friday's Outages Compare to Past Storms
Friday's scattered outages were modest next to a severe downburst in late August that brought 75 to 80 mph straight-line winds to Bexar County, causing more than 600 downed-wire reports and cutting power to over 100,000 CPS Energy customers. That storm, previously covered by Hoodline, led Governor Greg Abbott to request SBA disaster loan assistance for Bexar County.
CPS Energy serves roughly 996,000 electric customers and 399,000 natural gas customers across a 1,566-square-mile territory covering Bexar County and parts of seven surrounding counties, according to the utility. CPS Energy is the nation's largest public power, natural gas, and electric company. The utility has generated over $10.6 billion for the city since 1942.
