Urgent Tornado Warning in San Antonio: Live Path Updates & Safety Tips

San Antonio residents were jolted late Wednesday night as the National Weather Service (NWS) Austin/San Antonio issued a Tornado Warning for western Bexar County—including Leon Valley, Helotes and Castle Hills—effective until 12:15 a.m. CDT. Radar indicated rotation just northwest of Loop 1604, prompting meteorologists to warn of a possible tornado capable of producing quarter-size hail and wind gusts over 60 mph. Severe-weather setup • A slow-moving upper-level disturbance colliding with Gulf moisture is driving multiple rounds of thunderstorms across South-Central Texas. • An outflow boundary from earlier storms acted as a trigger, intensifying cells as they crossed into the I-10/US-90 corridor. • Dew points in the mid-70s and strong wind shear are creating an environment favorable for brief, rain-wrapped tornadoes and damaging microbursts. What areas are at greatest risk? • Northwest San Antonio: Helotes Creek to Bandera Road • Medical Center & Loop 410 corridor • Northern suburbs along Highway 16 toward Pipe Creek These zones sit directly under the warned polygon and should remain sheltered until the NWS gives all-clear. Safety actions to take now 1. Move to an interior room on the lowest floor—avoid windows and outside walls. 2. If driving on Loop 1604 or I-10, exit and seek sturdy shelter; overpasses are NOT safe. 3. Keep your mobile phone charged and volume on high for Wireless Emergency Alerts. 4. Have helmets or sturdy shoes handy to protect against flying debris. Flood and hail concerns Street flooding is already being reported along Fredericksburg Road and Wurzbach Parkway as storms dump 1–3 inches of rain per hour. Ping-pong-ball hail was observed near Braun Road around 11:40 p.m., and additional hail cores are developing southwest of Boerne. Turn Around, Don’t Drown if you encounter water-covered roads. Forecast through Thursday morning • Storm window: now through 5 a.m.—expect several clusters riding east-southeast toward downtown. • Threats: isolated tornadoes, 1–2″ hail, 40–70 mph wind gusts, flash flooding. • After sunrise: lingering showers may redevelop as daytime heating interacts with leftover outflow boundaries; a secondary round is possible late afternoon. Power & travel impacts CPS Energy reported more than 8,000 outages concentrated near Leon Valley. San Antonio International Airport placed all ground operations on hold; check flight status before heading out. VIA buses could reroute if water rises on low-lying crossings. Historical context While large, violent tornadoes are rare inside Loop 410, Bexar County has recorded 14 tornadoes rated EF-1 or higher since 2000. Most were short-lived but still caused roof damage and toppled oaks, underscoring the importance of taking every warning seriously. Stay informed • Live Doppler radar and lightning tracker on the KSAT Weather Authority app. • NOAA Weather Radio frequency 162.400 MHz for continuous updates. • Follow @NWSSanAntonio and local TV meteorologists on social media for real-time path adjustments. Bottom line If you are in or near the warned area, shelter immediately and remain there until officials cancel the Tornado Warning. More storms are on the way overnight, so keep multiple alert methods active and prepare for rapidly changing conditions across San Antonio and the Hill Country.