A powerful storm that moved through San Antonio on Friday night, August, 28, was a downburst, not a microburst, according to the National Weather Service.
A downburst happens when a powerful column of sinking air inside a thunderstorm rushes toward the ground and spreads outward, creating straight-line winds. Rain-cooled air becomes heavier and denser as it sinks, helping produce strong wind gusts. Winds reached about 60 mph during Friday night’s storm.
The storm caused widespread damage, business closures and power outages across the city. CPS Energy said it could take days to restore power because of the severity of the damage and directed customers without electricity to cooling centers as temperatures were expected to reach the mid-90s Saturday.
Officials are reminding residents that they can call 3-1-1 for help with debris pickup. “Libraries and park centers will serve as cooling centers and will operate normal hours today,” San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones said on social media.
Among the places to lose power was San Antonio’s Animal Care Services. The city-run shelter is asking for temporary foster homes the the next three days until power is restored.
There in a slight chance of rain in southern Bexar County during the afternoon hours, the National Weather Service said.
August is not traditionally a rainy month, but storms like Friday night’s can still happen, NWS meteorologist Cory Van Pelt told MySA on Saturday, August 29.
A large tree fell onto an apartment building in the 11200 block of Perrin Beitel Road, according to San Antonio Fire Department dispatches. Several people were evacuated while crews checked the building for damage. No injuries were reported. The tree also knocked down power lines.
A high school band’s tractor-trailer was pushed onto its side near Hero Stadium at 4799 Thousand Oaks Drive. The truck was reportedly associated with the Johnson High School band. Information about injuries and possible damage to band equipment was not immediately available.