SAN ANTONIO – Five years have passed since the devastating 2021 winter storm that crippled Texas, leaving millions without power, heat, and, in many cases, access to water.
What happened during that week revealed critical gaps in how agencies communicated risks and how residents understood them.
Today, those lessons have reshaped how meteorologists, utilities, and emergency teams prepare the public for winter hazards.
A shift in messaging
Meteorologist Jason Runyen with the National Weather Service says the storm forced a complete reevaluation of communication strategies.
“We learned a lot from it. So I think once we kind of took a breath, we were able to go back, have some after‑actions, reviews, and learn what went well and what didn’t go well in our messaging,” he said.
Since then, Runyen says forecasters have moved toward impact-based messaging, focusing not just on how much ice or snow might fall, but what that means for everyday life.
“Instead of just communicating how much freezing rain or snow we might get, or how cold the temperatures might get. What does that really mean to you as an individual?”
>> FIVE YEARS AGO: A look back at the historic February 2021 winter storm in San Antonio
Local meteorologists, including the KSAT Weather Authority, have adopted similar strategies. After 2021, community anxiety around winter weather rose sharply.
Meteorologist Adam Caskey reflected on how messaging evolved:
“The messaging changed throughout. The biggest takeaway is since then, the message has gone from ‘there’s a chance of wintry weather’ to it being a novel, to it being nerve‑racking for folks.”
City-wide lessons
The storm’s impact went far beyond icy roads and rolling power outages. For city agencies like CPS Energy and the San Antonio Water System (SAWS), the winter storm left a lasting impact and prompted operational changes.
CPS Energy sent KSAT the following statement in response to a request for comment:
In addition to our year-round conservation outreach, we host seasonal press conferences each summer and winter regarding our preparedness efforts. These briefings highlight the work our teams complete to prepare power plants for extreme temperatures and provide customers with clear information on how to contact us for assistance along with safety and energy savings tips.”
CPS Energy
Meanwhile, SAWS recalled widespread confusion among residents trying to determine whether frozen household pipes or system-wide failures caused their water outages.
“People were trying to figure out, ‘is it my house, or is it the system?’” said Anne Hayden, Communications Director for SAWS. “If your pipes freeze at your house, a lot of people think the water is out, but it isn’t just the pipes at your house.”
That confusion triggered a massive surge in demand for information.
“Our website actually got 10 times the number of hits that it normally does,” Hayden said. “Most people were getting their information about their water service through our website.”
Hayden says they’ve also built ready-to-use cold‑weather graphics so residents know exactly what tools and preparations they need before temperatures drop.
“We now have graphics that are ready that we advise. You know, if it’s going into cold weather, make sure you have these tools at your house.”
SAWS now leans heavily on email and text alert systems to deliver critical information directly to customers, especially during power outages.
From meteorologists to water system officials, the message is clear: The 2021 winter storm permanently changed how San Antonio communicates during weather emergencies.
Agencies now prioritize clarity, real-world impacts and proactive outreach to protect residents when winter weather threatens again.
Copyright 2026 by KSAT – All rights reserved.
Great Job Shelby Ebertowski, Alex Gamez, Misael Gomez, Justin Rodriguez & the Team @ KSAT San Antonio for sharing this story.
