You remember the feeling. That slight, sharp bite in the air that usually just means you need a heavier flannel, but then you check the radar. On January 21, 2025, San Antonio didn't just get a cold front; it got a rare, legitimate dusting of white stuff that actually stuck to the ground.
Honestly, we’re used to "wintry mixes" being basically just cold rain that makes the I-35 a nightmare. But this was different. For the first time since the traumatic deep freeze of 2021, the San Antonio International Airport officially recorded measurable snowfall—specifically 0.1 inches. It sounds like nothing to someone from Chicago, but here? It’s a full-blown event.
The Morning San Antonio Snow 2025 Turned Real
Most of us woke up that Tuesday to a landscape that looked sorta alien. The National Weather Service had been tracking this thing for days, and while the forecast models were originally split, the "moisture meeting the Arctic air" camp won out.
By about 6 PM on Monday night, the transition started. Rain turned to sleet, and then, as the temperature bottomed out, the flakes started falling. It wasn't a blizzard, but the timing was brutal for the Tuesday morning rush.
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Where the Snow Actually Hit
It wasn't even across the board. If you were on the East Side or out toward Seguin, you probably saw more than your friends in Helotes.
- Gonzales: They actually took the crown with about 1.5 inches.
- New Braunfels: A solid 0.3 inches at the NWS office.
- Boerne and Bulverde: Both clocked in around 0.4 inches.
- Downtown San Antonio: Mostly a dusting, but enough to cover the hoods of cars and the tops of trash cans.
The roads were the real story. TxDOT was out there pre-treating over the weekend, which probably saved a lot of grief, but Highway 57 down in Zavala County saw a tragic multi-vehicle wreck just after midnight. It’s a reminder that even a tiny bit of ice on South Texas roads is fundamentally different from snow in the north. Our infrastructure just isn't built for it.
Why This Wasn't 2021 All Over Again
Whenever the words "Texas" and "Snow" appear in the same sentence now, everyone panics about the grid. That makes sense. 2021 was a disaster. But San Antonio snow 2025 was a different beast entirely.
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The temperatures in 2025 were cold—teens and 20s—but we didn't stay below freezing for a week straight. The sun came out Tuesday afternoon, and by 3 PM, most of that 0.1 inch was just a memory and some wet pavement. ERCOT stayed stable. The lights stayed on. Basically, we got the "aesthetic" of winter without the systemic collapse.
The Science of the "Dusting"
The National Weather Service noted a really high "snow to liquid ratio" (SLR) during this storm. Usually, our snow is wet and clumpy. This time, it was drier and fluffier, which is why it managed to accumulate at all instead of just melting the second it hit the pavement.
A trough of low pressure swung down from the Southwest, tapped into some Gulf moisture, and essentially created a "mini-lake effect" across the Coastal Plains. It’s the kind of meteorology that makes weather nerds go crazy but just makes the rest of us wonder if we should buy extra milk.
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Practical Steps for the Next Cold Snap
Since San Antonio seems to be on a "once every four years" schedule for measurable snow, you've got time to prep. But don't wait until the H-E-B shelves are empty.
- Drip the Faucets: Even if it's not a 2021-level freeze, a night in the low 20s can pop a pipe in an exterior wall. Just a slow drip on the furthest faucet from the main line helps.
- Cover the Plants Now: Don't use plastic; use old blankets or frost cloth. Plastic can actually trap cold against the leaves and kill the plant anyway.
- Check the Tires: Cold air makes tire pressure drop. If your "low air" light came on during the 2025 snow, it’s because the air density changed, not necessarily because you have a leak.
- Watch the Overpasses: In San Antonio, the "main" road might be fine, but the flyovers and 1604/I-10 interchanges freeze first. If there's even a hint of sleet, stay off the upper levels.
The 2025 event was a reminder that while we live in a place where palm trees grow, the Arctic can still find us. It was a short, sharp shock that gave us some pretty photos and a morning off school, but it also proved we’re a little better prepared than we used to be. Keep those blankets handy; Texas weather is nothing if not unpredictable.