Sign up for TPR Today, Texas Public Radio's newsletter that brings our top stories to your inbox each morning.
Many residents across South Central Texas woke up before dawn Monday to loud emergency notifications labeled “Imminent Threat Alert.”
For some residents, the alerts seemed unfamiliar. Others reported receiving multiple alerts before dawn and wondered whether emergency officials had changed how flood warnings are issued.
The notifications were triggered by flash flood warnings issued as heavy rain moved across South Central Texas overnight.
“Nothing has changed recently,” said Bob Fogarty, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in New Braunfels.
Fogarty told TPR that one possible reason the alerts felt different to some users could be a recent Apple software update.
Apple says iPhones running iOS 26.2 or later can receive “Enhanced Safety Alerts,” which provide supplemental notifications for emergencies such as floods. The alerts can include maps of affected areas, safety information and different alert sounds.
According to Apple, iPhones may receive those alerts in addition to government-issued emergency warnings delivered through wireless carriers. Apple also says Enhanced Safety Alerts may arrive faster than traditional government alerts in some cases.
Fogarty said the Weather Service heard more questions from residents in the Austin area, where some warnings were issued around 2 or 3 a.m. In San Antonio, many alerts arrived closer to dawn.
Those warnings were sent through the federal Wireless Emergency Alerts system, which delivers emergency notifications directly to cell phones located within a warning area. The alerts are designed to quickly get people’s attention during potentially life-threatening situations.
According to the Weather Service, multiple flash flood warnings were issued overnight and some were later extended, resulting in additional alerts being sent to phones.
The agency also said some residents near the edge of warning areas may have received alerts from neighboring warnings because of cell tower “bleedover,” which occurs when a phone connects to a tower inside a nearby warning area.
Fogarty said flooding remains South Central Texas’ deadliest weather threat, which is why residents should pay attention when flash flood warnings are issued.
He encouraged residents to leave emergency alerts enabled on their phones and pay attention when warnings are issued.
“It may save your life if you have the warnings turned on,” Fogarty said.
Although Bexar County was removed from the region’s flood watch Tuesday afternoon, Fogarty said forecasts can change quickly and residents should keep emergency alerts enabled as additional rounds of rain remain possible.
“As I’m sure you know, we’re not always right,” Fogarty said. “Weather-aware is always a good thing.”
