Austin, TX

Attention, Austin! These 5 natural threats can hurt or kill you in 2025

Published

1 year ago

March 20, 2025

Attention, Austin! These 5 natural threats can hurt or kill you in 2025

Spring has arrived in Austin, which also signals the return of potential severe weather — on the heels of an unusually cold and snowy winter.

And severe weather isn’t the only natural threat you might face in Central Texas. Here are five — in no particular order — that can hurt you or even kill you.

No. 1: Severe weather, including floods and tornadoes

While this winter’s bitter temperatures and uncharacteristic precipitation hit Texas hard, the Lone Star State is far from finished with severe weather. In fact, 2025 has already brought flood advisories triggered by heavy rain, as well as severe storms.

Just over the weekend, the same major storm system that caused flooding in Southern California brought high winds to Texas. The strong winds combined with dry conditions to fuel several fires. Red flag warnings across the state continued into the week. The system also brought haboobs, or dust storms, into the High Plains.

The deadliest flood event in recent memory was prompted by Hurricane Harvey in August and September 2017, which directly caused 89 deaths. Another deadly flood, more local, happened during the Memorial Day weekend in 2015. Flooding across Central Texas, particularly in Hays County, southwest of Austin, left 14 people dead, including a dozen along the Blanco River.

Twisters also have taken their toll on Central Texas. The U.S. recorded at least 1,855 tornadoes in 2024, surpassing the previous record of 1,814 set in 2004. Among the states, Texas saw the most with 169 — more than doubling 2023’s total of 78.

But the deadliest tornado outbreak in Central Texas happened 27 years earlier. On May 27, 1997, the strongest of a series of tornadoes leveled neighborhoods in Jarrell, near Williamson County’s northern border, killing 27 people and injuring 12 others.

No. 2: Extreme temperatures — freezes and excessive heat

Sometimes, the weather danger isn’t from rain falling or debris flying through the air — sometimes, it’s the air itself. Austin’s fickle weather can swing temperatures from one extreme to the other.

The last two months have seen winter weather generally atypical for the Lone Star State. Austin even saw some snow, as well as plunging temperatures into the lower teens and single digits, when an arctic air system swept through Texas in February.

For some, this winter’s freezing temperatures were reminiscent of the February 2021 freeze that resulted in at least 240 deaths. The weeklong event strained the Texas power grid nearly to the point of collapse; its icy grip made roads impassable and knocked out water pipes.

As deadly as freezes can become in Austin, we’re more likely to encounter extreme heat, especially in summer, but increasingly also in spring and fall. For many local students, 2024’s first week of school was an exceptionally hot one. Heat indexes of up to 111 degrees prompted heat advisories and excessive heat warnings. Two months before, another heat wave also brought triple-digit temperatures to Central Texas.

Heat-related illnesses have been rising in Austin, a trend Mayor Kirk Watson and other officials attribute to climate change. Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services responded to 125 heat-related illnesses in May 2024, according to data from the organization. That’s a 150% increase from the 50 incidents the agency saw in May 2023.

Over Memorial Day weekend alone, EMS responded to 54 heat-related illnesses over three days, up from just eight in 2023.

No. 3: Venomous animals such as snakes

When the atmosphere isn’t presenting a threat, sometimes it’s venomous residents on the ground. Most snakes aren’t venomous, but you could come across four species that are in Central Texas:

Western diamondback rattlesnakes, which can be identified easily by the “rattle” on their tails, are the most common rattlesnake in Texas and are most active at night.
Coral snakes, known by their red, yellow and black stripes, have red touching yellow on their bodies. Nonvenomous snakes, such as the Texas milk snake, have red and black touching.
Copperheads can be well-hidden in forests and have gray and brown bands.
Cottonmouths, also known as water moccasins, have brown, dark red or tan bands, and can be aggressive while being defensive. They are not always in the water.

If you are bitten by a venomous snake, call 911. Austin-Travis County EMS recommends that you:

Do not apply tourniquets to snakebites or try to “suck” the venom out of a snakebite.
If possible, take a picture or get a good description of the snake, but do not try to capture it.
Keep the injured area at or below the level of the heart.
Apply ice or cold packs to the injured area to help reduce swelling.

No. 4: Viruses such as the flu, measles, COVID-19

A series of viruses have spread through Central Texas in the past several months, in addition to the coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic.

There has been a sharp increase in flu-related medical visits in Travis County since the start of the year, according to Austin Public Health. The third week of January, 9.9% of emergency room visits in Central Texas were for flu. For the flu season, beginning Sept. 29, 2024, and up to March 8, 2025, 11 adults have died from influenza-associated causes. There had also been four outbreaks in schools and long-term care facilities.

This year, Texas has also reported the first U.S. measles death in 10 years. As of March 18, the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) had identified 279 cases, 36 of which required hospitalization.

At this time, there have been no confirmed measles cases in Central Texas, as outbreaks have generally occurred in West Texas. However, it is an extremely infectious disease: 90% of people exposed to the virus who have not been vaccinated or do not have natural immunity will become infected after being exposed. The virus can live on the surfaces of a room for two hours after exposure.

The DSHS has reported possible measles exposures in Live Oak, New Braunfels, San Marcos, San Antonio and Wall.

No. 5: Water hazards such as toxin-producing algae

During the past several years, Austin’s Watershed Protection Department has been on the lookout for dihydroanatoxin-a, a potent neurotoxin that has turned up in blue-green algae growing in Lady Bird Lake and other local waterways. Since 2019, several dogs have died after ingesting water with the harmful algae, including one in July 2024.

For the past four years, the city has treated specific areas throughout the lake with lanthanum-modified bentonite, a type of clay material that binds to phosphorus in the water, making it unavailable for algae to feed on. Blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, is toxic to humans and pets.

Symptoms of algae poisoning in dogs can include excessive drooling, vomiting or diarrhea, foaming at the mouth, jaundice or an enlarged liver, blood in their urine or dark urine, stumbling, loss of appetite, abdominal tenderness, progression of muscle twitches and respiratory paralysis.

Humans might experience a rash, irritation, swelling, sores, a fever, headache, eye irritation, or gastrointestinal, neurological, ear or respiratory issues.

— Former Statesman staff Roberto Villalpando contributed to this report.

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Austin, TX

Everything you need to know about Austin run clubs

Published

6 hours ago

June 18, 2026

Press Room

Everything you need to know about Austin run clubs

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Data analyst Corey Yeung created the ATX Running Guide to help runners find community across Central Texas. What started as a personal project has become one of Austin’s most comprehensive running resources.

Looking for a Run Club? There’s a Map for That

When Corey Yeung moved to Austin three years ago, he had a simple question:
“How many run clubs are actually out there?” The answer wasn’t easy to find. While several websites listed local groups, Yeung felt none offered a complete picture. So, he decided to build one himself. What started as a spreadsheet evolved into ATX Running Guide, a website and social media platform that helps runners discover clubs throughout the Austin area.

“The list would be more useful if it were a map and search tool,” Yeung said. “The Instagram page was simply a way to communicate those free resources to the community.”

Today, the guide covers running groups from San Marcos to Hutto and serves as a one-stop resource for runners looking to connect. In this episode of KXAN’S Plus Simple Health, Corey Yeung walks us through everything you need to know about the 200-plus running clubs in Austin.

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Austin, TX

Texas Volts begin first home slate Thursday at Dell Diamond

Published

16 hours ago

June 18, 2026

Press Room

Texas Volts begin first home slate Thursday at Dell Diamond

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Volts are off to a rough start in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League, but maybe a little home cooking can help them get right.

After playing their first five games on the road, the Volts open play at Dell Diamond in Round Rock at 6 p.m. Thursday against the Utah Talons, kicking off an 8-game homestand.

Texas Volts Logo (Courtesy Athletes Unlimited Softball League)

It’s the first season the Volts will call Dell Diamond home. In the league’s inaugural season last year, the original four teams competed with a touring schedule that included a stop at Dell Diamond. This is the first year that the AUSL, now a 6-team league, will play in home markets.

They have a roster peppered with local stars, including 2-time NCAA national champion middle infielder Leighann Goode from the Texas Longhorns. Aliyah Binford, a New Braunfels native, played collegiately for Ole Miss and former Texas State pitcher Jessica Mullins made an appearance in the Volts’ previous series against the Carolina Blaze.

Goode said there’s been a bit of a learning curve, but she credits her teammates for helping her adjust to the league.

“This group has brought me in and taught me stuff, taken me under their wings,” she said. “They’ve done an awesome job.”

Legendary Texas pitcher Cat Osterman is the team’s general manager, and the head coach is Texas State’s Ricci Woodard.

“We’re ready to rock and roll at home,” Woodard said. “I’m anxious to see what happens now that we get to play in our own place.”

Texas Tech pitcher NiJaree Canady, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 draft, joined the team last weekend after a brief contract holdout.

The Volts are 1-4 this season, picking up their lone win over the Oklahoma City Spark on June 10. They’ll face the Talons in a 3-game series, the Chicago Bandits for a pair June 23-24, and finish the homestand with a 3-game set against the expansion Portland Cascade on June 26-28.

Ryan Sanders Baseball, the organization that owns and operates the Round Rock Express, is an operating partner with the Volts and an investor with the AUSL.

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Austin, TX

Investigators seek clues in small jet crash that killed 1 in Texas, where bystanders rushed to help

Published

1 day ago

June 17, 2026

Press Room

Investigators seek clues in small jet crash that killed 1 in Texas, where bystanders rushed to help

(AP) – Investigators combed through wreckage Wednesday for clues to why a business jet crashed on a Texas highway, killing one person on board after its pilots reported mechanical problems while requesting an emergency landing at a nearby airport.

The fiery crash late Tuesday in Laredo near the Mexican border sent bystanders racing from their cars to help police rescue passengers and crew from the burning aircraft. The crash killed Joshua Baer, a leader in Texas’ technology and startup sectors, the president of Baer’s company told the Austin American-Statesman.

Video from the frantic scene showed someone trying to smash the cockpit glass with a sledgehammer, while others used makeshift levers as they worked to open the plane’s door. Local officials said a firefighter entered the smoke-filled jet to extract one person still inside after the rest had escaped.

“While the loss of life is deeply regrettable, it is nothing short of a miracle that this tragedy did not become a mass fatality event,” Laredo Mayor Victor Treviño told a news conference Wednesday.

The cause of the crash was not immediately known. The Federal Aviation Administration was investigating along with the National Transportation Board.

Laredo Police Chief Miguel Rodriguez Jr. said investigators working to reconstruct the crash were at the crash site Wednesday.

Crash victim worked to help entrepreneurs launch startups

Baer was the founder and chief executive of Austin-based Capital Factory, which helps entrepreneurs connect with investors and others to launch their businesses.

“Joshua was a fearless leader, a brilliant partner, and a dear friend to so many of us,” Capital Factory President Bryan Chambers told the Austin newspaper.

Capital Factory executives did not immediately return phone messages Wednesday from The Associated Press.

Baer lived in Austin with his wife and three children, according to his LinkedIn page. He recently taught a student entrepreneur class at the University of Texas at Austin.

“I help people quit their jobs and become entrepreneurs,” Baer said on his LinkedIn page.

In a social media post, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas called Baer “one of the most significant figures driving innovation and entrepreneurship across America.”

Police did not release the name of the person killed, citing a request from family members. Rodriguez said those on the plane included two pilots and three teenagers.

Pilots reported low fuel, electrical issues, airport director says

The Cessna Citation Latitude twin jet departed Tuesday evening from the Mexican resort city of San José del Cabo and was bound for Austin, Texas, the FAA said in a statement.

The plane was operated by NetJets, a company owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway that lets people buy part ownership in private jets. NetJets said in a statement it was cooperating with authorities.

The jet went down at about 10 p.m. Tuesday on the Loop 20 highway, just a few minutes after its pilots radioed the local airport seeking to make an emergency landing. Their call to air traffic controllers “mentioned low fuel and a power outage,” Laredo International Airport Director Gilberto Sanchez said.

“They had mechanical issues and they lost communication with the tower,” Sanchez said Wednesday, “and that’s when the accident happened.”

Dashcam video posted on social media showed the aircraft careening down the highway and knocking down a light post before coming to a stop near the airport. The jet also barreled into a car, sending one motorist to a hospital in stable condition, said Laredo police investigator Jose Baeza.

Video posted to social media showed the plane on its side, smashed into a highway barrier with the tail ripped from the fuselage.

“It looked like part of a movie. I was in shock,” said Zayra Garza, an esthetician who was driving her co-workers home when she came upon the crash.

Garza, who shot video of the scene as her husband ran to help, saw motorists leave their cars to try to help smash the cockpit glass. She said the plane’s door opened and three people who looked like teenagers rushed out, followed by someone who appeared to be a pilot. Another crew member tried to pull out a person who seemed to be unconscious.

Smoke billowed from the plane as a firefighter climbed into the aircraft to rescue the remaining passenger. Police officers helping prop open the door had to back away as they doubled over coughing because of the intense smoke. Police said five officers were treated at a hospital for smoke inhalation.

“What was worrying me was the fire,” Garza said. “I was concerned that it could have just exploded at any time.”

This was the third significant aviation accident in as many days. A B-52 crashed Monday during a test flight at Edwards Air Force Base in California and killed all eight people aboard, while on Sunday, 12 people were killed when a plane on a skydiving outing in Missouri crashed.

___

Golden reported from Seattle; Collins reported from Hartford, Connecticut; and Bynum reported from Savannah, Georgia. AP journalists Josh Funk in Omaha, Nebraska, and Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina, contributed to this report.

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