An arctic cold front has entered North Texas a little ahead of schedule. As of 2 pm Tuesday, the cold front stretched from Tyler, to Waco, to Mason and Eldorado. Temperatures behind the front have fallen into the upper 30s around Abilene and into the 40s around Brownwood. Ahead of the cold front, the 2 pm Austin temperature was a very warm 86 degrees.
The cold front is predicted to move through the central Hill Country this afternoon, reaching the Austin area around 5 or 6 pm, and the La Grange area in the late evening. Behind the front, temperatures are forecast to fall some 30-40 degrees by early evening. Northeasterly winds will increase to 10-15 mph, with gusts to 25 mph behind the cold front. The front is predicted to stall over the coastal plains region tonight through Wednesday afternoon.
- Lows Wednesday morning are forecast to be in the mid and upper 30s across the Hill Country, the upper 30s to low 40s across Central Texas, and the low 60s across the coastal plains.
Widespread light rain is forecast across the region Wednesday as an overrunning pattern sets up ahead of an approaching trough of low pressure. It will be a cold, damp and breezy day, with north winds at 10-15 mph.
- High temperatures Wednesday will include the upper 30s across the Hill Country, the low 40s across Central Texas, and mid-60s to low 70s across the coastal plains.
Widespread light precipitation is forecast to continue Wednesday night through Thursday and early Friday morning as the upper trough passes to the north of our region. With temperatures forecast to fall below freezing across much of the Hill Country and the Austin area late Wednesday night into Thursday morning, some of the light rain may change over to light freezing rain, light freezing drizzle and a few sleet pellets. With the ground fairly warm from the recent spell of warm temperatures, this freezing precipitation will cause hazardous driving conditions mainly on bridges, overpasses and elevated roadways. Very low ice accumulations are expected. The National Weather Service has posted a Winter Weather Advisory for much of West Central Texas, including San Saba, McCulloch, Mason, Kimble, Menard, Brown and Coleman Counties from 3 am Wednesday through noon on Thursday. Here, ice accumulations of a glaze, to two tenths of an inch are forecast.
Temperatures are predicted to warm a little above freezing Thursday afternoon, easing the threat for frozen precipitation. High temperatures are predicted to be in the upper 30s to low 40s across the Hill Country and Central Texas regions, and be near 60 degrees across the coastal plains.
A reinforcing blast of arctic air is predicted to spread south into our region Thursday night, causing temperatures to fall below freezing across the Hill Country and the Austin/Interstate 35 corridor regions late Thursday night into Friday morning. Here, a mixture of light rain, light freezing rain and sleet is forecast till about mid-morning Friday. The freezing precipitation will have the potential to cause hazardous driving conditions on bridges, overpasses and elevated roadways. Elsewhere, just a cold rain is forecast. The precipitation is forecast to end Friday morning as the trough exits to the east. A cloudy sky is then forecast Friday afternoon.
- Friday afternoon’s temperature is predicted to warm to the low and mid-40s across the Hill Country and the I-35 corridor, and into the low 50s across the coastal plains.
One additional period of freezing precipitation will be possible for the Hill Country and the Austin/Interstate 35 corridor late Friday night as another trough of low pressure approaches from the west, causing the development of more light precipitation. A mixture of light rain, light freezing rain and sleet will be possible across the two areas late Friday night into Saturday morning. Ice accumulations are forecast to be low, and mainly pose a threat to travel on bridges, overpasses and elevated roadways. Elsewhere, just a cold rain is forecast.
- Lows Saturday morning will include the upper 20s across the Hill Country, the low 30s across Central Texas, and the low 40s across the coastal plains.
- High temperatures Saturday will range from the mid-40s across the Hill Country to the mid-50s across the coastal plains.
- Low temperatures Sunday morning will include the mid-30s across the Hill Country, the upper 30s across Central Texas and the mid-40s across the coastal plains.
Forecasts call for the rain to taper off from west to east Sunday morning as the upper trough exits to the northeast. Partly cloudy and warmer conditions are forecast Sunday afternoon, with temperatures climbing to around 60 degrees.
Bob
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