CENTRAL TEXAS — Highs will climb into the upper 40s and low 50s today thanks to a stronger cold front. Winds will be out of the northwest at 20-30mph today. Saturday will be warmer before an arctic blast arrives in the late afternoon or evening.
For a map and list of warming centers in Central Texas and the Brazos Valley, click here.
THE BREAKDOWN:
- A potent cold front is moving through today, bringing strong winds out of the northwest and keeping temperatures in the 40s and 50s. A light freeze will be possible tonight.
- Highs climb into the 60s Saturday, before a strong Arctic front arrives later in the evening. Temperatures will quickly drop, potentially falling below freezing as early as Saturday night.
- Freezing Drizzle and Freezing rain develop overnight Sunday into Monday leading to icy spots Monday.
This morning, a cold (but not arctic) front is working though. Winds will blow at 20-30mph today with gusts to 40mph possible. Expect highs to climb into the 40s and the 50s, but feel like they're in the mid 40s. It will remain chilly. Overnight, as winds relax, expect a light freeze.
Saturday will be the warmest day of the next ten, as highs will climb into the mid 60s. This is when you will need to take preps to winterize your home before the evening because...
AN ARCTIC BLAST ARRIVES SATURDAY EVENING
The timing of our next front is becoming clearer, there is still a consistent signal that it could bring us some of the coldest air of the season, and we could now see ice. Here's what we know right now:
- A STRONG COLD FRONT LOOKS TO ARRIVE SATURDAY EVENING - Models have sped up the arrival of our front, with our most reliable models now bringing it in Saturday evening. Temperatures will quickly fall into the 30s and even 20s overnight into Sunday morning. I think we will struggle to get out of the 20s all day Sunday.
- MOISTURE CONTINUES TO INCREASE IN THE MODELS, AND ICING MAY BE A THREAT- Freezing drizzle and eventually freezing rain will develop late Sunday into Monday morning. While most of it will be light, there are some indications some more moderate rain could develop over our northeastern counties, northeast of Waco. Total ice accumulations of up to 1/8 inch will be possible in these areas, with most of Central Texas and the Brazos Valley seeing only a glaze to 1/10 of an inch of ice. There is also a chance we see a switch over to sleet and even a few snow flurries Monday morning, which would lower freezing rain accumulations. While this shouldn't lead to downed power lines, it doesn't take a lot of ice to cause issues on the roads for Monday.
- BRUTAL COLD WILL BE COMING- Temperatures will fall below freezing as early as Saturday night and remain below freezing for some locations until Wednesday midday. That means some areas will remain below freezing for more than 80 hours. This is a hard freeze, that could bust pipes, so it will be important to winterize! In addition, wind chills or "feel-like" temperatures could dip below zero Monday and Tuesday morning. You will want to limit your time outside and wear multiple layers. Prepare now!
WE WILL KEEP YOU POSTED - Count on our team of Weather Experts to keep you posted, we will provide continuous updates on air, online, and on social media.
The good news is we thaw out for the rest of next week. There is a chance another round of cold air works in Friday, and some models have precipitation with it. We will need to keep an eye on it!
Have a great Friday and a wonderful weekend!
Meteorologist Josh Johns
