CENTRAL TEXAS — Highs will climb to near 70 this afternoon before a strong cold front works in overnight leading to a chilly Friday. An Arctic front is set to arrive Saturday into Sunday.
THE BREAKDOWN:
- A foggy start today gives way to unseasonable warmth with temperatures nearing 70 this afternoon along with south breezes.
- A strong cold front arrives overnight into Friday bringing the potential for a few storms along and east of I-35. Gusty northwest winds keep things chilly Friday with highs in the low 50s.
- Our strong ARCTIC front is now set to arrive Saturday night into Sunday sending temperatures below freezing for more than 48 hours. Some ice will also be possible.
We're waking up this morning with some fog in spots, in particular east of I-35. Be sure to give yourself extra time on the morning commute and plenty of room between you and the car in front of you. Fog should clear out closer to 9/10am. With the sunshine and southerly breezes, we should see temperatures warm to near 70 later this afternoon.
A strong cold front is set to arrive overnight. A few storms could form along the front as it works into the eastern parts of Central Texas. While I don't expect widespread severe weather, some of these storms could be strong enough to produce 50-60mph winds. Much like what we saw on Monday. Behind the front, expect gusty conditions again Friday with winds sustained around 20-30mph. Some gusts could exceed 35-40mph. This will also combine with morning temperatures in the 30s to make it feel closer to the lower 20s and even teens in some spots. Temperatures Friday will reach the upper 40s and low 50s, with a light freeze possible overnight into Saturday morning.
Saturday will be a more "typical" winter day, with highs in the 50s and 60s. This is when you will need to take preps to winterize your home because...
AN ARCTIC BLAST ARRIVES SATURDAY NIGHT
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 SOMETIME SATURDAY EVENING INTO SUNDAY - 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. There are some questions on how warm we will get Sunday now, as it looks like the arctic air will arrive in two chunks. I think we will struggle to warm up above freezing during the day Sunday.
- A PROLONGED HARD FREEZE IS COMING - Once temperatures go below freezing, all indications are that they won't warm above the 32 mark for about 24-48 hours. It looks like most of the day will be spent below freezing Sunday. With the front arriving earlier now, we very well be below freezing for 48 hours or more, in some cases exceeding 50 hours, with temperatures finally warming above 32 Tuesday afternoon. In addition, wind chills will dip below zero Monday and Tuesday morning.
- MOISTURE IS BACK INTO THE PICTURE, LEADING TO A THREAT OF ICE - While we saw things looking drier with the models Wednesday morning, most models this morning have increased moisture in the atmosphere. Combine that with temperatures being below freezing earlier, and it looks like we will have the potential to see some icing in spots. The highest chance for this as of now looks to be east of I-35. While amounts currently look light (especially lighter than last year's ice storm), it doesn't take a lot of ice to cause issues, so we will watch this closely, but for now - it doesn't look like a repeat of last year's ice storm or 2021.
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 for next weekend.
Have a great Thursday!
Meteorologist Josh Johns
