A strong cold front moving through on Friday will create a sharp temperature contrast across Texas, with warmer air to the south and chilly conditions settling in to the north.
WeatherBell
It comes as no surprise that this winter has been unusually warm and dry across Central Texas. Austin has recorded just one day of freezing temperatures at Camp Mabry since Dec. 1, the start of meteorological winter. Meanwhile, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport has logged four days at or below 32 degrees, the most recent occurring Thursday morning.
Overall, this winter to date currently ranks as the warmest on record, based on average temperatures. This shouldn’t come as too much of a shock, as during the first nine days of January, afternoons were in the 70s and 80s, with the hottest temperature reaching 88 degrees on Jan. 2. However, this week we’ve experienced a little bit more seasonable weather, from chilly mornings in the 30s and 40s to mild afternoons in the 60s.
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So far, winter’s average daily temperature since December stands at 59.4 degrees, but we still have about a month and a half to determine where the season ultimately lands in the record books.
If you are looking for more winter-appropriate temperatures, a blustery cold front moves through the Lone Star State on Friday. The front will bring in some of the coldest air of the season, making Austin’s second freeze day at the Camp Mabry weather station a strong possibility Sunday morning.
Tracking the cold front
Friday will begin with clear skies, light south winds, and morning temperatures in the middle to upper 40s. Sunshine will prevail in the afternoon, helping to inflate temperatures to their warmest of the week: Think afternoon temperatures ranging from 67 to 75 degrees.
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Temperatures will be about 15 degrees warmer than normal on Friday in Austin.
Pivotal
However, our friends in North Texas will be feeling the chill with afternoon temperatures a good 15 to 20 degrees cooler.
The cold front blasting through is expected to arrive by 3 p.m., bringing fierce north winds of around 20 mph. Clear skies are forecast for Friday night, with temperatures dropping into the upper 30s and lower 40s by daybreak on Saturday.
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A reinforcing shot of colder air will arrive on Saturday, accompanied by partly to mostly cloudy skies, a few sprinkles, northerly breezes and temperatures in the 50s. An elevated to a near-critical threat of fast-spreading wildfires is possible Saturday afternoon because of the stiff winds and especially dry air, according to the National Weather Service. The Texas A&M Forest Service has placed Central Texas under a moderate fire threat this weekend.
Clear skies and light winds Sunday morning will allow the coldest air of the season to settle into Central Texas. Morning lows are expected to fall into the mid-20s to low 30s.
Pivotal
Another freeze in Austin?
The cold air Saturday night will settle across the region and our first widespread freeze of the season appears imminent for Sunday morning, which isn’t the best timing for the Spurs Austin Half Marathon.
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“Coldest temperatures in our CWA (county warning area) should be around 20 degrees, with some isolated Hill Country pockets in the teens possible,” the weather service wrote in their forecast briefing on Thursday. “Most of the major metro areas should expect what we would call a light freeze, generally at or above 28 degrees.”
Friday’s cold front will bring Austin temperatures down into the 50s on Saturday, followed by a hard freeze for some areas by Sunday morning.
Roberto Villalpando
With temperatures this cold, Central Texas will need to protect three of the four P’s: people, pets and plants. Our pipes should be fine during this next freeze, as it will be short-lived. Temperatures will climb above freezing by 9 a.m., reaching the 50s by 1 p.m., and topping out near 60 later in the afternoon.
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Next week will bring warmer, more seasonably mild weather, with a good chance of rain moving in by midweek.
