Arctic Cold Arriving Late Week. A Chance for Wintery Precipitation over the Weekend

JAN. 19, 2026

Significant changes in the weather are forecast late week and this weekend!

  • Arctic air is forecast to spread into Texas Friday, with very cold temperatures expected for the upcoming weekend
  • Confidence is increasing regarding the potential for impactful wintry precipitation (freezing rain, sleet, and ice) into the upcoming weekend

Over the past 24-hours, forecast model guidance has come into good agreement that a strong arctic front will push south across Texas sometime late Friday into early Saturday. As of now, the exact timing of the frontal passage is still in question. Note this air mass will be quite cold and the coldest we have dealt with this winter. A significant drop in the temperature is expected behind the front, with readings forecast to tumble into the 20s and 30s across the Hill Country and Central Texas regions Saturday through Sunday. Some areas may remain below freezing through the period. Slightly warmer readings can be expected towards the coast.

Widespread light to moderate rain should be ongoing ahead of the frontal passage Friday due to an approaching trough of low pressure from Baja, California. Behind the cold front, a robust pattern of overrunning precipitation is predicted to continue Friday night through Saturday and possibly into Sunday. With the arrival of sub-freezing temperatures late Friday, confidence is increasing the precipitation will transition to a mix of light rain, freezing rain, and sleet across the Hill Country and Central Texas regions late Friday through Saturday. I do want to point out some forecasts are showing a setup that will be favorable for the development of accumulating ice across parts of the area this weekend.

There is currently much uncertainty into just how cold the temperature will trend this weekend, but subfreezing readings appear likely for most areas beginning late Friday.

In advance of the arctic air, the winterization of critical infrastructure components for the cold and wintery weather should be completed by Friday.

Travel across a large portion of Texas may become difficult as early as late Friday evening and potentially into much of next weekend.

I urge everyone to keep up with the latest forecasts over the next few days. I’ll pass along another update on Tuesday.

Bob