Sunny and quiet weather is currently in place as we close out the workweek. Warm temperatures look to develop this afternoon as southwesterly breezes increase to a range of 10-15 mph. Readings are predicted to generally peak in the upper 70s. However, this period of mild weather will be short-lived.

Big changes in the weather will take place Friday night into Saturday when a strong cold front blasts through the region out of North Texas. The front is predicted to reach the northern Hill Country around 10 pm, the Austin area shortly after midnight and the middle Texas coast before sunrise Saturday. No rain is expected along the front when it moves across the Hill Country and Central Texas regions. However, a few spotty light rain showers will be possible across the coastal region.

The big story with the cold front will be the development of very strong and gusty winds beginning early Saturday morning and continuing through Saturday evening. The National Weather Service has posted a Wind Advisory for the entire region beginning at midnight tonight, continuing through 6 pm Saturday. Strong northwesterly winds of 20-30 mph, with gusts to 45 or 50 mph are forecast Friday night, continuing through late afternoon Saturday. Wind speeds are forecast to remain around 15-25 mph Saturday evening, then decrease to 10-15 mph after midnight Saturday night.

Do note fire weather conditions will deteriorate across all of the area late Friday evening through Saturday due to the combination of very strong winds, very dry air, and drought stressed fuels. Elevated to near critical fire weather conditions can be expected through late Saturday afternoon across the entire region.

  • Saturday’s sky will be sunny and cool, with high temperatures ranging from the upper 40s north, to the mid-50s towards the coast.
  • A freeze is predicted for all locations Sunday morning. Lows will include low and mid-20s across the Hill Country, the upper 20s to 30 degrees across Central Texas and the low 30s across the coastal plains.

Sunny and dry weather is forecast Sunday through Tuesday as our region remains under the stable influence of a ridge of high pressure. Warmer readings can be expected Monday through Wednesday.

  • High temperatures Sunday are predicted to be in the upper 50s.
  • Lows Monday morning are forecast to be close to 30 degrees across the Hill Country, in the low and mid-30s across Central Texas and mid-30s across the coastal plains.
  • High temperatures Monday are predicted to be in the mid-60s.
  • Lows Tuesday morning will generally be in the upper 30s.
  • High temperatures Tuesday are forecast to be in the low 70s.
  • Lows Wednesday morning will range from the mid-40s west, to the mid-50s towards the coast.

The next big change in the weather is forecast to take place Wednesday when an arctic cold front is forecast to sweep south across the region, bringing a blast of colder air. These cold readings are forecast to persist across the region late next week into next weekend. Wednesday’s cold front will be dry, although a few spotty light showers may develop over areas south of Interstate 10 late Wednesday afternoon and Wednesday night.

The forecast may get very interesting for parts of the region late Thursday into Friday. Some of Friday’s forecast solutions call for a weak trough of low pressure to develop over northern Mexico Thursday, with the feature tracking east across South Texas Thursday night through Friday. This system is expected to bring widespread clouds to the region Thursday and Friday. In addition, widespread light rain showers are forecast to develop as this feature tracks towards Texas. And depending on the magnitude of the cold air at the surface and in the lower atmosphere, there is a chance some of the rain could be change over to or become mixed with wintery precipitation. Confidence in this scenario taking place is currently low, but there is some chance. Forecasters will get a better handle on this situation over the next 2-3 days.

Cold temperatures will also be a big story late week into next weekend!

  • Low temperatures Thursday morning will range from the low 30s Hill Country, to the low 40s across Central Texas, to around 50 degrees near the coast.
  • High temperatures Thursday are forecast to be in the low and mid-50s
  • Lows Friday morning will be near 30 degrees across the Hill Country, in the low 30s across Central Texas and the mid to upper 30s near the coast.
  • High temperatures Friday are predicted to be in the low 50s
  • Low temperatures next Saturday are forecast to range from the upper 20s west, to the mid-30s near the coast.
  • High temperatures next weekend are forecast to remain in the 50s, with lows around 28-32 degrees west, with low and mid-30s Central Texas.

The outlook for the week of January 24th calls for dry and cool conditions, with highs in the low 60s and lows in the upper 30s to low 40s.

Jupiter is the Now Only Naked-Eye Planet in the Evening Sky

For the past few weeks, the planets Jupiter, Saturn, Venus and Mercury have graced the evening sky. But recently, the show has gotten sparse. Venus has moved to the early dawn sky, while Saturn and Mercury are very low in the southwestern sky at twilight. Without binoculars, the two won’t be visible to the unaided eye. This leaves the planet Jupiter by itself, shining brightly in the southwestern sky at dusk. Jupiter is sinking lower in the sky and it too will shift to the morning sky in March.

Have a good weekend.

Bob