Thursday and Friday are expected to offer the last stretch of mild weather before taking a bitter turn, as forecasters call for a sharp drop in temperatures and increasing precipitation by the end of the week. Residents may want to use the brief warm-up to prepare by covering exposed pipes, protecting sensitive plants, and ensuring animals have adequate shelter ahead of the cold.
Forecasters are predicting a strong Arctic cold front will arrive late Friday, bringing rapidly falling temperatures and a prolonged stretch of freezing weather that could last through Monday morning. Recent data trends show the front moving in faster and colder than previously anticipated, raising concerns about icy conditions and travel impacts across the Hill Country.
Rain is expected to develop ahead of the front Friday and continue through much of the weekend. As colder air surges south Friday night, temperatures are expected to drop below freezing, causing rain to transition to freezing rain across the region. That type of precipitation is expected to dominate through Saturday and Saturday night, with the potential for sleet or even a few snow flurries as the system winds down late in the weekend.
