Updated  130pm Thursday / 26 January 2012

…. Sunshine and Warmer Temperatures Through the End of the Week ….
…. Another Cold Front (A Dry One) Due Late Friday Night / Early Saturday Morning ….
…. Sunshine and Cooler Temperatures Due Going into our Weekend ….

On this Thursday… surface low pressure is over eastern Arkansas with a cold front southward into the central Gulf of Mexico. Surface high pressure is over the four corners region. As a result of this surface pressure pattern, a north northwesterly surface wind is blowing across our area.

In the upper levels of the atmosphere… the strong eastward moving upper air low pressure area is over the ArkLaTex region.  As a result of this pressure pattern, the upper air winds over our area of Texas are moderate northwesterly.

Clouds have broken as the upper level low pressure departs Texas off to the northeast and we’re back to sunshine for the area.

Drier and more stable atmospheric conditions will prevail with abundant sunshine continuing tomorrow into the weekend. In the continuing progressive weather pattern.. another cold front will quickly pass through the area tomorrow night into early Saturday morning. Limited moisture return and limited instability ahead of this second cold front will mean no mention of rain as the system passes. It’ll be cooler going into the weekend.

Surface high pressure.. behind Friday night’s cold front..  will move east of the area by Sunday with a south southeasterly surface wind returning and clouds increasing a bit into the new week.

My forecast confidence today through the weekend and into the first half of next week is very high.

For Austin and south central Texas… tonight will see a clear sky. Lows around 40 with north northwesterly wind. For tomorrow, sunshine will prevail. Highs in the 60s to near 70 with southerly wind.

Have a good Thursday night and Friday…
Meteorologist Troy Kimmel