…. A Strong Cold Front.. Dry in Nature.. Moving Across The Area ….
…. Overnight Freezes Expected in Most Areas Thursday and Friday Nights ….
…. Another Cold Front.. with a Slim Chance of Rain.. Early Next Week ….

On this Wednesday… a southeastward moving cold front is moving southeastward through Texas as cooler high pressure builds into the state from the Rockies. As a result of this surface pressure pattern, southwesterly surface winds in advance of the front are shifting gusty northwesterly across the area as the front passes.

In the upper levels of the atmosphere… a strong upper air low pressure disturbance is moving east northeastward across northern Mississippi and Alabama. As a result of this pressure pattern, the upper air winds over our area of Texas are moderate to strong northwesterly.

A strong cold front is moving southeastward through Texas. The front, because of the lack of moisture and instability in advance of the system, is dry in nature with a shift in winds and gusty winds being the only sign of the frontal passage. Much cooler temperatures under a clear to partly cloudy sky will be the rule over the next couple of days. I expect a pretty general freeze in the overnight hours locally for both Thursday and Friday nights.

As the surface high.. behind the front.. moves eastward, we’ll see a return to a south southeasterly wind flow over the weekend. Enough moisture will return for late night and early morning low cloudiness with slim rain chances by late Sunday into Monday. These slim rain chances will continue until another (weaker) cold front moves across the area next Tuesday.

Skies will partially clear with only slightly cooler temperatures in the wake of next Tuesday front for the middle part of next week.

My forecast confidence through the weekend is very high. My forecast confidence.. for early into mid parts of next week.. is medium to high (exact timing of the Tuesday cold front as well as any rain chances is still a little uncertain).

For Austin and south central Texas… tonight will be mostly clear. As the front moves through.. it’ll turn windy and cooler. Lows around 39. Winds becoming northwesterly winds 15 to 25 mph and gusty. For tomorrow, it’ll be mostly sunny and much cooler.  Highs around 50. Northwesterly wind 15 to 25 mph and gusty diminishing by late in the day.

Have a good Wednesday night and Thursday…
Meteorologist Troy Kimmel