BIG Temperature Drop & Rain Tomorrow

Record Warmth ahead of Strong Cold Front

As of 3pm, temperatures have soared into the upper 70s and lower 80s across central Texas in advance of a strong cold front that will bring a temperature shock by the time we wake up Tuesday morning. Both Austin's Camp Mabry and Austin Bergstrom International Airport have tied (and possibly broken) their record highs for this date both at 81°F.

Where is the Front Now?

While this front is going to be bringing a significant drop in temperatures, the really cold air is lagging well behind the leading edge, or wind shift line. The leading edge of this modified Arctic Air has already pushed through the Dallas Metroplex and and is currently located in the extreme northwestern Hill Country. Temperatures behind the front have cooled into the 50s and 60s while areas out ahead of the front are still mild in the 70s and 80s.

3:45 PM Temperature Analysis (state of Texas)

The cold front will move through the I-35 corridor later this evening and bring with it the possibility for some rain, but the better rain chances for widespread more persistent rain will hold off until late tonight into Tuesday morning as an upper level disturbance moves across the state from west to east and generates lift in our atmosphere. The energy with this disturbance will create the widespread rain we are expecting for tomorrow morning into the early afternoon hours. The progressive, or fast-moving, nature of this disturbance will help to quickly dry us out by late Tuesday afternoon into Tuesday evening as the coldest temperatures begin settling into central Texas, but not before giving us on average a quarter to as much as half an inch of rainfall in spots (we will take every drop!).

What to Expect on Tuesday?

Significantly colder conditions & rain! Some 40 degrees colder than today! You won't want to walk out the door Tuesday morning without a jacket and an umbrella because you will want both! Temperatures on Tuesday will stay in the 40s all day with breezy north winds and rain making it feel even colder in the 30s. Rain, mainly light with some pockets of moderate to isolated pockets of heavy rain will develop overnight tonight and persist through 2-3pm Tuesday afternoon before conditions begin to clear by late afternoon into the evening.Air temperatures will drop into the 30s late Tuesday into Wednesday morning and drop to near or below the freezing mark by Wednesday morning. Luckily for us, conditions are expected to be dry by the time temperatures near the freezing mark.

Beyond Tuesday

After a cold start to the day on Wednesday, afternoon highs under sunny skies will rebound nicely into the 50s, but those clear skies will allow for another chilly night Wednesday night with temperatures dipping into the 30s (light freeze for out-lying, low-lying locations) and warming back into the 50s for Thursday afternoon under a mostly sunny sky. Temperatures continue to moderate into the weekend with highs returning quickly into the 60s and 70s with the return of southerly winds and mostly sunny/mostly clear skies.