We officially climbed to 75°F this afternoon in Austin at Camp Mabry. That's 13 degrees above our average high of 62°F for this time of year. This morning's low of 56°F was also well above average for this time of year too. Average low for late January in Austin is in the lower 40s, so you can see we were well above that.
4 P.M. Temperatures across Texas/South Central U.S.
(You can see the warmth across a good chunk of the region, but notice the cooler air up to the north)
Image above courtesy of WeatherBell Models
Temperature Drop Tuesday/Wednesday
Guess what, changes are already on the way. A cold front will move through the area late tonight into early Tuesday morning. A few light rain showers will be possible with the front, especially for areas south and east of Austin. Much cooler and windier conditions can be expected across the area on your Tuesday with afternoon highs only managing the 50s after waking up in the 40s. Mostly cloudy skies and a gusty north wind funneling in a cooler air mass will help to keep highs down. A few sprinkles or very light rain showers cannot be ruled out on Tuesday, but it is not going to be a big deal.
Significantly colder Tuesday night with lows dipping into the 30s, however, a blanket of clouds and a bit of a north wind will help to keep lows from dropping to the freezing point.
Clouds should clear out for your Wednesday as high pressure builds into the area promoting dry, sinking air over the area. With the cool air mass still in place, highs will once again only manage the 50s, despite a mostly sunny sky.
Freeze Possible Wednesday night/Thursday Morning
Temperatures cool off in a hurry Wednesday night after sunset as skies will be clear and the air will be dry. Both of those factors will set us up for a good night of radiational cooling. I'm expecting temperatures to drop into the upper 20s to lower 30s area wide. Low-lying, out-lying areas should receive a freeze with perhaps only urban areas, like downtown Austin, etc... remaining a degree or two above freezing. If we do see a freeze here in Austin, it will be light meaning that temperatures will only drop to around 32°F for a short period of time. Keep in mind, that low spots within the Austin area near creeks, valleys, etc... will run the risk of a more substantial freeze. Cold air is dense and heavy and likes to sink to the lowest spots on clear, calm nights.
Warmer End of the Week
Warming trend kicks in on Thursday afternoon as highs climb back into the 60s and eventually way into the 70s for Friday and the upcoming weekend...some long range models want to push us into the lower 80s! Looks like our next cold front/rain chance arrive early next week. We've still got plenty of time to watch that.
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