Austin locals can bid farewell to balmy days as two cold fronts are set to usher in a gale of change, with the first one predicted to hit shortly after a sunny Thursday. Today's forecast promises an increase in south-southwest winds, surging from a calm 5 to 10 mph to a more stubborn 15 to 20 mph, capable of gusts scaling up to 30 mph. Patchy fog could briefly obscure the visibility Thursday morning, yet it is unlikely to hinder the mercury’s ascent to a comfortable 73 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.
Get out and enjoy the next couple days if you can. A strong cold front will bring more annoyingly strong winds early Friday, and on Sunday, the strongest front of the winter season brings hard freezes and single digit wind chills for early next week. pic.twitter.com/qyicvM6efi
— NWS Austin/San Antonio (@NWSSanAntonio) January 10, 2024
However, the respite will be short-lived as Thursday night ushers in a 30 percent shower and thunderstorm likelihood. The approaching tempest is slated to transform into blusterous conditions come Friday, with northwest winds anticipated to reach up to 45 mph. "Windy finish to the week ahead of extreme cold," signaling a substantial decrease in temperatures post-storm, as reported by KXAN.
The weekend forecast hints at a brief interlude from the tempest; mainly sunny with highs around 61 on Saturday and dropping to near freezing by Sunday night. Compounded by the frosty grip of the second cold front, the umbrage of cold is expected to darken doorsteps through M.L. King Day, with the predicted highs to skulk around a cold 34 degrees, as per the National Weather Service.
Texans should brace themselves for a chilling start next week as "overnight lows will plummet to the teens and 20s Sunday night," and "wind chills will be in the single digits." In the face of the arctic onslaught, daytime highs stubbornly will fight to barely reach the mid to upper 30s on Tuesday. With sustained northerly winds beckoning a deeper freeze, the cold will bite deeper, urging locals to protect themselves, along with their pets, pipes, and plants from the icy grasp of winter, as stated by KXAN.
