Cloudy and muggy pretty much sums up this morning in Austin, with temperatures near 72°F at Camp Mabry and humidity you can practically feel from the driveway. Today is the last genuinely warm day before a weekend pattern shift, with highs expected around 88°F and south-southeast breezes strengthening through the afternoon. If your outdoor plans stretch into the evening, plan around increasingly gusty winds and a growing chance of storms tonight and into the weekend.
Afternoon Winds Pick Up
South-southeast winds are set to ramp up to 5–15 mph this afternoon, with gusts as high as 25 mph and pockets that could reach about 30 mph tonight. Those stronger bursts are enough to rattle patio furniture and make driving high-profile vehicles a little dicey, so it is a good idea to secure loose outdoor items and use extra caution on bridges and exposed roadways. According to NWS Austin/San Antonio, the gusty conditions will hang around through the evening hours.
How To Prepare
If your weekend hinges on being outside, have an indoor backup ready and avoid low-lying streets after heavy rain. Small streams, underpasses and low spots can collect water quickly during strong downpours, so give yourself extra travel time and never drive through standing water, no matter how shallow it looks. See ATX Flood Safety for local tips and resources.
Weekend Soaker
A front moves through late tonight into Saturday and brings widespread showers and thunderstorms on Saturday, with highs dropping into the upper 70s. Some storms could produce locally heavy rain and result in brief urban or creek flooding. Saturday night lows will fall into the mid-50s with northeast winds. The National Weather Service is flagging the higher rain chances and potential for pockets of heavier totals on Saturday, so plan around wet weather and be ready to adjust, per NWS Austin/San Antonio.
Temperatures ease back early next week, with highs near 70°F on Monday and a return to the upper 70s by midweek. Check back in on the latest forecast before you travel, as this outlook will be updated if any watches or warnings are issued.
