Arctic cold front will move across the region this evening.
Extreme Cold Watch has been issued for late Wednesday into early Thursday for areas generally along and northwest of US 59 for wind chills below 15
Cold Weather Advisory is in effect from 300am to 1000am Wednesday for areas generally along and northwest of US 59 for wind chills below 25
Arctic front will plow across Texas today with a significant drop in temperatures into Wednesday. Along and ahead of the front showers and thunderstorms will be possible as moisture increases off the Gulf and is then lifted by the incoming arctic front. Front will reach our northwest areas around College Station early this evening and move off the coast just after midnight. Strong northerly winds of 20-30mph will develop behind the front with gusts of 40-50mph possible along the coast. Freezing line will move into the area overnight into early Wednesday and reach a line from Huntsville to Brenham to Columbus. Temperatures will only slowly warm into the 30’s on Wednesday with strong cold air advection in place and slowly decreasing clouds…it will be cold.
Main concern period is Wednesday night into Thursday morning with clearing skies and weakening winds temperatures will fall below freezing for much of the area. Winds do not completely go calm and this looks to save areas of the metro area down toward the coast from a more significant freeze however areas north and west look to fall well into the 20’s even with winds remaining in the 5-10mph range. For now looks like “hard freeze” generally along and northwest of a line from Livingston to Conroe to Hempstead to Wharton.
Forecast Low Temperatures Thursday AM:
- NW of a line from Livingston to Columbus: low to mid 20’s
- NW of US 59: mid 20’s
- Coastal counties: upper 20’s to low 30’s
- Metro Houston (inside the Beltway): upper 20’s to 30
No precipitation is forecasted while the temperatures are below freezing.
Friday-Saturday:
Coastal low develops off the lower Texas coast in response to incoming falling heights with a mid level disturbance over the SW US. Clouds will quickly develop northward on Friday locking in cold temperatures near the surface with highs only in the low 40’s. Light rain and drizzle will begin to develop and spread across the region late Friday into Saturday with the coastal low passing over the offshore waters. Northeast surface winds will continue to drain cold air into the area from the departing arctic high pressure to the northeast resulting in temperatures holding into the 30’s/40’s for lows and highs into Saturday.
Clearing and warmer Sunday as the arctic surface high erodes and begins to pull eastward.
