Multiple clipper systems will bring cold temperatures and enhance lake-effect snow downwind of the Great Lakes. An arctic blast will bring frigid temperatures accompanied with gusty winds that may lead to dangerous wind chills beginning in the Northern Plains Thursday before expanding to the South and East. An expansive winter storm will start Friday in the Southern Rockies/Plains and Mid-South. Read More >
609
FXUS64 KEWX 211121
AFDEWX
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio TX
521 AM CST Wed Jan 21 2026
...New AVIATION...
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Chances of light rain continue overnight through Wednesday.
- Dry and warm on Thursday before big changes come our way.
- A strong Arctic front is forecast Friday, bringing much colder temperatures
this weekend into early next week. Hazardous cold is likely.
- Low confidence and high uncertainty still remains regarding
potential winter weather this weekend, however, models are
trending colder with the potential for sleet and freezing rain
northern areas.
&&
.SHORT TERM...
(Today through Thursday)
Issued at 1205 AM CST Wed Jan 21 2026
The cold front that pushed through South Central Texas during the
day on Tuesday, remains across the Coastal Plains early Wednesday
morning. The shallow boundary is forecast to dissipate by daybreak
while southerly winds just above the surface keep enough moisture in
the boundary layer. During that time period, a pulse of upper level
energy is forecast to push across Central Texas and the Hill Country
to keep light rain happening mainly along and east of Highway 281
overnight throughout the day on Wednesday. There are areas where
patchy fog could develop for a few hours as overnight lows reach the
upper 40s to lower 50s under cloudy skies.
A back door frontal boundary then pushes across the local area from
northwest to southeast throughout the day with winds shifting from
the southeast to southwest to west to northwest across most areas
late afternoon. Wednesday`s highs are forecast to rise into the
upper 60s and lower 70s with clearing skies pushing from the Rio
Grande into parts of the Hill Country and partly to mostly skies
mainly for areas along and east of I-35 corridor. The boundary stays
near the Coastal Plains from Wednesday evening through midday
Thursday before pushing back to the north as a warm front.
Thursday`s forecast calls for dry conditions and warmer
temperatures. Highs are forecast to range from the upper 60s across
portions of the Hill Country to lower to mid 70s along the I-35
corridor and Coastal Plains.
&&
.LONG TERM...
(Thursday night through Tuesday)
Issued at 1205 AM CST Wed Jan 21 2026
Overnight lows for Friday morning are forecast to range from the
lower to upper 50s areawide. As the day progresses, a strong Arctic
front is forecast to push across South Central Texas mid to late
day. Scattered showers and even a few thunderstorms are possible
through that period. The cold airmass following the boundary starts
to push across the Hill Country Friday night into Saturday morning.
By midnight Friday night into the overnight hours, temperatures are
forecast to drop to the freezing mark across much of the Hill
Country, southern Edwards Plateau, and the northern part of Val
Verde County. By Saturday morning around 6 AM CST, there is a
moderate to high probability of a light wintry mix of freezing rain
and sleet. Ice accumulations could range from a trace to one tenth
of an inch as worst case scenario. With that said, winter products
such as watches and warnings are likely to be issued during the day
today. From herein, weather conditions are likely to become
hazardous for more places across South Central Texas with the
coldest airmass spreading across the entire local area. Talking
about the coldest air thus far, moderate northerly winds are
forecast to stay in place to bring wind chill values to the teens
across the northern portions of the local area such as the Hill
Country and southern Edwards Plateau.
Saturday`s highs are forecast to only reach the upper 20s and lower
30s across the Hill Country including the Austin metro area,
southern Edwards Plateau, and Val Verde County. Probabilities for
precipitation are in the medium to high categories (50 to 80%). With
the forecast temperatures at and below the freezing mark, the
precipitation type would be a mix of sleet and freezing rain during
the day time hours. For areas south of San Antonio into the Coastal
Plains and the southern part of the Rio Grande the forecast
confidence is low on freezing rain but moderate on cold rain.
Global and ensemble models show a break in precipitation Saturday
afternoon over some parts of the Hill Country and southern Edwards
Plateau, however, this does not last, and more sleet is in the
forecast for the Saturday night to Sunday morning period. The air
turns even colder for the Saturday night into Sunday morning with
temperatures dropping into the teens by mid evening across a good
portion of the Hill Country and later on across the I-35 corridor
including the Austin area with 20s elsewhere. Wind chills on Sunday
morning are likely to feel in the single digits as early as Saturday
mid to late afternoon.
Sunday stays cold with highs in the 20s to mid 30s across most
locations. Can`t rule out some snow flurries across the Hill Country
and southern Edwards Plateau before the end of this wintry mix
event. Models are trending cooler for Monday morning with another
cold night in store with lows in the teens across the Hill Country
including the Austin metro, southern Edwards Plateau, Val Verde
County, and portions of the Coastal Plains. San Antonio and vicinity
could stay in the lower 20s.
There are areas across the Hill Country that are likely to see 48+
hours of freezing temperatures before temperatures rise into the
upper 30s and 40s on Monday. One last period of freezing
temperatures awaits for Tuesday morning as the mercury goes down to
the teens and 20s.
In summary, a very cold weekend into early next week period with
dangerous cold temperatures and wind chill values in addition to the
icy conditions and significant ice accumulations to make hazardous
conditions and impacts to the local area.
&&
.AVIATION...
(12Z TAFS)
Issued at 519 AM CST Wed Jan 21 2026
Conditions range from VFR to LIFR for the start of the period with
ceilings expected to lower through mid-morning before improving from
west to east late morning into the afternoon. Patchy light rain
showers will continue over I-35 terminals this morning, but should
shift east into the coastal plains this afternoon. KDRT returns to
VFR around 18Z and I-35 terminals reach VFR in the mid-afternoon.
Low ceilings and visibility redevelop late tonight into Thursday
morning mainly from the Hill Country eastward with conditions as low
as LIFR. Wind remains under 10 knots through the period.
&&
.CLIMATE...
Issued at 137 PM CST Tue Jan 20 2026
Record Low Temperatures
Jan 25 Jan 26
Austin Bergstrom 19 (2014) 24 (2011)
Austin Camp Mabry 20 (1940/1926)20 (1904)
San Antonio Intl 16 (1894) 20 (1897)
Del Rio 22 (1963) 27 (1966/1920)
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Austin Camp Mabry 69 50 70 55 / 20 0 0 10
Austin Bergstrom Intl Airport 69 50 71 54 / 20 10 0 10
New Braunfels Muni Airport 69 50 71 55 / 20 0 0 10
Burnet Muni Airport 67 45 67 52 / 20 0 0 10
Del Rio Intl Airport 72 41 72 53 / 0 0 0 0
Georgetown Muni Airport 69 49 69 53 / 30 0 0 10
Hondo Muni Airport 71 47 73 54 / 10 0 0 0
San Marcos Muni Airport 70 50 72 55 / 20 10 0 10
La Grange - Fayette Regional 71 53 72 57 / 30 10 0 10
San Antonio Intl Airport 69 52 72 57 / 20 0 0 0
Stinson Muni Airport 70 53 73 58 / 10 0 0 0
&&
.EWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
None.
&&
$$
SHORT TERM...17
LONG TERM....17
AVIATION...27
No recent Short Term Forecast (NOW) has been issued for NWS Austin/San Antonio CWA (EWX).
Special Weather Statement Issued: 01/15/2026 01:59:00 AM UTC
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