Buckle up San Antonio, you may be shivering a bit now, but in the morning hours for the next few days, you may need more than a tiger blanket and some caldo (de res or de pollo, we do not judge) to stay warm. From freezing rain to snow, we could expect a ton of change through all day Monday, January 20, so let’s dive right in.
The arctic cold front has officially landed in the South Central Texas area, which has caused temperatures to drop to around the upper 20s Monday morning. As the day passes, even at its peak, the daily high temperatures are expected to go no higher than the lower 40s, as wind gusts begin to pick up Monday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.
There is a 20% chance of rain in the area, but not until after about 3 p.m. as the front moves in. As the sun goes down, so too will the temperature with expected lows around the upper 20s in the area. Across the Hill Country, I-35 corridor, and Coastal Plains areas Monday night into Tuesday, there’s now a 70-90% chance of rain, freezing rain and sleet expected to begin in the early morning hours before 1 a.m. Then, snow possibly mixed with freezing rain and sleet will also begin to fall.
Freezing rain and sleet more likely south of I-10, mainly up to one tenth of an inch. Snow and sleet more likely north of I-10, mainly from 0.5-1.5 inches. There is a medium chance (40-70%) of winter precipitation occurring across the Southern Edwards Plateau and Rio Grande Plains, according to the NWS.
As the night turns to day on Tuesday, the chance for snow and sleet in the area will remain until about 9 a.m., with a slight chance of snow between then and noon. “Cloudy through mid morning, then gradual clearing, with a high near 39,” the NWS said. “North wind 10-20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Little or no snow and sleet accumulation expected.”
The NWS said precipitation likely will end Tuesday afternoon, but temperatures are still expected to drop even further, down to lows of 19 degrees at night, although winds will calm down to gusts of around 5 mph.
The rest of the week is looking to remain cold, although the cold weather advisory currently in effect in the area is slated to end at noon on Wednesday, January 22, according to the NWS. Road conditions may still be effected, however, and may extend as late as Wednesday morning as any moisture on roads would refreeze overnight.