SPECIAL WEATHER UPDATE - FREEZE ON FRIDAY

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX

704 AM CDT WED NOV 2 2011

...FREEZING TO NEAR FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED FOR MUCH OF THE HILL COUNTRY...AND THE ADJACENT LOW LYING AREAS OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS FRIDAY MORNING...

A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL ARRIVE IN THE HILL COUNTRY LATE THIS AFTERNOON...AND PUSH THROUGH SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS THIS EVENING. TEMPERATURES WILL DROP RAPIDLY BEHIND THE COLD FRONT AS WINDS INCREASE TO 15 TO 25 MPH. THE COLD AND GUSTY WINDS WILL COMBINE TO CREATE WIND CHILLS IN THE UPPER 20S TO LOWER 30S ACROSS THE HILL COUNTRY BY SUNRISE THURSDAY. WIND CHILLS IN THE 30S TO NEAR 40 CAN BE EXPECTED ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE ALONG THE COLD FRONT THIS EVENING.THEY WILL BE MAINLY ALONG AND EAST OF THE I35 CORRIDOR.

A COLD DOME OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS THURSDAY AND SETTLE OVER THE AREA THURSDAY NIGHT. CLEAR SKIES AND SUBSIDING WINDS WILL ALLOW FOR AN IDEAL NIGHT OF RADIATIONAL COOLING. TEMPERATURES IN THE HILL COUNTRY WILL FALL TO NEAR FREEZING IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS...AND FALL BELOW FREEZING INTO THE UPPER 20S BY SUNRISE FRIDAY MORNING. THE ADJACENT AREAS OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS COULD ALSO EXPERIENCE NEAR FREEZING TEMPERATURES BY SUNRISE FRIDAY MORNING. LOW LYING AREAS IN THE HILL COUNTRY AND THE ADJACENT AREAS OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS WILL BE MOST SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE FREEZING OR NEAR FREEZING TEMPERATURES FRIDAY MORNING. A WARM UP IS EXPECTED FRIDAY NIGHT AND INTO THE WEEKEND AS WARMER GULF BREEZES RETURN TO THE AREA.

PRECAUTIONS SHOULD BE TAKEN TO PROTECT TENDER PLANTS AND VEGETATION FROM THE COLD TEMPERATURES THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY MORNING. IN THE HILL COUNTRY...EXPOSED OUTSIDE PIPES AND FAUCETS SHOULD ALSO BE COVERED OR WRAPPED DUE TO A MORE PROLONGED FREEZE.

BE AWARE. BE INFORMED. BE PREPARED.

RIVERWALKER

Drought Impact Report for Texas

With the increasingly dry weather conditions continuing to affect Texas, it is vital that you keep up to date with the most current drought conditions in Texas. There is a Drought Impact Report for all the counties in Texas available from The National Drought Mitigation Center. It includes information on the effects on agriculture, number of fires, effects on water and energy, effects on the environment as well as social and other effects of the drought currently affecting our state.

You can review the report here:

Drought Impact Report for Texas

Be aware. Be informed. Be prepared.

Riverwalker

Weather Update - Possible Arctic Blast in South Central Texas

The weather models have been pointing toward a possible extreme cold weather outbreak next week across much of the country; this includes the South Central Texas area. Everything has to be just right to get a major arctic blast into our area, and the weather forecast models are showing things coming together for just such an event.

This possible cold outbreak starts with a strong cold front pushing through the area sometime on Monday of next week. Arctic air over Canada will then continue to surge south into the southern plains through Tuesday and Wednesday of next week with a possibility of it lasting even longer towards the end of next week. The forecast weather pattern points toward the coldest air of the season with very hard freezes possible next week. The forecast models keep this arctic air over the plains area for the entire week, with reinforcing shots of cold air coming from western Canada, right down the lee side of the Rockies and into Texas. We could be looking at a lengthy cold outbreak with possible record low temperatures and record low maximum temperatures. Record lows across South Central Texas next week are generally predicted to be in the low to mid teens. The currently forecast weather patterns indicate some record temperatures could occur.

With that said, many things can happen between now and next week. The forecast models could change, the cold air could head a bit further east, etc. While it is way to early to tell you particulars of exactly how cold or how long this arctic blast could last, you should make your preparations ahead of time and increase your situational awareness. Please start following the weather forecasts very closely and logging onto weather websites frequently (www.srh.noaa.gov/ewx) .

If this is what could be a true arctic blast, history has shown us that weather forecasting models will underestimate the strength of this cold air. If you have winter emergency action plans, now is the time to get them out and start to review them in preparation of for a possible need to be actively ready for this arctic blast.

This needs to be watched closely.

Be aware. Be informed Be prepared.

Riverwalker