Record High Temperatures Reached In Austin Area

AUSTIN, TEXAS — If you sensed it might be a bit on the warm side on Friday — particularly given that here we are in mid-February when it's supposed to be winter — you'd be right. What's more, it was beyond just a little on the "warm side," as new heat records were broken to end the work week.

All across the region and beyond in other parts of Texas, new high temperatures were recorded on Friday. And the day ain't over yet, folks, with temperatures climbing as of mid-day. "Look for record high temperatures this afternoon, ranging from the lower 80s in the east to near 90 along the Rio Grande," the National Weather Service wrote on their website.

The upshot:

• Just before 3 p.m., the temperature in Austin reached 87 degrees. Even the National Weather Service was finding it hard to keep up with the climbing temps, with a graphic on its page recording 86 degrees. But even at the lower reading, the temperature reached breaks the previous record of 85 degrees set for this day in Austin in 1980. By around 4 p.m., the temperature at Camp Mabry reached 91 degrees (!).
• The San Antonio area also reached a record high for this day at 87 degrees, breaking the previous record high of 85 degrees recorded in 1990.
• Del Rio took the cake in reaching 90 degrees on Friday, higher than the previous record of 87 degrees set in 1990.

That's quite a departure from a mere week ago when a wintry mix in Austin marked by temperatures in the low 30s, freezing rain and sleet yielded misery and hazardous road condition resulting in several car wrecks in the region.The National Weather Service gave us all a heads up on today's chamber-of-commerce weather, predicting a "warming trend" after the frigid temps from a week ago.

Related story: Warming Trend Ahead For Austin Area After Sleet, Rain, Low Temps

But still. This level of warmth was unexpected.

Expect a

What does this all mean? We really don't know as such meteorological insight is beyond our pay grade. What we do know is that the climate is implausibly delightful even as others elsewhere in the country endure the brunt of what should be winter.

Get out there and enjoy the weather. Because if you know anything about Texas, this is all subject to change.

Graphic via National Weather Service

Expect a 40-degree turn by Friday night, with a low of around 50 degrees under partly cloudy skies. As for the remainder of the weekend, the area is in store for more delightful — if vaguely unsettling — and unseasonably warm weather. Here's the outlook from the National Weather Service through the weekend:

• Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 71 degrees. North wind 5 to 10 miles per hour becoming east southeast in the afternoon.
• Saturday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 55 degrees. Southeast wind around 5 miles per hour becoming northwest after midnight.
• Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 70 degrees. North wind around 10 miles per hour.
• Sunday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 45 degrees. North northeast wind around 10 miles per hour.

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