Winter Weather Advisory Issued For Austin Area (Updated)

AUSTIN, TEXAS — The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory for the Austin region on Friday that will extend into Saturday morning.

"A Winter Weather Advisory means that periods of freezing rain will cause travel difficulties," weather officials wrote on their website when the advisory was first issued. "Expect slippery roads. Slow down and use caution while driving."

The advisory originally was set to expire at 6 p.m. on Friday but was later extended until 7 a.m. Saturday by the National Weather Service. The reason for the extended winter weather advisory was a line of showers moving through the area with a mix of rain, sleet, and freezing rain, the NWS reported.

"This will cause some icy bridges and overpasses making driving dangerous overnight," weather officials wrote. "There may also be some freezing of wet elevated surfaces that have not had any winter precipitation."

The conditions wreaked havoc in Williamson County, where several collisions along Interstate 195 prompted the sheriff to have the bridge closed. Late Friday, a 10-car collision in Florence, Texas, left two people in critical condition. Officials closed the bridge before reopening it at around 9:30 p.m., only to close it again after subsequent collisions — including one involving a deputy's vehicle.

The bridge was reported to be iced over between CR 244 and 233, Williamson County Sheriff Robert Chody said via Twitter.

Related story: 10-Car Pileup In Williamson County Leads To Serious Injuries

The extended winter weather advisory covers not only Travis and Williamson counties, but a wide swath of Central Texas region encompassing Blanco, Burnet, Gillespie, Hays and Llano counties, including the cities of Austin, Blanco, Burnet, Fredericksburg, Georgetown and San Marcos.

After unseasonably warm temperatures on Thursday, a cold front arrived overnight to usher in the weekend early Friday in sudden fashion. Drivers were met with rain and then sleet on roadways, prompting emergency officials to urge extra caution while driving.

Throughout the region, sleet was evident on grassy areas on Friday. Weather officials warned slushy conditions on roadways are possible, with resulting hazardous conditions potentially impacting the evening commute.

Motorists are urged to visit drivetexas.org for the latest road conditions.

Austin-Travis County EMS medics — first responders dispatched to traffic accidents daily — urged caution while driving. Heightened vigilance should be taken on bridges and overpasses given the possibility of slick road surface, medics noted:

In Williamson County, Sheriff Robert Chody on Twitter issued warnings to residents with accompanying photos of sleet-filled roadway. This is what Highway 95 looked like just before 2 p.m.:

The Austin Police Department joined the chorus of those urging caution. As if sensing the collective misery among the citizenry over the yucky weather, the APD's missive was humor-suffused with an accompanying short video of a what appears to be a goat sliding on a patch of ice:

The cold weather will remain through the weekend albeit well above the freezing point, according to the National Weather Service forecast. Good news: The sleet descending intermittently throughout the day on Friday should end by that evening, according to weather data.

Texas weather being what it is, temperatures will return to the 70-degree mark by Monday in a reversal of meteorological fortunes representing a change of some nearly 40 degrees from early Friday. Here's the National Weather Service rundown for the near future:

• Friday night: A chance of rain and sleet before 1 a.m., then a slight chance of rain. Cloudy, with a low around 34. North northeast wind around 10 miles per hour. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent. Little or no sleet accumulation expected.
• Saturday: A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly after 7 a.m. Cloudy, with a high near 42. Northeast wind 5 to 10 miles per hour.
• Saturday night: A 40 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a low around 39. East northeast wind around 5 miles per hour.
• Sunday: A 50 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a high near 53. Northeast wind around 5 miles per hour.
• Sunday night: A 50 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a low around 52. East southeast wind around 5 miles per hour becoming south after midnight.
• Monday: A 40 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a high near 70. South southwest wind 5 miles per hour to 10 miles per hour.
• Monday night: A 40 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a low around 51. South southwest wind 5 to 10 miles per hour becoming northwest after midnight.

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>>> Top photo of accumulated sleet in Central Austin by Tony Cantú/Patch staff