Winter Weather Finally Arrives This Week In Central Texas

AUSTIN, TX — It hasn't exactly been a winter wonderland in Central Austin, but colder temperatures will be arriving this week that will not only classify as "sweater weather," but coat climate. Oh,and you will likely need an umbrella for good measure.

Texans who hate the cold weather have been spoiled with a string of days in the 70s in a time of year where cold weather has long arrived elsewhere in the country, including snow in some regions. This past Thanksgiving wasn't exactly a cozy affair at many gatherings, but one of air-conditioned comfort in providing relief to balmy temps in the mid to high 70s.

Not this week, warm weather lovers. While Monday was expected to possibly reach 84 degrees (a full 19 degrees higher than normal for this time of year, mind you), temperatures will fall exponentially by Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.

By Thursday, temps will go down to nearly freezing before a warming trend starting up again by Friday.

It's Texas. If you don't like the weather, just wait around five minutes and it'll change. You must know this by now. But if you like warm weather in what's supposed to be winter, you better soak in the rays on Monday because that'll be the only warm day of the week before an imminent Polar blast.

Following is a detailed forecast, as predicted by the National Weather Service:

• Monday: Partly sunny with a high near 80 degrees, with a southerly wind of around 10 mph. By Monday night, showers are likely and possibly a thunderstorm late in the night into 1 a.m. Tuesday. The day will be mostly cloudy with a low of around 55. The chances for precipitation will be around 60 percent, with new rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter inch. Higher amounts are possible depending on location.
• Tuesday: Continued showers are likely, with a possible thunderstorm before 7 am. with a continued chance of showers. It'll be mostly cloudy, the NWS says, temps falling to around 55 degrees by 9 a.m. The north winds will be blowing at 10 to 15 miles per hour, with gusts reaching as high as 20 miles per hour. The chance for precipitation will be 60 percent. New rainfall amounts are expected to range from less than one-tenth of an inch to a full inch, possibly higher amounts in some parts. By nightfall, a chance of showers will be 20 percent before 7 p.m. under cloudy skies with a low of 42 degrees. Wind gusts at night could reach 20 miles per hour.
• By Wednesday, the chance of rain grows to 50 percent after 7 a.m. It will be a cloudy affair with a high expected to reach 49 degrees as the high temperature, and the wind will blow north to northwest between five to 10 miles per hour. By nighttime, a 50 percent chance of rain will be hovering in the atmosphere and the low temperature is expected to be 41 degrees.
• Thursday is when things start to get serious, from a cold weather standpoint. It'll start off normal enough — and by "normal" we mean a 50 percent chance of rain before 7 a.m. under mostly cloudy skies with a high temperature of 53 degrees — before getting genuinely cold. Thursday night will bring a 20 percent chance of rain before 7 p.m. under mostly clear skies with a low of 34 degrees. Winds, at least, are expected to be negligible at around five miles per hour.
• Friday will come like an apology from Mother Nature for the cold, windy and wet weather. It's expected to be sunny again, with a high near 62 degrees. Gentle breezes will be added to envelop one's skin, with westerly winds coming from a northwest direction between 10 to 15 miles per hour, with the possibility of gusts reaching speeds of up to 20 miles per hour. But then, Mother Nature takes it all back with a low temperature of 38 degrees. But it will be clear, so there's that.
• Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 66 degrees. By nighttime, it's expected to be mostly clear with a low of around 37 degrees.
• Sunday will be sunny, as far as forecasters can tell, with a high of 68 degrees.

Have that winter coat at the ready, Central Texans. You've had it good with unseasonably warm weathers for far too long. It's time to face Mother Nature.

>>> Photo by Gabriele Diwald on Unsplash