After all the rain and threats of flooding, this Pacific cold front is bringing a significant and long-lasting cooldown to Texas. In fact, some areas are expected to see temperatures up to 20 degrees below normal for this early in the fall season.
From Dalhart to Dallas and down to San Antonio, it’s finally feeling like fall. After days of cloudy, gloomy, and severe weather, the skies are expected to clear. But temperatures should remain seasonably low, offering some relief from the triple–digit days of summer.
“The southern TX Panhandle is expected to keep the cloud cover longer, with temperatures potentially 20 degrees below average. The northern combined Panhandles are expected to have the sun break out in the afternoon allowing temperatures to warm slightly higher than the south,” the National Weather Service Amarillo office reports.
Over the weekend, highs in the Texas Panhandle should hover in the upper 70s. Evenings will also be quite chilly, dipping into the low 50s well into the start of the next workweek.
But it’s not just the northernmost cities of Texas that are seeing the impacts of this strong burst of cold air. The greater Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex is slated to remain in the upper 70s and low 80s at the hottest point in the afternoon through the weekend. However, this temperature plummet is coupled with storm chances through Sunday.
“Scattered to numerous showers and storms will redevelop across the area this morning and continue off and on through Saturday. Some heavy rain and localized flash flooding will continue to be possible, although not as widespread as what was seen on Thursday,” the NWS Dallas-Fort Worth office warns.
There’s a roughly 30% to 60% chance of showers and thunderstorms all weekend. But evenings dropping into the low-60s by Monday will be a welcome relief as fall makes itself known in the Lone Star State.
It’s a similar story for South Central Texas. Afternoon highs in the greater San Antonio-Austin area should drop from the mid-90s last week to the low 80s all weekend and into next week.
While the national forecasters’ local office is touting a temperature dip, it also spells days of stormy weather for the Alamo City.
“A cold front with combined tropical moisture will bring periods of heavy rainfall which could lead to life-threatening flash flooding. Stay weather aware and have multiple ways to receive warnings,” the National Weather Service San Antonio-Austin office reports.