A cold front is set to sweep across Texas this weekend, dropping temperatures from Dalhart to San Antonio as fall progresses. But this burst of cold air, which is relieving Texans of 80-degree days, comes with a side of stormy weather.
In some cities, like Dalhart or Amarillo, afternoon highs are expected to dip by roughly 15 degrees over the weekend. Evenings will also turn quite chilly in the Texas Panhandle as temperatures sink into the low-40s.
“There is high confidence that cooler weather will follow [the weekend]. High temperatures are expected to fall into the 50s and 60s across the Western Panhandles, whereas eastern areas will likely remain closer to the 70s,” the National Weather Service Amarillo office reports. “These lower temperatures should persist into next week, reinforced by an additional cold front arriving early Monday.”
However, a low-level risk of flooding looms over the region this weekend as storm clouds roll in. Cities in the northwestern quadrant of the Panhandle, such as Dalhart, Dumas or Boise City, have roughly a 40% chance of receiving 2 inches of rain or more between Friday and Sunday.
Further south in San Antonio, these cold fronts will mostly translate into rain. However, forecasters predict cooler air blowing in on Sunday, October 25.
“Temperatures should be slightly cooler starting Sunday as an increase in cloud cover due to southwesterly flow … By Monday, this trough will eject quickly out over the High Plains,” the National Weather Service Austin-San Antonio office says.
This means a roughly 20% to 30% chance of rain through the first days of the next workweek. In reality, this cold front should keep temperatures around San Antonio more fall-like, with afternoon highs in the low-80s to upper 70s and evening lows in the mid-60s.
But forecasters in South Central Texas have their sights set on another cold front that could blow into town late next week. The NWS says a stronger cold front could sweep in over the Halloween weekend.