While we enjoy mild temperatures today, with 70 degree temperatures forecast for Tuesday, weather to come on Wednesday through Friday looks to be treacherous.  As of Monday morning, a winter storm was brewing and it’s headed to Texas.

According to KOXE Radio Meteorologist Randy Turner, a combination of arctic air from the northern U.S. will combine with a low pressure system coming in from the western U.S. to bring us a wide variety of precipitation and bitterly cold temperatures.

“As of noon today (Monday), the weather map looks rather uneventful except for the arctic air making its way down through Montana into Wyoming and Colorado.  On Tuesday a low pressure area will strengthen over southern California and begin moving toward the east.  The low from the west will help produce rain over our area during the day Wednesday.   The true arctic air will arrive by Wednesday evening or night helping turn the rain to a wintry mix of freezing rain and sleet,” Turner said.

“I expect the high temperature Wednesday to hold steady in the middle 40’s with a slow downward trend to the 30’s as rain falls much of the day on Wednesday.  By Wednesday evening around dark or so, the rain turns to a wintry mix.  Before midnight temperatures fall below freezing so precipitation turns to freezing rain and sleet,” Turner said.

By Thursday morning at sunrise, the temperature is forecast to be near 20 degrees.  “I don’t expect the temperature to increase at all on Thursday.  Whatever it is that morning is probably what it will be all day, or slowly fall.  We will still receive sleet and snow much of the day on Thursday.  Plus, wind chills will be in the single digits Thursday into Friday,” Turner added.

Precipitation amounts are hard to pinpoint as of yet, Turner said. “Regardless of amounts, I’m very concerned that it will be enough to cause icy and hazardous road conditions starting Wednesday night and continuing Thursday, Thursday night into Friday,” Turner add. “I expect high temperatures to remain in the 20’s on Friday and perhaps get close to freezing on Saturday.  The coldest nights will be Thursday night around 12 degrees and Friday night around 8 degrees,” according to Turner.

Turner said we should at least plan for possible power outages, damage to trees and hazardous driving conditions.

IN THE PHOTO:  A map of Texas weather, from the GFS weather model, of precipitation projected for this coming Wednesday night.  Rain in green, freezing rain and sleet in pink and purple, snow in blue.  The model paints freezing rain and sleet across our area Wednesday night into Thursday with snow ending during the day Thursday.

Prepare by:

Making sure all faucets and water lines are well insulated
You have enough food and water on hand to last three to four days, should travel not be possible
That pets and livestock have plenty of food, water and extra shelter from the cold
A way for you to stay warm should you lose electricity
Extra firewood
A plan to check on your relatives and neighbors to make sure they are safe
A full tank of fuel in your auto in case of power outages to gas pumps

Watch for video weather updates on koxe.com and on the KOXE mobile App.

KOXE/KBWD Meteorologist Randy Turner