Sorry for the short notice on this, timing has been precious lately so this one will be short. A brisk cold front will blow through today dropping temps into the mid 20s overnight, freezing any water that could not evaporate to exposed surfaces. This will cause a notable icing hazard tonight, most likely after midnight thru Tuesday morning. Winds will be strong as well, wind chills will be hazardous so wear your heavy jackets.
Snow potential just got bumped up a few notches for Thursday, with now 1-3 inches forecast for the Metroplex. This is comparable to the Christmas Eve snowfall with 3.0 inches recorded at DFW Airport. Snow will begin during the day Thursday as a rain/snow mix, then quickly transition to all Snow. The ground will remain above freezing at first, but accumulations will begin within a few hours, along with notable icing. Travel Friday morning will also be hazardous, but any remaining ice or snow should melt away in the afternoon.
Below is a statement from the NWS about the approaching winter weather.
…Cold tonight then wintry weather expected across much of North
Texas early Thursday into Thursday night…A strong cold front will move through North Texas tonight with
north winds increasing to 15 to 25 mph. All of the precipitation
will have moved east of the area by the time temperatures fall to
below freezing during the overnight hours. Low temperatures will
fall to between 24 and 29 degrees across most of North Texas…so
any residual water on area roads will likely freeze. Patchy ice is
likely to form during the overnight and early morning
hours…making roads slick. Wind chills will be in the low teens
early Tuesday morning.Another storm system will approach the area by midweek while
temperatures remain cold across the region. It appears at this
time that sufficient moisture will move northward in advance of
this system for snowfall to occur across much of North Texas
during the day Thursday into Thursday evening. While there is
still some uncertainty as to the speed and track of the evolving
system…which could significantly affect the thermal profile
favorable for snow production…overall confidence in this storm
system is increasing.Areas north of a Killeen to Waco to Athens line appear to have
the best chance for accumulating snows during the day Thursday.
Temperatures at the surface will be at or slightly above freezing
at the onset of the event…which means that snow will likely melt
initially…then accumulate as heavier bands develop. At this time
it appears that accumulations of 1 to 3 inches will be possible.
Uncertainty in the exact track and speed of this system could
significantly affect snowfall accumulation totals.Residents of North Texas and motorists traveling across the
region on Thursday should stay informed of the latest weather
information and forecasts by visiting our website at
www.Weather.Gov/fortworth
