BurtonFitzsimmons.com

Expect a cloudy, breezy, mild day across Central Texas but winds of change will soon blow our way. We’ll go from low 80s these last few days of February to some cool 60s as March arrives like a lamb.

Winds are too breezy this morning for much fog to form, so visibility is fortunately much better compared to yesterday’s early rush. Sustained south winds range from 8 to 18mph as of 5am and will continue gusty in advance of our next cold front.

Speaking of, we see this next front just now sweeping into West Texas, and it will likely arrive along I-35 just after midnight tonight. Blustery breezes from the west will dominate our parched area Thursday, heightening the threat for fires. A Fire Weather Watch will be in effect on Thursday.

The parent upper-air disturbance bringing tonight’s cold front will also deliver blizzard-like conditions to parts of the Great Plains and Midwest today. Severe storms may break out from the Ark-La-Tex to St. Louis, including potential for damaging winds, severe hail, and possibly more tornadoes across the Ozarks.

After highs today near 80 for many, we’ll cool off tonight into the 50s behind the front then enjoy with cooler upper 60s and low 70s Thursday afternoon. Sunshine quickly returns for the end of the week. Then, with another front arriving Friday night, we’ll cool to seasonal levels to start this first weekend of March. Rural locales, especially those in protected valleys, could get a light freeze both Saturday and Sunday morning. Daytime temps rise back into the low 70s Sunday and for much of next week.

Goodbye, Dry February… With only 0.13″ at the Bergstrom rain gauge this month and no rain in our forecast through the day, February 2007 likely goes down in the history books as the third driest. Camp Mabry’s 0.14″ is the 6th driest according to those records. Also from Camp Mabry, our chilliest day came February 14th with a high of 43 while the overall coldest temp of winter was 24 on Friday the 16th. On that same day, Bergstrom recorded a winter low of 20.

March Arrives Tranquil… Meteorological spring starts tomorrow, and along with it comes our storm season. The official forecast calls for equal chances of an above or below normal month in both precipitation and temperatures. Hopefully, the return to neutral conditions in the Pacific Ocean (“La Nada”) doesn’t worsen our extreme drought. We need some rain before we get to summer, so keep your fingers crossed for a turnaround!

Enjoy your Wednesday.

Meteorologist Burton Fitzsimmons

We wrapped up a beautiful, final weekend of February with incredibly comfortable weather. Get ready to warm today! Our forecast calls for daytime conditions to gradually cool a bit by the weekend, with very little rain expected in this parched part of the country.

Thanks to ample sunshine, dry air, and a south breeze, you can count on quite a bit of comfort outdoors as we kick off the new week. Look for highs today in the low to mid 80. Another dry cold front will try to deflect those winds and cool us a bit tomorrow, but it just doesn’t look like it’s going to be very strong — maybe a few degrees lower. Expect south winds to dominate, becoming breezy especially midday tomorrow.

After lows in the mid to upper 40s, highs Tuesday will cross 80 degrees for some areas and will continue to run above normal even as another cold front arrives midweek. Late Wednesday night, north winds will sweep back into the area, even if only briefly, with some clouds and a very slim 20% chance for rain early Thursday. In the wake of this next front, breezy conditions will heighten an already dangerous fire threat so please be cautious.

As the jet stream assumes a flatter, west-to-east flow across the country, very little disturbed weather will make it south this week. By the weekend, another dip in this river of air aloft allows a somewhat stronger cold front to reach our state. As it looks today, the front will arrive Friday with very seasonal 60s in its wake for the weekend ahead under totally sunny skies. A developing high pressure cell will keep us warm and dry into next week, as well.

Enjoy your Monday.

Meteorologist
Burton Fitzsimmons