Winter Storm to Bring Two Waves of Wintry Precipitation to West Central Texas

Forecasters said the event will begin as cold rain across much of the area Friday afternoon, but some locations could see freezing rain develop late in the afternoon. As colder air arrives, precipitation will transition to freezing rain and sleet Friday night through Saturday, then to a mix of snow and sleet Saturday night. 

A Winter Storm Warning remains in effect for the entire region from 6 p.m. Friday through 6 p.m. Sunday, with moderate to heavy accumulations of snow, sleet and ice likely. 

Snow and sleet totals will most likely stay below 3 inches, though northern portions of the Big Country have a low (10%) chance of 4 inches or more. Ice accumulations from freezing rain are expected to range between 0.3 and 0.5 inches, with a low (10%) chance of nearly 0.75 inches in some areas. Higher-end amounts could create hazardous travel conditions. 

An Extreme Cold Warning is also in effect from 6 p.m. Saturday through noon Monday. Low temperatures will drop into the single digits and teens, with wind chills falling below zero — especially Sunday and Monday mornings. Frostbite and hypothermia are possible without proper precautions.

Temperature forecasts for selected cities show sharp drops behind the Arctic front:

• San Angelo: High near 57 Friday afternoon, falling to 29 by midnight, with lows in the teens to low 20s Saturday night through Monday morning. Wind chills could reach -1 early Monday.

• Abilene: Similar pattern, with wind chills as low as -3.

• Brownwood: Lows in the low to mid-teens, wind chills near -6 at times.

Residents are urged to monitor updates closely, limit travel if possible, protect outdoor pipes, bring pets indoors and use caution on potentially slippery surfaces.