AUSTIN, Texas — Austin, along with other parts of Texas, experienced what Gov. Greg Abbott described as one of the most significant ice events in decades on Thursday. On Friday, the wintry precipitation is not expected to continue but the frigid temperatures are.
Outside of the sleet and freezing rain, we are also tracking very cold temperatures, including an extended stretch of subfreezing temperatures. It won't be anywhere close to February 2021, but we still want everyone to be prepared.
Temperatures stayed below freezing through Friday morning. Our current forecast calls for temperatures above freezing along and east of Interstate 35 with a high of 34 degrees expected in Austin. It's possible that some portions of Central Texas, especially in the Hill Country, stay below freezing even through Friday afternoon and into Saturday morning. Temperatures should easily climb above freezing for Saturday afternoon across the region.
This means icy travel could persist into as late as Saturday for some areas. We advise everybody to stay indoors and off the roads through Friday if at all possible.
Also remember to make plans for the four Ps: people, pipes, pets and plants. Morning temperatures in the teens will be widespread by Friday morning, perhaps even in Austin.
Below is a live blog tracking weather conditions in the Austin area. Keep checking back for updates.
Live weather updates:
9:30 a.m. - The Winter Storm Warning and Wind Chill Advisory have been canceled. While this is great news, you’ll still need to exercise caution on the roadways due to ice and bundle up as we’re tracking well below-average temperatures.
6:15 a.m. – Capital Metro will begin operating a “Critical Service Schedule” at 10 a.m. The new schedule is part of CapMetro’s emergency response efforts. For a full list of impacted routes, click here.
6 a.m. – The City of Austin is suspending normal operations Friday. All essential public safety services will continue. Here are some of the impacted services:
- Austin Resource Recovery has canceled services for the rest of the week, and the Recycle & Reuse Drop-off Center and Hornsby Bend Biosolids Management Plant will remain closed until Monday
- Austin Public Health's Environmental Health Services at the Rutherford Lane Campus, Office of Vital Records, neighborhood centers and all WIC, Shots for Tots/Big Tots, sexual health, refugee health screening and tuberculosis clinics will be closed. COVID-19 testing and vaccine sites will also be closed Friday, including the Metz Elementary testing site
- All Parks and Recreation facilities will remain closed except for emergency shelters
- All Austin Public Library locations will remain closed
- All Austin Public Works Department, Austin Transportation Department, Economic Development Department and Development Services Department facilities will remain closed
2:20 a.m. – The National Weather Service extended the Winter Storm Warning until 10 a.m. Friday. No additional precipitation is anticipated, but the NWS said hazardous travel conditions and icy roads still pose a threat.
A Wind Chill Advisory is also in effect until 9 a.m. Friday.
1:40 a.m. – Per FlightAware, 124 flights in and out of the Austin airport have already been canceled.
You can also see Thursday's live weather updates here.
Looking ahead
Additional hard freezes are likely for Saturday and Sunday mornings. Even into Monday morning, we're expecting Austin to drop down to the low 30s.
Afternoons should warm safely above freezing by Saturday and Sunday, and highs will be around 60 by Tuesday of next week.
The KVUE Storm Team will continue to monitor this developing forecast.
Stay with KVUE on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and download the KVUE News app so you can stay ahead of the weather: kvue.com/app.
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