Fall weather to follow rainy weekend

BY ALEXANDRIA RANDOLPH

Pumpkin spice lovers, rejoice! Area meteorologists are predicting a cold front to move in over the weekend, with fall weather on its skirt-tails.

The National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio shows a chance for thunderstorms over the weekend, with a 20 percent chance Friday, Sept. 23, a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms Saturday, and a 60 percent chance on Sunday. Highs will remain in the upper 80s over the weekend.

In his web blog, Lower Colorado River Authority Meteorologist Bob Rose said “big changes in the weather are expected” with the advent of the cold front.

“Small changes in the pattern are forecast to take place as early as Friday when tropical moisture is drawn inland by a broad trough of low pressure moving east from the West Coast,” Rose wrote. “Some scattered, spotty rain showers will be possible around the region, but rain amounts should average less than a quarter inch.”

Rose said that as the atmosphere becomes increasing moist from Saturday into Saturday night, showers and isolated thunderstorms will become more widespread.

“Rain amounts are forecast to generally average between 0.25 and 0.5 inch. Saturday's temperature is still expected to be warm; reaching the lower 90s,” he said.
Rose said the highest probability for rain and thunderstorms is forecast to occur Sunday into Monday, but severe weather is not anticipated.

“Rain totals between Sunday morning and Tuesday morning have the potential to be quite high,” Rose said. “Most model solutions are calling for two-day totals in the range of 3-5 inches.”

While a slight chance of rain will persist over the beginning of the next week, the greatest change, Rose said, will be a temperature drop.

“Forecast data indicates occasional light rain showers will continue across the region Tuesday and Wednesday as a weak overrunning pattern sets up. Rain amounts through the period are forecast to remain under a half inch. The sky will be mostly cloudy Tuesday and Wednesday but should turn mostly sunny Thursday and Friday,” he said. “Monday's cold front is expected to bring a noticeable change in the temperature. High temperatures Monday are forecast to only be in the mid 70s. Highs Tuesday and Wednesday are forecast to be in the upper 70s. Highs are forecast to reach the low 80s Thursday and Friday. Low temperatures next week will be in the low and mid 60s, with widespread 50s expected across the Hill Country.”