textproduct: Austin/San Antonio

KEY MESSAGES

- Poor travel conditions will continue for many roads due ice accumulations lingering through much of the morning due to freezing temperatures in the wake of bands of freezing rain and sleet.

- Travel impacts could linger into Monday and Tuesday due to residual icy roads.

- Dangerous cold is forecast through at least Monday and likely into Tuesday. Wind chills as low as 5 below zero may cause hypothermia and frostbite if precautions are not taken.

- A long-duration freeze is forecast for the Hill Country and Austin metro through at least Monday morning.

SHORT TERM

(Today through Monday) Issued at 1205 AM CST Sun Jan 25 2026

The much advertised enhancement of precipitation over South Central Texas ahead of an upper level trough over the Big Bend is underway, though the back edge is moving into our Rio Grande areas. Surface temperatures are below freezing across all of South Central Texas. Atmospheric profiles continue to indicate a significant mid level warm, above freezing layer with a deepening lower level sub-freezing layer. As a result, a mix of freezing rain and sleet is favored. The trough will exit to our east shortly after sunrise taking the precipitation with it. Will maintain the Ice Storm Warning, Winter Storm Warning, and Winter Weather Advisory through Noon CST as many roads will remain ice covered although the precipitation will have ended. Travel is not recommended across South Central Texas.

Total ice accumulations remain on track. Ice Storm Warning for the Hill Country with 1/4 to 1/2 inch. Winter Storm Warning for most of the remainder with 1/10 to 1/4 inch with isolated 1/4 to 1/2 inch. The Winter Weather Advisory for the Winter Garden with up to 1/10 inch. Sleet accumulations up to 1/2 inch are possible most areas.

Another upper level trough passes overhead by early evening with a few snow flurries over Val Verde County where forecast soundings show the mid level warm layer eroded. However, no snow accumulations are expected.

While the clouds will break allowing for sunshine to melt the ice, any water will quickly refreeze after sunset making some roads icy tonight into Monday morning.

In addition to the wintry precipitation, dangerously cold Arctic air is expected. An Extreme Cold Warning continues through Noon Monday. Northerly winds of 10 to 20 mph with gusts to 30 mph will send wind chills as low as 5 below zero across northern areas and 5 degrees above zero across southern areas. Lows in the teens are expected across most areas tonight into Monday morning, except for areas of single digits in the Hill Country and lower 20s along the Rio Grande. These conditions may cause hypothermia and frostbite if precautions are not taken. Keep people, pets, plants, and pipes warm, and practice safe use of space heaters.

LONG TERM

(Monday night through Saturday) Issued at 1205 AM CST Sun Jan 25 2026

No change in airmass is expected into Tuesday with the Extreme Cold Warning possibly extended into that morning. Although there is some recovery of temperatures the remainder of the week, they will remain unseasonably cold. Freezes with areas of hard freezes are expected at night into early morning due to efficient radiational cooling with only Thursday night mostly above freezing. Temperatures struggle to warm during the day due to mixing with cold air aloft. Fair skies prevail due to a dry northwesterly flow aloft.

A cold front and upper level trough move across our area on Friday into next weekend to generate precipitation. Forecast soundings from the last several runs have indicated a mix of precipitation types due to a return of colder temperatures. However, models have been inconsistent and lack consensus. Stay tuned to the forecast in the coming days.

AVIATION

(12Z TAFS) Issued at 522 AM CST Sun Jan 25 2026

Wintry precipitation has come to an end for our TAF sites with lingering activity now progressing through the coastal plains. The activity will move out of our coastal plain region by 13Z or so. Ceilings have risen to MVFR ceilings at most locations and should continue to improve to where some VFR conditions return by mid- morning across portions of the region. KAUS will be the least likely site of the four TAF sites to improve VFR levels this afternoon. All sites become VFR tonight with skies nearly clearing out completely. Winds will remain moderate to breezy out of the north through this evening before subsiding into the overnight tonight. Gusts up to 20 to 25 kts remain possible.

CLIMATE

Issued at 1205 AM CST Sun Jan 25 2026

Record Low Temperatures Jan 25 Jan 26 Jan 27 Austin Bergstrom 19 (2014) 24 (2011) 21 (2004/1963) Austin Camp Mabry 20 (1940/1926)20 (1904) 19 (1940) San Antonio Intl 16 (1894) 20 (1897) 18 (1897) Del Rio 22 (1963) 27 (1966/1920) 24 (1976)

Record Low Max Temperatures

Jan 25 Jan 26 Austin Bergstrom 33 (1961) 33 (1948) Austin Camp Mabry 28 (1940) 33 (1948) San Antonio Intl 24 (1897) 32 (1897) Del Rio 37 (1961) 37 (1940)

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Austin Camp Mabry 27 17 35 18 / 0 0 0 0 Austin Bergstrom Intl Airport 28 15 34 12 / 0 0 0 0 New Braunfels Muni Airport 30 17 37 17 / 0 0 0 0 Burnet Muni Airport 22 12 31 12 / 0 0 0 0 Del Rio Intl Airport 36 22 44 23 / 0 0 0 0 Georgetown Muni Airport 23 13 31 10 / 0 0 0 0 Hondo Muni Airport 36 15 40 14 / 0 0 0 0 San Marcos Muni Airport 29 16 36 14 / 0 0 0 0 La Grange - Fayette Regional 28 17 35 14 / 10 0 0 0 San Antonio Intl Airport 33 19 38 19 / 0 0 0 0 Stinson Muni Airport 35 20 39 18 / 0 0 0 0

EWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Ice Storm Warning until noon CST today for TXZ171>173-184>192- 206.

Extreme Cold Warning until noon CST Monday for TXZ171>173- 183>194-202>209-217>225-228.

Winter Storm Warning until noon CST today for TXZ183-193-194- 202>205-207>209-220>225.

Winter Weather Advisory until noon CST today for TXZ217>219-228.