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With the promise of improving condtions, more mild winter temperatures were forecasted in the 50s and 60s for the high over the weekend. Connie Swinney/The Highlander
Highland Lakes residents are hoping the weekend will bring an end to the effects of Winter Storm Uri and the large accumulations of snow and ice which have plagued the area and caused loss of electricity, made travel hazardous and shut down businesses, schools and other organizations.
LCRA meteorologist Bob Rose said skies were expected to clear Friday morning, though temperatures were forecast to be in the low to mid-teens throughout the Hill Country. Sunny weather was expected with afternoon temperatures predicted to climb to the low and mid-40s, before dropping into the mid-20s overnight and into Saturday morning in the Hill Country.
“The weekend weather is shaping up to be mostly sunny with milder temperatures,” Rose said. “High temperatures Saturday will be in the upper 50s, warming to around 60 degrees on Sunday. Lows Sunday morning will be above freezing — in the upper 30s to low 40s. Lows Monday morning will be in the low and mid-30s.”
Rose said the outlook for next week calls for “mostly sunny, dry and mild weather as our region comes under the influence of a stable ridge of high pressure ridge setting up over the southern U.S.”
High temperatures will be in the mid and upper 60s. Low temperatures will be in the 30s early in the week, warming into the 40s for the second half of the week.
A significant icing event took place across the Hill Country and most of Central Texas early Wednesday morning. Ice accumulations of 1/4 to 1/2 inch of ice were common between Fredericksburg, Georgetown and Austin as a storms system brought rain to the region. This new layer of ice, combined with lingering snow cover, made travel very hazardous.
Snow returned to the Hill Country Thursday morning in low amounts averaging below and inch, but cloudy and cold conditions were in place for much of Thursday as an arctic cold front swept south across the region, bringing in a new push of very cold air with wind gusts up to 25 mph.