Cold front to breeze through Central Texas

The strongest Arctic cold front of the season is expected to sweep through Central Texas this week, bringing single-digit temperatures and below-zero wind chills to the area.

According to weather tracking patterns from the National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio, the front is expected to arrive in the greater Austin area midway through Thursday, Dec. 22, sometime between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

“Temperatures may be warmer leading up to the front, but we’re expecting it to drop very quickly,” said Keith White, a meteorologist with NWS. “Temperatures may drop 20—30 degrees in an hour, and we’re predicting strong, northern winds up to 40 miles per hour.”

White said he sees the possibility of wind chills below zero in some areas, with the coldest temperatures occurring sometime around sunrise Friday morning. Temperatures throughout that morning are expected to remain in the teens.

“This is going to be a real wind-chill issue,” said Raymond Schifflett, a local weather reporter based out of Wimberley. “It’s going to be record cold and high winds. We’re not going to get any precipitation, so snow won’t be an issue, but you won’t want to get outside and stay exposed very long.”

With such low temperatures expected, Schifflett said the risk of frostbite is real.

“You get stuck on the side of the road or work outside for a while and don’t cover up, you’re gonna have skin damage,” he explained.

The important thing is to remember your four P’s, White said.

“You want to look out for people, plants, pets and pipes,” he explained. “If you have Christmas decorations out, you’ll want to secure them or take them down altogether. No one wants to be chasing down missing decorations on Christmas Eve in the cold.”

“You’ve got to drip your pipes,” Schifflett added. “I know it costs a few extra dollars to do it, but it’s cheaper than repairs from a burst pipe.”

The front is expected to last through Christmas Eve, with highs returning to the 40s for Christmas Day.