Mild Thursday for North Texas before rain, sleet, snow and extreme cold arrive
Thursday is the final quiet weather day ahead of an arctic blast, wintry precipitation and dangerously cold temperatures. North Texas is starting out cooler, with temperatures in the 30s and 40s with fog possible in the morning.
On Thursday afternoon, expect mostly cloudy skies and highs in the upper 50s and lower 60s.
First Alert Weather Days are in effect for Friday through Monday due to the approaching winter storm. As of Thursday morning, the timing is still uncertain.
Friday will start with scattered showers, before the rain becomes more widespread into the afternoon. As the colder air moves in, the precipitation will change to a wintry mix of freezing rain and sleet.
Sleet is expected on Saturday, but some pockets of freezing rain will still be possible. As the system makes a final push across DFW, the sleet will turn into snow late Saturday and overnight into Sunday. Some light snow showers may be lingering on Sunday morning.
North Texas could see accumulations from 1 to 5 inches of sleet and snow, with a majority being sleet. Ice accumulations will range from 0.25 inches to 0.5 inches, with isolated amounts up to 0.75 inches. It all depends on how far north the warm air sticks around and how much rain falls. Higher amounts for all precipitation will be along and north of Highway 380. A Winter Storm Watch is in effect from Friday through Sunday.
Once the wintry precipitation tapers off, the focus will turn to the dangerously cold temperatures.
Sunday and Monday mornings will be dangerously cold with wind chills as low as 10 below zero. It is crucial to plan ahead by wrapping exterior pipes, dipping faucets and bringing any pets indoors for the weekend through Monday, as the forecast is calling for over 72 hours of temperatures being at or below freezing.
There is a chance that temperatures do not rise back above freezing until Tuesday. Even then, whatever moisture is left on the ground will re-freeze overnight.