Cold Front Brings Cooler Temperatures, Heavy Rain And Chance For Winter Weather In North Texas
NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) — The year 2020 is determined to take us on one final weather rollercoaster ride. Highs Tuesday were in the 60s and low 70s, but be prepared for temperatures to be 20° to 30° cooler by Wednesday afternoon.
A strong cold front will move through North Texas on Wednesday, dropping temperatures from the upper 50s and low 60s Wednesday morning into the 30s and 40s by Wednesday afternoon. Factor in a strong north wind behind the front, and wind chills will be in the 20s for most of North Texas by 4:00 p.m. Wednesday.
And the cooldown isn't what's getting the most attention with this storm system. Not only are we expecting widespread and, at times, heavy rain, but we also have the chance for some winter weather in Texas.
Expect coverage of showers and storms to expand as the cold front gets closer and eventually pushes through North Texas on Wednesday. We also have the chance for a few stronger storms Wednesday afternoon, mainly east of Interstate-35. The main threats with these storms would be heavy rain and potentially damaging winds.
But the question still remains – will North Texas see winter precipitation? The answer - some parts might. As of Tuesday evening, models are coming into better agreement that the best chances for a change over from cold rain to snow will generally be along and west of Highway 281. We could start to see this changeover as soon as Wednesday night, but it's more likely we would see this occur on Thursday.
While accumulation potential seems to be limited, the farther west you go the more likely there could be some minor accumulations leading to hazardous travel, especially on bridges and overpasses.
The big takeaways with this final storm system of 2020? You can expect a major cooldown during the day on Wednesday, along with some heavy rain. Between one and three inches of rainfall are expected, with areas east of I-35 picking up closer to 4+ inches of rainfall. The farther west you go, we will be watching for a changeover from cold rain to snow/sleet.
Limited accumulation is expected right now, but check back for updates as this system moves through.
